A night of drama and glamour.

Following last week's Contemporary Festival, Huddersfield last night got a taste of some of the vividly-orchestrated music composed in the first half of the 20th century.

No-one knew better than Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943) how to exploit large orchestral resources to dramatic effect, and he does so in the Isle Of The Dead in wonderfully evocative and atmospheric style.

Richard Farnes, conducting the Opera North Orchestra, drew some fine work from his players as they conveyed the dreadful element of foreboding in this piece, which portrays a boat carrying a coffin and a shrouded figure in white to the towering cliffs of an island.

Repeated tones of the Dies Irae from the Requiem Mass added to the emotive power of the work.

Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3 in C, which followed, is in happier vein, but full of contrasts. Glamorous Russian soloist Evgenia Rubinova gave a scintillating performance, bringing out with equal skill the work's soft, delicate lyricism, its heady descents into dissonance, its bristling energy and excitement.

And the orchestra responded to the demands of the score with admirable alacrity.

Stravinsky's Petrushka, with which the programme concluded, was probably the most familiar work of the three for both audience and orchestra, but it's an extremely characterful piece which stands frequent repetition.

The quirky, taut and at times rumbustious ballet music again exerted a strong spell, with Ian Buckle a splendid pianist, often in vigorous battle with the orchestra.

The Showman and the three puppets - Petrushka, the Ballerina and the Blackamoor - came to life in vigorous style, with elegant solos from flute and trumpet. The wide range of orchestral tonal colours and the work's dynamic contrasts added to the attraction and excitement.

A large and deserved ovation followed the performance.