Best Southbank Centre concerts 2020/21: Royal Festival Hall and neighbours host top artists
Beethoven, Verdi and Mozart, of course, but also minimalist Steve Reich and a new work about climate crisis, with many concerts perfect for young music-makers. Booking is open now...
The Rite of Spring, London Philharmonic Orchestra
Stravinsky's radical and unruly score is as exciting as ever, played here by the LPO under Jukka-Pekka Saraste (pictured) with Schubert's lovely Symphony No 1. Before the interval, witness the UK premiere of Finnish composer Magnus Lindberg's dynamic and virtuosic Cello Concerto.
Read more ...Grieg's Piano Concerto, London Philharmonic Orchestra
Icelandic pianist Vikingur Olafsson (pictured) is the soloist in the ever-popular Grieg Piano Concerto, paired with the powerful and dramatic Symphony No 5 of Tchaikovsky. Perfect for youngsters getting into orchestra music.
Read more ...Chineke! Orchestra plays Beethoven
In the year that marks 250 year since his birth, Beethoven still astounds with his Fifth Symphony, played here by the breakthrough orchestra (pictured) under Joseph Young, and with Gerard Aimontche as the soloist in Tchaikovsky's exciting Piano Concerto No 1, and the picturesque Sussex Landscape by 20th-century composer Avril Coleridge-Taylor
Read more ...Ode to Joy, Beethoven 250
Beethoven's mighty Choral Symphony will be heard a lot in this anniversary year, but ddo catch this one, with outstanding soloists including Bryn Terfel (pictured), Sophie Bevan and Toby Spence joining the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir. Opening the concert, Handel's coronation anthem, Zadok the Priest.
Read more ...Mehta conducts Shankar
East meets West in a landmark concert by Zubin Mehta that opens with Beethoven's elegiac Symphony No 6 (Pastoral) and features Anoushka Shankar (pictured) as soloist in the Sitar Concerto No 2 by her father, Ravi Shankar.
Read more ...Verdi's Requiem, Philharmonia Orchestra
Distinguished Italian conductor Riccardo Muti marks 75 years of the Philharmonia with the mighty Requiem by Verdi in which soloists include soprano Asmik Grigorian and tenor Francesco Meli. At 6pm, hear a free recital by members of the orchestra.
Read more ...Daniel Barenboim plays Beethoven
A world statesman of music, pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim (pictured) dedicates two evenings to Beethoven, with his violinist son Michael Barenboim and the celloist Kian Soltani. Together they explore the intricacies of the composer's perfectly balanced trios and variations. Expect musical magic.
Read more ...Wagner's Ring Cycle
Two complete concert renditions of Wagner's colossal Ring Cycle – Das Rheingold, Die Walküre, Siegfried and Götterdämmerung – with the London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by outgoing music director Vladimir Jurowski (pictured). Expect about 15 hours of music over four afternoons and evenings, with long dinner and shorter intervals, and buy the whole package for a fraction of an opera house price.
Read more ...Nicola Benedetti plays Mendelssohn
London favourite Benedetti (pictured) is the soloist in the evergreen Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, joining pioneers of historically informed playing, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, under Sir Roger Norrington. With Cimarosa's sparkling overture Il Matrimonio and the Symphony No 8 of Schubert, unfinished by the composer but completed here by Schubert expert and scholar Brian Newbould. A great concert for the young musicians in your household.
Read more ...Mitsuko Uchida plays Mozart
Culture Whisper favourite Mitsuko Uchida (pictured) both directs the scintillating Mahler Chamber Orchestra and plays the solo piano part in not one but two of Mozart's Piano Concertos. Nos 18 and No 21 bookend Janáček's atmospheric and touching Mladi (Youth).
Read more ...Beethoven's Ninth
The 250th anniversary celebrations continue with another eye-catching performance of the composer's final Choral Symphony. David Hill conducts the Philharmonia Orchestra an the Bach Choir, with soloist including soprano Fflur Wynn, mezzo Kitty Whately, and tenor Toby Spence. Also in this big concert, Mendelssohn's overture The Hebrides (Fingal's Cave) and the much-loved Grieg Piano Concerto, with soloist Ivana Gavrić (pictured).
Read more ...Colin Currie plays Steve Reich
Three modern classics by the much-loved American minimalist composer Steve Reich: Pulse, Double Sextet, and the intricate and fascinating Music For 18 Musicians, performed by the Colin Currie Group (pictured) and Synergy Vocals. Will the great man himself appear? He often does...
Read more ...Stephen Hough plays Brahms
London-based international soloist Stephen Hough (pictured) joins the London Philharmonic Orchestra under Karina Canellakis in Brahms's mighty Piano Concerto No 1. In the second half, Beethoven's ambitious Symphony No 3, the Eroica. A classic programme ideal for younger music-lovers too.
Read more ...Extinction Manifesto
Sure to arouse great interest, the world premiere of Extinction by contemporary composer Laura Bowler, whose early work Antarctica was based on travel in that melting zone. Sian Edwards (pictured) conducts the city's new music experts, the London Sinfonietta, with mezzo-soprano Jessica Aszodi.
Read more ...Dvorak and Elgar, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Two warhorses of the classical repertoire follow Sunshine by contemporary composer Jonathan Dove. Kian Soltani is the soloist in Dvorák's Cello Concerto. Elgar's majestic, Brahms-influenced Symphony No 1 closes the concert conducted by the RPO's incoming conductor Vasily Petrenko (pictured), whose five-year appointment as music director runs from September 2021.
Read more ...Aurora Orchestra plays Beethoven
Mouldbreakers Aurora (pictured) present The Orchestra Theatre. Expect a relaxed and surprising event, when music includes the popular Violin Concerto by Beethoven, with soloist Nicola Benedetti. With a fresh approach and afternoon slot, this one is perfect for families.
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