As Hitler’s armies surrounded the city of Leningrad, and bombs rained down on a starving population, Dmitri Shostakovich sat down and – somehow - composed his Seventh Symphony. Written for massed battalions of musicians, this is music from the front line – a roar of defiance from an unbreakable city – and Vasily Petrenko’s recording was described by one critic as ‘devastating’. It’s a stupendous climax to a concert that’s all about struggle and resistance: whether it’s Sibelius defying Russian imperialism with a mighty hymn to his native Finland, or the poet Walt Whitman’s pleas for tolerance, set to music by the exiled Kurt Weill. Singing them today is the fabulous British baritone Roderick Williams: a born communicator at the heart of a truly epic programme.
Dig into Birmingham’s grime and hip-hop scenes, with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and some of the most influential artists creating music in the city.
Three quartets unite to perform the Chamber Symphony enlargement of Shostakovich’s 8th quartet, crowning a programme including Firsova’s ardent, deftly-plotted Quartet No 4.
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Dance company Sasha Waltz & Guests and London Sinfonietta join forces to present their vision of Terry Riley’s In C, a trailblazing piece of musical minimalism.
Huang Ruo and the BBC Concert Orchestra take the audience on an immersive musical journey through London to connect with their surroundings and each other.
Dance company Sasha Waltz & Guests and London Sinfonietta join forces to present their vision of Terry Riley’s In C, a trailblazing piece of musical minimalism.
‘I am the new Bacchus, pressing out glorious wine for the human spirit’ declared Ludwig van Beethoven. True, he wasn’t known for his modesty – but until you’ve heard his incredible Seventh Symphony in full, heart-pounding flight, you’ve never known just how intoxicating music can be. This is music that demands total commitment, body and soul and we can expect the young British conductor Adam Hickox to raise the roof tonight. First, though, he joins the RPO’s own Principal Trumpet Matthew Williams in the delightfully operatic concerto by Beethoven’s great friend Hummel – and ventures deep into the dark heart of the German forest in the Overture to Weber’s supernatural shocker Der Freischütz. The perfect opener to an evening of music to set the pulse racing.
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Roll up, roll up to a bold new collaboration of music and movement created by Aurora Orchestra and physical theatre experts Frantic Assembly.
Splicing classic Baroque works with a reminder that the harpsichord is no mere museum piece, Mahan Esfahani has opened up inspiring new territories.
The much-loved British pianist performs glorious music by three iconic composers in a feast of colour and contrast, from intimacy to elemental fire.
Multi-instrumentalist Maya Dunietz, with the London Sinfonietta’s string ensemble, dedicates an evening to the sublime music of the Ethiopian composer and nun.
A concert performance of Janáček’s hilarious satire about art, lunar travel, nationalism – and sausages.
Three beautifully-conceived 21st century works inspired by the visual arts, culminating in a celebration of Balkan folk tunes herald the return of Ellie Consta’s pioneering Her Ensemble.
The Bach Choir and the Philharmonia Orchestra join forces for an evening of British music full of gripping stories and stunning landscapes.
The internationally acclaimed young violin and piano duo offer a feast of seductively gorgeous music, bringing to life the agony and ecstasy of French romanticism.
A runaway hit at its 1724 premiere, Louise Alder stars in Giulio Cesare - arguably Handel’s most popular operatic creation – a drama teeming with passion and political skulduggery.
One of Southeast Asia's most exciting orchestras performs a programme of much-loved works including Mendelssohn's ‘Italian’ Symphony, Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake Suite and Bizet's Carmen Suite No. 1. Joining them for Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations – a sparkling celebration of the 18th century inspired by Mozart – is the internationally renowned cellist Wen-Sinn Yang.
From the depths to the stars; from romance to tragedy: Dima Slobodeniouk pairs Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet with Lili Boulanger’s mighty shout of hope and praise.
Showpieces for the orchestra meet a dazzling concerto, brimming with characteristic Stravinsky flair and melody.
Performed by one of its outstanding interpreters, Boulez’s uncompromising Livre pour quatuor is at the heart of a centenary tribute to the composer referencing Webern, Bach, and impassioned Debussy.