The composers of the Romantic era liked their landscapes untamed, their stories sensational and their emotions larger-than-life – so that’s exactly what conductor Jac van Steen delivers tonight. Mendelssohn conceived his ‘Scottish’ Symphony at twilight in Edinburgh, as he wandered the ruins of Holyrood Abbey: what follows is a sweeping musical drama of mist-covered moors and warring clans. Wagner’s Overture to Rienzi is even more over the top: a rip-roaring musical swashbuckler inspired by a tale of bloody rebellion amid the ruins of Rome. You simply have to hear it! And in between… well, we can’t say yet, because it’ll be performed by the newly crowned winner of the 2024 Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition. But if previous Competitions are anything to go by, you’re about to hear a star in the making.

Prepare for a programme of brilliant and beguiling pianism as this celebrated performer shows sides of three great composers that are rarely seen.

An imaginative programme unites extraordinary viola player Lawrence Power, one of our current Resident Artists, with leading composer Thomas Adès at the piano.

Enter the world of Henryk Górecki’s cathartic and hauntingly beautiful Symphony of Sorrowful Songs at an immersive performance, conducted by Charles Hazlewood.

Join this dynamic group for a celebration of today’s music for strings at its most thrilling and varied, including the meditative Third Symphony by Philip Glass.

Enter the world of Henryk Górecki’s cathartic and hauntingly beautiful Symphony of Sorrowful Songs at an immersive performance, conducted by Charles Hazlewood.

Continuing his residency, James McVinnie offers a programme that celebrates music of flair and fantasy on the Royal Festival Hall’s historic organ.

Cyborg pianist Zubin Kanga summons ghostly vocal samples with the press of a key in a brand-new Laurence Osborn piece.

Four internationally acclaimed young musicians, all award-winning international soloists in their own right, join forces in lavishly Romantic chamber music.

Matthew Freeman Conductor

Abbie Osmon Vocalist

Emma Kershaw Vocalist

ABBAphonic Voices

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Plus a special guest presenter TBA

Back by popular demand: the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s sensational ABBAphonic show returns to the magnificent surroundings of the Royal Albert Hall, 50 years since Europe’s biggest pop group won the Eurovision Song Contest with their timeless track, Waterloo!

Dance the night away to timeless chart-topping tracks: Dancing Queen, Mamma Mia, Money, Money, Money, Take a Chance on Me, S.O.S., Voulez-Vous, Super Trouper, The Winner Takes it All, Fernando, Does Your Mother Know, Thank You for the Music… and many more – each given the RPO’s signature symphonic twist.

Featuring West End vocalists Abbie Osmon and Emma Kershaw, a special guest presenter and a spectacular light show, this exhilarating musical extravaganza is perfect for pop music fans of all ages.

Trumpets ring out as Shostakovich prepares to cut loose and party. Sergei Prokofiev meets a French violinist and writes a concerto with a Spanish sizzle: music that sings, dances and tingles in the ear. And, exiled from Russia, Sergei Rachmaninov discovers a glittering world of fast cars and big bands – and pours it all into a symphony that still, somehow, yearns and aches for a homeland he would never see again. All music tells a story and tonight, guest conductor Robert Trevino recreates a world of revolution, exile and burning emotions: three very different but equally colourful 20th-century Russian masterpieces, striking sparks off each other. RPO Artist-in-Residence Johan Dalene takes the spotlight in Prokofiev’s vibrant Violin Concerto No.2, the perfect showcase for Gramophone’s 2022 Young Artist of the Year.

Two supernovas of today’s piano world share the stage in virtuoso works for two pianos and piano four hands, crossing three centuries of music.

Join the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and four West End guest vocalists for a trip down memory lane at the one-and-only Royal Albert Hall in this nostalgic celebration of classic musicals from the golden age of Hollywood.

Featuring much-loved songs and duets from: Singin’ In The Rain, Guys & Dolls, Anything Goes, My Fair Lady, The Sound of Music, Hello, Dolly!, West Side Story, The Wizard of Oz, Kiss Me Kate, Oklahoma!, Calamity Jane, Annie Get Your Gun, Carousel, A Star is Born, Top Hat, Brigadoon… to name but a few.

Live music meets pre-recorded material in a boundary-pushing experience from Resident Artist Lawrence Power, with guests Héloïse Werner and Sergio Bucheli.

The masked stranger, the mysterious commission; the dying Mozart frantically composing as his life ebbs away… If you’ve seen Amadeus, you’ll know the legend behind Mozart’s unfinished Requiem. For once, though, the reality is even more incredible than the myth – as music’s greatest genius comes to terms with the ultimate mystery of human existence. Mozart finds sorrow, courage and deep compassion, then pours it all out in music of unforgettable beauty and power. Understandably, any performance is something of an occasion; it’s one of those masterpieces that you simply have to hear live, and today at Cadogan Hall the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is joined by the glorious voices of the City of London Choir – one of the capital’s longest-established (and most respected) non-professional choruses.

Joy, warmth and irrepressible energy: Sirocco is a great storm of music from across the world, played with heart and virtuosity.

The RPO’s Principal Associate Conductor Alexander Shelley has been called ‘a natural communicator’ – and tonight he has a joyous story to tell. He kicks off with the whirlwind energy and homespun high-spirits of Smetana’s irresistible comedy overture. He finishes with the blazing trumpets and big, sunlit melodies of Brahms’ Second and happiest symphony – it was written while the composer was on his summer holidays, and you can tell! In between, we’re making musical history, with the first UK performance of a new piano concerto written by the Hungarian sonic conjuror Peter Eötvös in homage to György Cziffra, a family friend of the composer who survived communist brutality to become one of the 20th century’s most dazzling pianists. It’s played by János Balázs – who gave the world premiere in Paris, in 2021.

The harpsichordist invites us to surrender our expectations in an unfolding journey of improvisation including works from Bach, Couperin and Ligeti.

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s much-loved Christmas Cracker concert returns to Cadogan Hall.

Featuring your favourite Christmas songs and a selection of sing-along carols, it’s the perfect way to get your festive season off to a joyful start.

The Orchestra is very pleased to be joined by conductor Stephen Bell, alongside special guest vocalists, Katie Birtill and Oliver Tompsett, for this magical Yuletide celebration that is guaranteed to fill you with festive cheer.