An orchestra blazing burnished colours, rich string tone, and boundless refinement, the Czech Philharmonic launches a two-day residency with a concert of Shostakovich.
The ovation that greeted the 1937 premiere of Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony lasted over an hour – perhaps fuelled by its agonisingly intense slow movement and the triumphal ending – though its deeper meaning is fraught with ambiguity. It's paired with a concerto whose daunting demands tested its dedicatee, the formidable Mstislav Rostropovich, to the limit at its 1959 premiere.
Shostakovich's Cello Concerto No 1 holds a special place in Sheku Kanneh-Mason’s heart - with it he secured the title of BBC Young Musician of the Year 2016. His 2023 performance 'had the feel of chamber music as if the strings were consoling a colleague who was sharing the depths of his, and the music's, soul' (Bachtrack). And 'the players of the marvelous Czech Philharmonic bring the piece to life as few, if any, orchestras have before or since' (Classics Today).
The end time for this concert will be added here closer to the performance date
Produced by the Barbican
Programme
Performers
Ticket prices
Patrons get first access to Priority Booking with no booking fees added.
Members enjoy 20% off tickets.
No booking fees.
Corporate Members enjoy discounted ticket prices for this performance.
2 tickets max per booking. Subject to availability.
£15
Aged 14–25? Join Young Barbican for free.
Subject to availability.
Wheelchair spaces and free companion seats may now be booked online.
Please select the relevant preferences on the access registration page during your booking so we can provide you with the correct information and discounts.
Booking a wheelchair space: Select a seat displaying the wheelchair user icon and then select wheelchair user ticket type. The ticket will be priced at the lowest price for that event. If you need an essential companion, please select the click the E icon next to the wheelchair space you have selected.
Booking essential companion tickets: Please select at least two tickets and one of them will be automatically discounted to zero in the basket.
Booking British Sign Language or Captioned Seats: Select seats in the area appropriate to your needs.
20% discount for groups of 10+. Contact [email protected] to make a group booking.
Subject to availability.
Booking fees
£4 booking fee per online/phone transaction.
No fee when tickets are booked in person.
Booking fees are per transaction and not per ticket. If your booking contains several events the highest booking fee will apply. The booking fee may be reduced on certain events. Members do not pay booking fees.
Become a Patron
You might also like...
with Katia and Marielle Labèque
Elgar Cello Concerto
Hall
Location
The Barbican Hall is located within the main Barbican building. Head to Level G and follow the signs to find your seating level.
Address
Barbican Centre
Silk Street, London
EC2Y 8DS
Public transport
The Barbican is widely accessible by bus, tube, train and by foot or bicycle. Plan your journey and find more route information in ‘Your Visit’ or book your car parking space in advance.
We’ve plenty of places for you to relax and replenish, from coffee and cake to wood-fired pizzas and full pre-theatre menus
Mobility
Spaces for wheelchair users in row U at the rear of the stalls (up to sixteen, depth of row 180cm) and the back row of the circle (four), both with fold-down companion seats. Some seats in row S of the stalls for people with very limited mobility.
Assistance dogs
Assistance dogs may be taken into the concert hall where there are a limited number of suitable seats in row G of the stalls. If you prefer, you may leave your dog with a member of the cloakroom staff during the performance.
Hearing facility
There is an induction loop in the concert hall. You can use this by adjusting your hearing aid to the ‘T’ setting.
Free large-print programmes
These are available for most of our concerts. Please contact [email protected] at least a week beforehand, to prebook a large-print programmme.
For more access information, please visit our Accessibility section.
