A bewitching programme of contrasts: Pierre Boulez’s glittering sound world, late Johannes Brahms, and a lyrical world premiere from George Benjamin – to celebrate Sir Simon Rattle’s 70th birthday.
2025 marks the centenary year of the legendary composer and conductor Pierre Boulez, and Sir Simon Rattle kicks off the LSO’s celebrations with Éclat. An exploration of sound itself, for Rattle it’s ‘one of Boulez’s seminal pieces, a piece where you not only conduct, but you almost compose as you go along'.
George Benjamin’s Interludes and Aria (from Lessons and Love and Violence) is a world premiere, created specially as a gift for Rattle’s birthday, adapting the beautifully textured excerpts from Benjamin’s powerfully intense opera.
Brahms’ Symphony No 4 (his last) was written on a grand scale, termed ‘tragic’ by the composer, yet full of melody and warm orchestral colours.
The versatile soprano-conductor Barbara Hannigan, who created the role of Isabel in Lessons and Love and Violence, reprises an aria here.
This performance will end at approximately 8.40pm, including a 20-minute interval (timings subject to change).
Produced by the London Symphony Orchestra
Programme
Performers
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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.
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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.
