Santtu Conducts Sibelius & Grieg
The Philharmonia Orchestra’s season gets off to a barnstorming start, as they launch their series Nordic Soundscapes with pianist Stephen Hough.
María Sigfúsdóttir’s Oceans is an exhilarating appetiser for the Philharmonia’s series, which focuses on Nordic composers’ relationships with the natural world.
From a peaceful, meditative opening, Sigfúsdóttir’s music grows in power, evoking the swell of the ocean and the cry of the wind.
Wise and wonderful pianist Stephen Hough joins the Philharmonia in Grieg’s Piano Concerto, one of the most popular pieces in the orchestral repertoire.
It’s brimful of passion from its opening timpani roll and crashing chords to its anthemic final moments.
Then there’s a rare opportunity to hear Sibelius’ Kullervo, with the choir who sang at its premiere back in 1892. The YL Male Voice Choir is an institution in Finland, its history closely entwined with Finnish national identity and the music of Sibelius.
Kullervo, which Sibelius sometimes referred to as his first symphony, tells a story from Finland’s national epic, the Kalevala. After a tragic childhood, the eponymous Kullervo unknowingly seduces his sister, with unsurprisingly disastrous results.
You can expect sweeping melodies worthy of a Hollywood epic, high drama and some seriously impressive singing.
Performers
Philharmonia Orchestra
Santtu-Matias Rouvali conductor
Stephen Hough piano
Johanna Rusanen soprano
Tommi Hakala baritone
Ylioppilaskunnan Laulajat Male Voice Choir
Repertoire
María Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir: Oceans
Grieg: Piano Concerto
Interval
Sibelius: Kullervo
Need to know
Times & tickets
Dates, times and prices
Dates & times
26 Sep 2024, 7pm
Run time
2 hours and 30 minutes (approx)
All timings are approximate and subject to change
Standard entry
from £15.00*
* Excludes £3.50 booking fee.
Book as early as you can to ensure the best choice of tickets. Ticket prices may be adjusted without notice to reflect demand.
Multi-buy discount
Classical Music: Autumn/Winter 2024/25
As part of our classical music multi-buy offer, book multiple Autumn/Winter 2024/25 concerts in the same transaction to receive a discount:
3 – 4 events: 10% discount
5 – 7 events: 15% discount
8 – 10 events: 20% discount
11 – 14 events: 25% discount
15+ events: 30% discount
Discounts apply to selected events, September 2024 – January 2025 inclusive. Offer can’t be combined with the Spring/Summer 2024 multi-buy.
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For your visit
This event is held at the Royal Festival Hall Southbank Centre
The Royal Festival Hall is open daily.
Monday & Tuesday, 10am – 6pm*
Wednesday – Sunday, 10am – 11pm
*If we’re hosting a performance, the building will stay open until the event ends.
Plan your visit
The Royal Festival Hall is home to our largest auditorium as well as The Clore Ballroom, National Poetry Library, Members’ Lounge, Festival Bar & Kitchen, Ballroom Cafe and Skylon restaurant.
Getting here
Our address is Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX.
The nearest tube stations to us are Waterloo and Embankment; Waterloo is also the nearest train station. And more than 20 different London bus routes pass within 500 metres of our venues. More information on getting here by rail, road or river is available on our Getting here page.
We’re cash-free
Please note that we’re unable to accept cash payments across our venues.
Access
We’re working hard to remove barriers, so that our facilities and events can be accessible to as many people as possible.
All help points, toilets, performance and exhibition spaces at the Southbank Centre are accessible to all, as are the cafes, bars and restaurants. We also have excellent public transport links with step-free access.
All information about booking wheelchair spaces, step-free access, blue badge parking, access maps and guides and other help available whilst you’re here, including details about our Access Scheme, can be found on our Access page.
Food & drink
On Level 2 of our Royal Festival Hall you can grab a slice of life by the Thames with drinks and freshly made pizza at our Festival Bar & Kitchen which opens out onto our Riverside Terrace. You can grab a coffee and a slice of freshly made cake from our Ballroom Cafe. Or alternatively enjoy destination dining in the restaurant at Skylon.
From coffee to cocktails, filling favourites to fine dining, plus some of London’s best street food – it’s all here at the Southbank Centre.
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