80TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON London, September 2026 – May 2027
WELCOME TO OUR th
80 Anniversary Season at Cadogan Hall, the Royal Albert Hall and the Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall
For the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, turning 80 is both a celebration and a milestone as we look ahead to the next chapter. After eight decades, it’s safe to say that the Orchestra feels younger and fresher than ever. But it also has many stories to tell, and this 80th Anniversary Season places a way marker on our journey of discovery, giving us the opportunity to share those stories anew, together. It’s a season full of reflections, remembrances and evocations: music that celebrates music, and the musicians who make it. And above all, music that celebrates you, our audience – the people who make the music complete. We’re launching our anniversary season in the magnificent Royal Albert Hall, with a brand-new fanfare from Errollyn Wallen CBE and Richard Strauss’ epic Ein Heldenleben. And the series continues across London, with performances at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall as well as my debut concerts
as Music Director of the RPO at our Resident Home, Cadogan Hall. Stravinsky’s The Firebird: Suite, Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, Mahler’s ‘Resurrection’ Symphony and Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture – these are just some of the musical tales we’ll be telling anew as the season unfolds. They’re pieces that we love to play and you love to hear, each with an unforgettable story of its own. Let us bring them alive for you in vivid colours. But we won’t be doing it alone. From the Philharmonia Chorus to pianists Jan Lisiecki and Eric Lu, violinist Julia Fischer, presenter Leah Broad (hosting a concert of Mozart’s music in a brand-new format at Cadogan Hall) and many more of our friends, we’re making music with the artists we admire the most. And with you too, as we extend a huge, tuneful invitation to the musical celebration of the year. Come and join the party.
Vasily Petrenko
Music Director Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
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Image: Frances Marshall
Wednesday 23 September 2026, 7.30pm Royal Albert Hall
ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
at 80
Wallen FLARE
World premiere
Beethoven Triple Concerto Strauss Ein Heldenleben Vasily Petrenko Conductor Julia Fischer Violin Pablo Ferrández Cello Jan Lisiecki Piano Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
A big anniversary calls for an even bigger celebration, and as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra turns 80, that’s exactly what we’re hosting tonight – live from the spectacular surroundings of the Royal Albert Hall, where the RPO is proud to be Associate Orchestra. We’re looking to the future, with a thrilling new fanfare from the Master of the King’s Music, Errollyn Wallen CBE. We’re inviting friends, as the world-beating team of Julia Fischer, Pablo Ferrández and Jan Lisiecki come together for Beethoven’s joyous Triple Concerto. But above all, we’re making music on the grandest possible scale, as Vasily Petrenko conducts Richard Strauss’ big-hearted story of love, art and the sheer glory of a great orchestra raising the roof. Consider this your official party invitation!
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Thursday 1 October 2026, 6pm and 8.30pm Cadogan Hall
MOZART
Revealed Mozart Symphony No.41, ‘Jupiter’ Vasily Petrenko Conductor Leah Broad Presenter Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
An enlightening one-hour exploration, featuring insights and a complete performance. This concert has no interval. In 1788, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed his last symphony. We’re still not quite sure how he did it: creating a masterpiece so perfect that for more than two centuries, it has shared a name with the king of the gods. But why is it considered to be a masterpiece? Here to answer that question (and more) are presenter Leah Broad, Vasily Petrenko (conducting the RPO for the first time at Cadogan Hall) and the full Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, with an entertaining guide to what makes Mozart tick. They’ll take the Symphony apart and show you how it works. And then they’ll put it back together, concluding the evening with a full performance. Whether you’re a hardcore Mozart fan or a total newbie, it’s an experience that never fails to inspire.
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Saturday 16 January 2027, 7.30pm Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall
STRAVINSKY
The Firebird Butterworth A Shropshire Lad (Rhapsody for Orchestra) Grieg Piano Concerto Stravinsky The Firebird: Suite (1945) Vasily Petrenko Conductor Eric Lu Piano Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
The darkness lies heavily on the demon-king Kastchei’s shadow kingdom – so heavily that you can almost hear it and feel the air shimmer. Suddenly, there’s a flash, and with a dazzling cascade of sound, an adventure begins. Stravinsky’s The Firebird is one of the great musical fairytales; a story that Vasily Petrenko and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra are delighted to retell tonight. And there’s a reason why Grieg’s Piano Concerto is one of the world’s favourites, too. Melodies this good always feel fresh, and never fresher than when they’re played by Eric Lu – the multi-award-winning pianist who’s taking the world by storm. First, though, ancient passions burn beneath the tranquillity of the English countryside in Butterworth’s haunting rhapsody. This should be something special.
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Wednesday 20 January 2027, 7.30pm Cadogan Hall
BEETHOVEN
5
Rimskaya-Korsakova A Bewitched Place*
Vasily Petrenko Conductor Jan Lisiecki Piano Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
‘Thus fate knocks at the door’: even if you’ve never heard a Beethoven symphony, you’ll know the shattering four notes that open his Fifth. But if that’s all you know, you’re in for the ride of your life, as Vasily Petrenko conducts the symphony that redefined classical music – a white-knuckle ride from despair to triumph, told in music so powerful that it left Beethoven’s contemporaries gasping for breath. Follow that? You can’t, so we’re beginning with a symphonic scene from Nadezhda Rimskaya-Korsakova, her last piece of composition before her marriage to Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, and a showstopper from the 20th century, the daredevil piano concerto that the young Prokofiev wrote in an age of revolution to demonstrate his own off-the-scale skills. And who better to play it than a good friend of the RPO – the ‘pristine, lyrical and intelligent’ (The New York Times) Jan Lisiecki?
* Supported by the ABO Trust’s Sirens programme
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World premiere
Prokofiev Piano Concerto No.2 Beethoven Symphony No.5
Sunday 21 March 2027, 3pm Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall
RACHMANINOFF
Symphonic Dances Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture Saint-Saëns Piano Concerto No.2 Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances Vasily Petrenko Conductor Bertrand Chamayou Piano Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Romance, rhythm and the dance of life itself: that’s the story of this colourful concert performed by Vasily Petrenko and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Tchaikovsky put all his energy and youthful longing into his famous retelling of Romeo and Juliet, and the result is one of the greatest love themes in all music. They say that Rachmaninoff imagined a dream ballet when he composed his last masterpiece, the Symphonic Dances – a vision of haunted waltzes and raw, unstoppable life force from a genius in exile. And as for Saint-Saëns’ exuberant Second Piano Concerto: well, one critic said that it begins in church and ends at an orgy. It’ll fizz like champagne tonight, as Vasily Petrenko partners one of France’s most brilliant pianists, Bertrand Chamayou. ON SALE AUTUMN 2026
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Wednesday 7 April 2027, 7.30pm Royal Albert Hall
MAHLER
‘Resurrection’ Pärt Kanon Pokajanen: Ode VII Mahler Symphony No.2, ‘Resurrection’ Vasily Petrenko Conductor Miah Persson Soprano Beth Taylor Mezzo-soprano Philharmonia Chorus Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
A man stands alone at the grave of a friend. Shattered by grief, he cries out in sorrow and takes the first step on an odyssey that will take him to the end of the world – and beyond. This is Gustav Mahler’s ‘Resurrection’ Symphony, and if it sounds epic on paper, just wait till you hear it live. It’s quite simply overwhelming – and if you only know it from recordings, you really haven’t heard it all. It could have been written for the Royal Albert Hall, so prepare yourself for the musical adventure of a lifetime, as RPO Music Director Vasily Petrenko conducts two outstanding singers and the mighty Philharmonia Chorus in music to shake the heavens – plus a haunting curtain-raiser from Arvo Pärt.
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Please note, there will be no interval in this performance.
Wednesday 5 May 2027, 7.30pm Royal Albert Hall
STRAUSS
Also sprach Zarathustra Wagner Tannhäuser: Overture Beethoven Piano Concerto No.5, ‘Emperor’ Strauss Also sprach Zarathustra Vasily Petrenko Conductor Elisabeth Leonskaja Piano Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Vasily Petrenko raises his baton. The air shimmers, a trumpet pierces the darkness, and the whole universe explodes into glorious sound. When Richard Strauss composed Also sprach Zarathustra, he set out to tell the entire story of humanity in music, and from heaven-splitting opening to enigmatic close, it’s an incredible ride – a fitting climax to a concert that bursts with emotions and ideas on a truly heroic scale. Beethoven’s Fifth and final piano concerto is so stirring and majestic that his contemporaries called it the ‘Emperor’, played tonight by Elisabeth Leonskaja, an artist who has dedicated her long and distinguished career to interpreting the works of Beethoven. And the evening begins with the eternal battle between the human spirit and the pleasures of the senses: Wagner’s barnstorming Overture to Tannhäuser. Music to make the pulse race, played with heart and soul.
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Tuesday 25 May 2027, 7.30pm Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall
RAVEL
Daphnis et Chloé Strauss Don Quixote Ravel Daphnis et Chloé (Complete Ballet Score) Vasily Petrenko Conductor Abigail Fenna Viola Johannes Moser Cello Philharmonia Chorus Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Imagine a world of gods and nymphs – a sunlit paradise, where two young lovers experience adventures beyond imagination. ‘I think and feel in sounds’ said Maurice Ravel, and in his 1912 ballet Daphnis and Chloé you can hear every flurry of birdsong and see every drop of glittering dew. It’s a showstopper alright, and it’s not every day that you get to hear the full, ravishing score, complete with magical vocals from the Philharmonia Chorus. But it’s only one of the stories that Vasily Petrenko and the RPO are telling tonight. In Richard Strauss’ uproarious Don Quixote, the eccentric hero tilts at windmills and battles with an army of sheep. With cellist Johannes Moser portraying the mad knight, he’ll break your heart, too, alongside his sidekick Sancho Panza from solo viola Abigail Fenna. ON SALE AUTUMN 2026
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Image: Andy Paradise
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To find out how you and your company can support the RPO on and off the concert platform and benefit from a host of exclusive opportunities, please contact Sarah Bardwell (Managing Director) on 020 7608 8800 or sarah.bardwell@rpo.co.uk.
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is a Registered Charity, number 244533
How to Book CADOGAN HALL Tickets from £24* Under-18s from £9* (only valid in selected areas)
Online rpo.co.uk Phone 020 7608 8813 * Prices may be subject to change and include a £4 transaction fee (charged once across the whole order).
ROYAL ALBERT HALL Tickets from £24* Under-18s from £11* (only valid in selected areas)
Online rpo.co.uk Phone 020 7608 8813 * Prices may be subject to change and include a £4 transaction fee (charged once across the whole order).
SOUTHBANK CENTRE’S ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL Tickets from £18* Under-18s from £5* (only valid in selected areas)
Online rpo.co.uk Phone 020 3879 9555 *Booking fees apply online (£4) and over the phone (£4). There are no booking fees for in-person bookings, Southbank Centre Members, Supporters Circles and Patrons. Ticket prices include a £2 restoration levy, enabling the Southbank Centre to care for its historic buildings. Ticket prices may be adjusted without notice to reflect demand. See the Southbank Centre website for information about concessions. Under-12s must be accompanied by an adult on the Southbank Centre site. Find all of the Southbank Centre’s ticket terms and conditions at southbankcentre.co.uk/ website-ticket-terms
Hospitality dining packages available, see royalalberthall.com for details.
If you’d like to get in touch, write to Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX, phone 020 3879 9555 or email hello@southbankcentre.co.uk
GROUP DISCOUNTS
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Groups save up to 35% off all ticket prices. Tickets for schools and college parties are available from £5* for all performances, subject to availability.
RPO Club members save 50% on up to two tickets for each of these concerts.
Visit rpo.co.uk/groups for details. * A £4 transaction fee will be charged once across the whole order.
See rpo.co.uk/club or call 020 7608 8840 for details and to join. Buy 2 or more concerts to save on your tickets. See rpo.co.uk for details.
Season at a Glance Wednesday 23 September 2026, 7.30pm Royal Albert Hall
Sunday 21 March 2027, 3pm Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall
Wallen FLARE World premiere Beethoven Triple Concerto Strauss Ein Heldenleben
Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture Saint-Saëns Piano Concerto No.2 Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at 80
Thursday 1 October 2026, 6pm and 8.30pm Cadogan Hall
Mozart Revealed
Mozart Symphony No.41, ‘Jupiter’ Saturday 16 January 2027, 7.30pm Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall
Stravinsky The Firebird
Butterworth A Shropshire Lad (Rhapsody for Orchestra) Grieg Piano Concerto Stravinsky The Firebird: Suite (1945) Wednesday 20 January 2027, 7.30pm Cadogan Hall
Beethoven 5
Rimskaya-Korsakova A Bewitched Place World premiere Prokofiev Piano Concerto No.2 Beethoven Symphony No.5
Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances
Wednesday 7 April 2027, 7.30pm Royal Albert Hall
Mahler ‘Resurrection’
Pärt Kanon Pokajanen: Ode VII Mahler Symphony No.2, ‘Resurrection’ Wednesday 5 May 2027, 7.30pm Royal Albert Hall
Strauss Also sprach Zarathustra Wagner Tannhäuser: Overture Beethoven Piano Concerto No.5, ‘Emperor’ Strauss Also sprach Zarathustra Tuesday 25 May 2027, 7.30pm Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall
Ravel Daphnis et Chloé Strauss Don Quixote Ravel Daphnis et Chloé (Complete Ballet Score)
Buy 2 or more concerts to save on your tickets. See rpo.co.uk for details.
All details correct at time of going to press. Artists may be subject to change. Notes by Richard Bratby, richardbratby.co.uk. Design by D8, d8.studio.
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