Symphony Fantastic

Death has never sounded more alive than in Saint-Saëns’ Danse Macabre, where a violin charms skeletons from their graves so they can dance until the break of dawn. Then, allow yourself to be lured to the depths of a crazed composer’s mind in Symphonie Fantastique. Our Chief Conductor Umberto Clerici will energise the orchestra with Berlioz’s evocative cocktail of opium and desire and actor Robert Hofmann will set a nightmarish scene. Between these killer works you’ll hear Ravel’s Tzigane, rapsodie de concert, as Hungarian violinist József Lendvay will hold you in the clutches of this spellbinding solo infused with a gypsy spirit.

You'll be delighted by a Foyer Activation named BEHIND THE SOUND, courtesy of Simply for Strings, both before and during the interval.

'Behind the Sound’ offers concert-goers a chance to observe, explore & discover the inner workings of a luthier’s workshop. From re-stringing to sound post adjustment, the Simply for Strings team will demonstrate and describe the type of work commonly performed by luthiers. While moving through the workshop, you will also come to know the evolution of a violin, with a deconstructed violin on display as the instrument progresses through each stage.