Today (19 September) the Barbican announces its spring and summer 2024 season of classical music. From January to July next year, the Barbican will play host to emerging talent, radical ensembles, world-renowned orchestras, and outstanding soloists across a season packed with daring and joyful musicmaking in the Barbican Hall and Milton Court Concert Hall.
The Barbican’s Resident Orchestra the London Symphony Orchestra, Associate Orchestra the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Associate Ensembles Academy of Ancient Music and Britten Sinfonia will also feature across the season. Throughout spring and summer, the Barbican’s family of orchestras will present new works, showcase groundbreaking artistry, and perform beloved pieces – from grand masses to monumental symphonies.
Will Gompertz, Artistic Director says: “The announcement of our wonderful classical music season today is a celebration of the depth and breadth of live performance across musical genres. We are looking forward to welcoming extraordinary soloists, charismatic conductors, and powerful ensembles – both established and emerging – alongside mighty performances by some of the world’s great orchestras. We can’t wait to welcome our audiences to the Barbican Hall and Milton Court for the coming season.”
HIGHLIGHTS:
Barbican International Orchestral Partner, the Los Angeles Philharmonic return, led by Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel, to give a landmark performance of Beethoven’s Fidelio joined by Deaf actors from Deaf West Theatre and the White Hands Choir of Venezuela as well as a programme of John Williams, Gabriela Ortiz and Anton Dvorak’s Symphony No 9 (2 & 3 Jun)
Barbican Resident Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra and Chief Conductor Designate Sir Antonio Pappano perform the UK premiere of Wynton Marsalis’s Trumpet Concerto with Alison Balsom, plus the complete Daphnis et Chloé with vocal ensemble Tenebrae (11 Apr)
Artist Spotlight residency with cellist Abel Selaocoe exploring string instruments, musical roots and beyond (Jan, Feb & Mar)
Manchester Collective are joined by soprano Héloïse Werner and mezzo sopranos Fleur Barron and Katie Bray to present the first full-scale performance of Freya Waley-Cohen’s Spell Book (1 Feb)
BBC Symphony Orchestra present a Total Immersion Day focusing on visionary composer Missy Mazzoli, with concerts led by Dalia Stasevska and Sofi Jeannin (25 Feb)
Cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason and pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason return to give a Barbican Hall recital (28 May)
One of the greatest violinists alive, Leonidas Kavakos embarks on J. S. Bach’s complete violin Sonatas and Partitas (2 & 3 May)
Dunedin Consort present Reformations: Concerto with guitarist Sean Shibe, the first of a three-year commissioning project in partnership with the Barbican, plus the world premiere of Cassandra Miller’s new concerto (11 Apr)
Vocal brilliance from Hera Hyesang Park (1 Mar) and Fatma Said (22 May) who also joins Il Pomo D’Oro and Joyce DiDonato as they present Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas (2 Feb)
Britten Sinfonia are joined by cellist Abel Selaocoe as part of Selaocoe’s Artist Spotlight residency for a programme of Tavener’s modern classic The Protecting Veil, and works by Beethoven and Bartók (15 Feb)
London Symphony Orchestra and Conductor Emeritus Sir Simon Rattle perform the world premiere of new work by John Adams: Frenzy (3 Mar)
Pianist sisters Katia and Marielle Labèque present a staging of Glass/Cocteau: Philip Glass’s Cocteau Trilogy arranged for two pianos in a special collaboration with the Philharmonie de Paris (17 Jun)
Culmination of NY Phil principal clarinettist Anthony McGill’s artist residency at Milton Court (23 & 26 Mar)
Academy of Ancient Music brings its Golden Anniversary season to a close with a performance of Handel’s Orlando, starring outstanding countertenor Iestyn Davies in the title role (30 Jun)
Piano recitals from international superstar performers Khatia Buniatishvili (21 Mar) and Evgeny Kissin (17 Feb)
