Vasily Petrenko conducts Holst’s The Planets

A host of well-known melodies await us in Holst’s The Planets. Each of the seven movements paints a rich musical picture of one of the astrological figures that the planets in our solar system are named after. From jolly Jupiter to war-like Mars, Holst’s suite reminds us of the emotional power of music.

Opening tonight’s concert is a world premiere of a new work by Dani Howard. Commissioned by the RPO to celebrate our 75^th anniversary and conceived as the musical equivalent of time-lapse photography, Ellipsis charts the RPO’s steadfast journey through a constantly evolving London musical scene over the last seventy-five years. Dani is a young, up-and-coming British composer who has quickly established herself on the international classical music scene.

Mao Fujita joins the Orchestra for Rachmaninov’s much-loved Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini – a nimble ode to what has to be one of the most instantly recognisable themes of the repertoire. 

‘Fujita is a musician of tremendous versatility and taste, with a poetic sense of pulse and eloquent, insightful, fearless articulation.’ The Times

*Commissioned by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and generously funded by Louise and Philip Keller.

Read our interview with Dani Howard and discover more about Ellipsis.

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