Events Calendar

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Icons Rediscovered: Elgar’s Symphony No.1

Sunday 29 October 2023, 7.30pm
Royal Festival Hall

Lera Auerbach Icarus
Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No.2
Elgar Symphony No.1

Vasily Petrenko Conductor
Nikolai Lugansky Piano

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

For Rachmaninov, an unforgettable tune was a point of arrival. For Elgar, it was the start of a journey. ‘Great charity (love) and a massive hope in the future’ was how Elgar described the message of his First Symphony, and when it was premiered in Manchester in 1908, the audience simply rose to its feet and cheered.

But that’s a common response to both these composers, and in this first concert of his Icons Rediscovered series, Vasily Petrenko explores the dark passions that drive two very different, but equally beloved masterpieces – with the magnificent Nikolai Lugansky taking the spotlight in Rachmaninov’s ever-popular Second Piano Concerto.

First, though, Lera Auerbach celebrates another legend – Icarus – in music that flashes across the sky.


Large print versions and digital formats of the programme for this concert are available on request for customers with accessibility requirements. Please email your request to Doran Crowhurst crowhurstd@rpo.co.uk at least one full week before the performance.


Ticket information

Doors: 6.45pm

Concert starts: 7:30pm (approximate end time: 9.45pm)

Tickets: £55, £40, £30, £20, £10.

RPO Club members save 50% on two tickets per London Season concert and receive a host of other benefits – phone 020 7608 8840 to find out more.

Groups of just 6+ save up to 35% – phone 020 7608 8840 to find out more.

Student tickets available, book via Student Pulse.
We are offering free programmes to customers who purchase tickets to this concert.

Under 18 offers apply: £5 for children aged 7–17 in price bands B–E.

This event is not recommended for children under 5. All customers aged 14 years or below must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 years or over.

Booking fees apply online (£3.50) and over the phone (£4). There are no booking fees for Southbank Centre Members and Supporters Circles. For group bookings of 10+, a £1 fee per ticket applies (capped at £30 per booking).


Tickets for RPO Brent Members

A limited number of tickets are available for this performance at a special price for RPO Brent members in price bands B–E.

To book tickets, members should:

  • click on the 'Buy Tickets' link above to be transferred to Southbank Centre’s website, followed by 'Book Now'
  • click in the top right-hand corner where it says ‘Have a Promo Code?’ and insert your promo code (which was included in your welcome email)
  • select your preferred tickets from the available seats.

Tickets are limited so if the offer is not applied that may be because there are no longer any tickets available for this offer.

Find out more about the RPO Brent membership and sign up here.