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Celebrating Poulenc: London Hosts a Series of Mesmerizing Concerts
London's vibrant classical music scene is set to shine with a series of enthralling concerts featuring the works of Francis Poulenc. From the majestic Barbican Centre to the intimate Wigmore Hall, audiences can indulge in performances ranging from choral masterpieces to exquisite chamber music. Highlights include the Guildhall Symphony Orchestra & Chorus under Ludovic Morlot's direction, Malin Byström's soprano brilliance, and Quatuor Van Kuijk's string quartet renditions, all paying homage to Poulenc's timeless compositions.
Sep 4, 2024
Share1. Guildhall Symphony Orchestra & Chorus
Ludovic Morlot, Music Director of the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra, conducts the Guildhall Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in their first concert of the academic year.
The sublime programme features Mozart's final symphony, Jupiter, Debussy's Rhapsody for Saxophone and Orchestra and Poulenc's Gloria for soprano, choir and orchestra.
Sep 27, 2024
Guildhall School of Music & Drama
London · Barbican Centre
2. Malin Byström soprano; Magnus Svensson piano
The universally admired Swedish artist received the Female Singer of the Year Award at the International Opera Awards in 2018, the same year that she was awarded the title of Court Singer by Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. Her operatic roles – many of them performed at the Royal Opera House in London or at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, as well as in Sweden and elsewhere – run from Mozart to Puccini, Richard Strauss and Janáček. Her widely ranging programme explores songs from the French, German (or in Weill’s case from his post-German period) and Swedish traditions.
Sep 30, 2024
Wigmore Hall
London · Wigmore Hall
3. Quatuor Van Kuijk
The Van Kuijk Quartet’s international accolades include First, Best Beethoven and Best Haydn Prizes at the 2015 Wigmore Hall International String Quartet competition; its lunchtime programme features a selection of French mélodies in transcriptions and arrangements for string quartet.
Nov 4, 2024
Wigmore Hall
London · Wigmore Hall
4. Olivier Stankiewicz oboe; Christopher Richards clarinet; Liza Ferschtman violin; Hélène Clément viola; Tim Posner cello; Will Duerden double bass; Alasdair Beatson piano
Three 20th-century works prominently featuring the oboe. Martinů’s Quartet was composed in New York in 1947. Poulenc’s delightful duo Sonata (1962) was his final work, described by a New York Times critic as ‘a paradoxical mix of the elegiac, the suave and the clever’; the composer dedicated it to the memory of Prokofiev, the material of whose 1924 Quintet largely derives from his ballet, Trapeze.
Nov 10, 2024
Wigmore Hall
London · Wigmore Hall
5. Alessio Bax piano; Lucille Chung piano
‘Theirs is a marriage of wondrous colours and dextrous aplomb, subtly balanced to make a musical performance sound as one’, commented Music and Arts of the married couple, whose meeting at the 1997 Hamamatsu Competition has led to a remarkable musical as well as marital partnership. In addition to original works for the medium, arrangements include Ravel’s of Debussy’s orchestral masterpiece and their own of music by the Argentine master of nuevo tango.
Nov 11, 2024
Wigmore Hall
London · Wigmore Hall
6. Julien Van Mellaerts baritone; Alphonse Cemin piano
Two leading song performers commemorate those buried in the Parisian cemetery of Montmartre – who include Heine, Berlioz, Lili Boulanger and Apollinaire – also sampling songs regularly heard in nearby cabarets.
Nov 17, 2024
Wigmore Hall
London · Wigmore Hall
7. Claire Booth soprano; Jâms Coleman piano
Two versatile artists come together for a cabaret programme, presenting the lighter side of song from various traditions.
Nov 29, 2024
Wigmore Hall
London · Wigmore Hall
8. Mark Bebbington piano
A pianist with a wide and ever-expanding repertoire, always keen to champion unusual music that he believes in, Mark Bebbington has won a devoted following for both his recordings and his live appearances. Poulenc has been a particular recent passion.
Nov 29, 2024
Wigmore Hall
London · Wigmore Hall
9. Gary Hoffman cello; David Selig piano
Movements from François Couperin’s chamber suites (published in 1724) open this French programme, which closes with the rare sonata by Léon Boëllmann (1862-97), published in the year of the composer’s death.
Dec 6, 2024
Wigmore Hall
London · Wigmore Hall
10. Nicky Spence tenor; Dylan Perez piano
The Artist in Residence’s first programme of the Season invites us to look forward to the New Year in a Shakespearean manner.
Dec 29, 2024
Wigmore Hall
London · Wigmore Hall
Conclusion
As London embraces these musical festivities, concertgoers can expect a rich tapestry of Poulenc's work, brought to life by world-class performers. Whether you're a long-time fan or new to his music, these events promise to captivate and inspire, celebrating the enduring legacy of one of the 20th century's most beloved composers.
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