‘How should I describe such a colossal crisis?’ Mahler wrote in 1909. ‘Yet I am thirstier than ever for life …’ Personal and professional loss had taken the composer to the brink, but even as he faced tragedy he experienced the pleasures of living with renewed intensity. It’s this strange, urgent ecstasy that runs through Das Lied von der Erde (‘The Song of the Earth’) – a collision of symphony and song, life and loss. This epic musical farewell meets the witty musical parting of Haydn’s ‘Farewell’ Symphony, with its famous final movement of ever-shrinking forces. Bushra El-Turk’s Mosaic opens the concert with nods to Das Lied, in a meditation on identity, otherness and exoticism.

EPSG:4326

Mahler’s ‘Song of the Earth’

Royal Albert Hall

The 19-year-old Wahab struggles through a nighttime snowstorm on his way to the hospital where his mother lies dying. This is his last chance to untangle the knot of his relationship with her. Deep in his heart, Wahab carries the song Al-Atlal (“The Ruins”) by the Egyptian singer Oum Kalthoum. The song embodies the sorrow of a lost home, the longing for love, and ultimately the promise of reconciliation amidst the fragments of a broken relationship.

Oum – A Son’s Quest for His Mother

Barbican Centre

Fifty years after her death, the significance of the Egyptian singer Oum Kalthoum (ca. 1900 – 1975) is still indescribably great. In the new music theater performance OUM, her influential musical universe is combined with the book Visage retrouvé by the renowned writer and director Wajdi Mouawad.

National Opera & Ballet

### Event Description: Sibelius, Bartók, and El-Turk Concert

**Date:** 22 June 2024  
**Time:** 7:30 PM  
**Venue:** St John’s Smith Square, Smith Square, Westminster, London SW1P 3HF

**Performers:**
- **Fulham Symphony Orchestra**
- **Conductor:** Marc Dooley
- **Leader:** Tom Evans
- **Piano Soloist:** Rolf Hind

**Programme:**
1. **Bushra El-Turk - Tmesis**
   - A captivating piece by London-based composer Bushra El-Turk, known for blending Western and Eastern musical styles.
2. **Béla Bartók - Piano Concerto No. 2**
   - Featuring renowned soloist Rolf Hind, this concerto is infamous for its technical demands on the pianist and offers a vibrant and energetic experience for the audience.
3. **Jean Sibelius - Symphony No. 2**
   - Sibelius' most famous symphony, often associated with Finnish independence, unfolds an epic narrative over four movements, culminating in a stirring finale that evokes the majestic landscapes of Finland.

**Ticket Information:**
- **Standard:** £14
- **Concessions:** £12
- **Under-16s:** £9
- **Booking Fees Apply**

**About the Soloist:**
Rolf Hind is a distinguished soloist, composer, recording artist, and chamber musician. He has performed at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall and the Sydney Opera House and has collaborated with leading conductors like Ashkenazy, Knussen, and Rattle. Hind has also made multiple appearances at the BBC Proms.

**Booking:**
Tickets are available for purchase. [Book now](#)

Join the Fulham Symphony Orchestra for an evening of extraordinary music, featuring the works of Sibelius, Bartók, and El-Turk, performed by talented musicians under the baton of Marc Dooley.

Sibelius, Bartók and El-Turk

St. John's Smith Square

Is madness a means of escaping reality? Or — on the contrary — a way of confronting it? With his monodrama Eight Songs for a Mad King, Peter Maxwell Davies created in 1968 a brilliantly crafted character study of the deranged British monarch George III, whose reign began in 1760, drawing on the king’s own original texts. Seductive melodies stand alongside dissonances in this modern music-theater classic, which sketches a portrait of emotional and mental disintegration: they are provocative, yet at the same time reveal a startling lucidity.

Bushra El-Turk

Events

Upcoming events

Aug 28, 2026

Luzerner Theater Opera Ensemble | Lucerne Symphony Orchestra | Maria Radzikhovskiy | Marie Lambert-Le Bihan · Lucerne Festival

Past events

Aug 21, 2026

Mahler’s ‘Song of the Earth’ · BBC Philharmonic

Oct 2, 2025

Oum – A Son’s Quest for His Mother · Barbican Centre

About

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