Conductor Karina Canellakis leads a trio of thrilling works that demonstrate the world-building power of the modern orchestra. Victoria Borisova-Ollas’s 2003 tone poem The Kingdom of Silence evokes a vibrant realm of mystery and magic. Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti brings her signature passion and precision to Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 2, a boldly cosmopolitan showpiece that boasts traditional Russian folk tunes as well as clickety-clackety castanets and other Spanish signifiers. Symphonic Dances, the ailing Rachmaninoff’s spectacular swan song, represents the composer’s late period at its opulent best. Rich in eccentric colors, it conjures up entire galaxies of expression.

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Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances

Davies Symphony Hall

The wind rises, and waves smash against the North Sea coast of England. The earth shakes, as the very ground beneath our feet threatens to give way. And, in 19th-century Russia, a chemist with a gift for music, dreams of ancient times and exotic tribes, and creates sheer sonic alchemy.

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Prokofiev & Borodin

Cadogan Hall 

During the early years of the Soviet Union, Russia experienced turbulent times. Despite writing his Third Symphony under challenging circumstances, Prokofiev remarkably captured the zeitgeist by reconciling the Russian romantic tradition with a modern, experimental approach. Georgian composer Giya Kancheli, shaped by the Soviet Union, lived in Antwerp and was the first 'composer in residence' with the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra. Together with the Octopus Symphonic Choir, they perform his final work. In his Libera me (Quasi requiem), Kancheli explores deep emotions surrounding the finitude of life, poignantly seeking redemption and grace. Swedish-Russian composer Victoria Borisova-Ollas also delves into themes of contemplation and the mysteries of the unknown. In The Kingdom of Silence, she takes us on a captivating journey through minimalist soundscapes.

Kantsjelis ‘Libera me’

Queen Elisabeth Hall

Gabriella Teychenné’s music-making has been described as ‘radically passionate’ and the programme she presents for her debut will show that to the full. The string pieces by Russian émigrée Victoria Borisova-Ollas and Ukrainian Valentin Silvestrov are emotionally charged, whilst Nicholas Maw conjures up vivid pictures inspired by illustrations of the famous 11th century Persian epic story, Shahnama. Finally, we hear a world premiere from the 2022 Rushworth Composition prize-winner, Christopher Cook.

Victoria Borisova-Ollas

Events

Past events

9 - 11 Oct, 2026

Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances · San Francisco Symphony

Jun 11, 2025

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Prokofiev & Borodin · Cadogan Hall

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