Composer

Elena Langer: Ariadne

You left for dead. I love you.

Ariadne wakes on the shore and finds Theseus gone. She helped him escape Crete, leaving her home, her family, and the life she once knew behind. Now she has been abandoned. King Minos' daughter writes to the lover who has abandoned her in a poignant one-act drama which explores how absence is defined by love. A powerful and intimate retelling of the myth of Ariadne, Elena Langer sets Glyn Maxwell’s Poem Ariadne to Theseus for the first half of English Touring Opera’s Autumn Double Bill.

Purcell: Dido & Aeneas

Queen Dido of Carthage prepares to wed the Trojan hero, Aeneas. But the rejected King Iarbas plans his revenge, threatening to drive the lovers apart. Based on Virgil’s epic poem The Aeneid, Purcell’sDido and Aeneas recalls the tragedy of the Queen of Carthage in a masterpiece of Baroque music, theatricality and despair.

Elena Langer: Ariadne & Purcell: Dido & Aeneas

Hackney Empire

The Jette Parker Artists offer a rare opportunity to enjoy the work of three women composers in one production, directed by Talia Stern making her Royal Opera debut, and conducted by Peggy Wu. Haunting explorations of lost love feature in Elizabeth Maconchy’s The Departure (1961) and Charlotte Bray’s Making Arrangements (2012). In Elena Langer's Four Sisters, the three daughters of a deceased Manhattan business tycoon dream of spending his fortune, but their plans prove premature. This marks the world premiere of Langer’s chamber version of this comedy.

Roh Linbury Theatre: Three Chamber Operas

Royal Opera House

Beauty, passion and the miracles of nature – there’s no tale that an orchestra can’t tell, and there’s definitely no symphony quite like Tchaikovsky’s shattering Fourth. Raw tragedy, roof-raising triumph: it’s explosive stuff, so guest conductor Kristiina Poska begins with something a little more tranquil. Arvo Pärt’s haunting Cantus is the perfect complement to a wonderful new set of songs from Elena Langer, inspired by the songs of birds and the nature poetry of Glyn Maxwell. Experience musical history in the making. 

Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony

Glasgow Royal Concert Hall

Caird Hall

Usher Hall, Edinburgh

Immerse yourself in the spellbinding world of medieval choral music with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra's (RSNO) electrifying performance of Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana." This captivating concert event, featuring the renowned Royal Scottish National Orchestra under the baton of the distinguished conductor Marzena Diakun, promises an evening of unforgettable musical thrills. The performance is set to take place at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh on Friday, November 15, 2024, at 7:30 pm, followed by a performance at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow on Saturday, November 16, 2024, at 7:30 pm.

"Carmina Burana," known for its powerful choruses and enchanting rhythms, is a piece that explores themes of passion, the fickleness of fortune, and the joy of the return of Spring. It remains one of the most popular pieces in the classical music repertoire, celebrated for its dynamic energy and the raw emotion it conveys. The concert will open with Elena Langer's "The Dong with a Luminous Nose," a playful cello concerto inspired by the nonsense verse of Edward Lear, featuring RSNO Principal Cellist Pei-Jee Ng.

The evening will be further enriched by the talents of soloists Pei-Jee Ng (Cello), Fflur Wyn (Soprano), Adrian Dwyer (Tenor), and Ben McAteer (Baritone), alongside the angelic voices of the RSNO Youth Chorus and RSNO Chorus, under the direction of Patrick Barrett and Stephen Doughty, respectively.

Tickets for this must-see event are available in various pricing tiers, ensuring accessibility for all. Discounts are offered for under 18s, under 26s, mature students, unemployed patrons, patrons with disabilities, and groups, making this a perfect cultural outing for everyone.

Prepare to be swept away by the sheer force and beauty of "Carmina Burana," performed by the RSNO. This concert is not just a performance; it's an experience that promises to stir the soul and ignite the imagination. Book your tickets now and be part of a night where medieval chants meet the majesty of the orchestra in a spectacle of sound and emotion.

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Carmina Burana

The Usher Hall

Buchanan Galleries

Passion, drink and roasted swans – choral music isn’t meant to be this much fun! But the medieval monks who wrote the words to Carmina Burana didn’t seem to have been that bothered. Expect great tunes, unstoppable rhythms and some thoroughly bad behavior from Orff’s outrageous piece. Plus, we begin the evening with a playful cello concerto featuring the nonsense verse of Edward Lear, reimagined by Elena Langer and RSNO Principal Cellist Pei-Jee Ng.

RSNO Season 24-25: Carmina Burana

Usher Hall

Mozart is at the heart of this program filled with humor and whimsey. Conducted by audience favorite Nicholas McGegan, the program opens with Mozart’s ever-popular Marriage of Figaro, which is paired with Langer’s sardonic response. The concert concludes with a work influenced by Mozart, Mendelssohn’s sprightly “Italian” Symphony.  

Composer

Elena Langer

Events

Past events

Oct 17, 2026

Elena Langer: Ariadne & Purcell: Dido & Aeneas · Hackney Empire

1 - 8 May, 2026

Roh Linbury Theatre: Three Chamber Operas · Britten Sinfonia

About

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