Name: Beethoven’s Ninth
Start: 2026-03-28T19:30:00
Location: Southbank Centre

The London Philharmonic Orchestra invites audiences to experience an orchestral extravaganza like no other. With the UK premiere of Tan Dun's Nine and Beethoven's Ninth Symphony at the Southbank Centre, and the epic Lord of the Rings concert trilogy at the Royal Albert Hall, these events promise a cultural feast where music and storytelling unite in an unforgettable celebration.

A Symphony of Sagas: Beethoven and Tolkien Come Alive in London

Immerse yourself in a musical odyssey where the grandeur of Beethoven meets the epic journeys of Middle-earth. This spring, the London Philharmonic Orchestra presents an extraordinary series of concerts that span cultures and genres. From the UK premiere of Tan Dun’s choral concerto 'Nine' to the cinematic majesty of 'The Lord of the Rings' in concert, audiences are invited to experience these masterpieces in iconic venues across London. These events promise to be a feast for the senses, celebrating universal themes of peace, adventure, and unity.

Harmonizing Cultures: A Musical Journey from Beethoven to Middle-earth

In an awe-inspiring cultural convergence, the London Philharmonic Orchestra is set to captivate audiences with two monumental events: the UK premiere of Tan Dun's 'Nine,' a tribute to Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, and the epic trilogy of 'The Lord of the Rings' films brought to life in concert. As East meets West and cinema melds with symphony, these performances promise not only to entertain but to transcend artistic boundaries, celebrating the universality of music and storytelling. These events, staged across two of London's iconic venues, are poised to be unforgettable cultural experiences.

A Symphony of Harmony: Beethoven and Tolkien Unite with the London Philharmonic Orchestra

Immerse yourself in a symphony of cultures and epic journeys with the London Philharmonic Orchestra's 2026 lineup. From Tan Dun's compelling tribute to Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, bridging Eastern and Western musical traditions, to the immersive experience of The Lord of the Rings in concert, these events promise unforgettable performances. Join renowned conductors and performers as they bring these masterpieces to life across London's iconic venues, making for a truly memorable musical journey.

A Symphony of Cultures and Epic Journeys: London Philharmonic Orchestra's 2026 Highlights

Get ready for a cultural journey like no other as the London Philharmonic Orchestra presents two groundbreaking events. Witness the fusion of East and West with Tan Dun's 'Ode to Peace' and Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. Then, embark on an epic quest through Middle-earth with 'The Lord of the Rings' concerts. These performances promise to transcend traditional boundaries and offer a unique blend of orchestral innovation and cinematic adventure.

A Symphony of Legends: From Beethoven to Middle-earth

Experience the harmonious blend of East and West as Tan Dun conducts his tribute to Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, alongside an orchestral journey through Middle-earth with The Lord of the Rings film concert series. From the powerful choral concerto 'Nine' to the epic tales of Frodo and the fellowship, the London Philharmonic Orchestra invites you to a series of unforgettable events that unite classical music and cinematic fantasy at the iconic Southbank Centre and Royal Albert Hall.

A Symphony of Peace and Adventure: Celebrating Beethoven and Middle-Earth

Join the London Philharmonic Orchestra on a transcendent musical journey with two extraordinary events. First, Tan Dun's 'Nine' merges Eastern and Western cultures in a choral tribute to Beethoven at the Southbank Centre. Then, experience the epic 'The Lord of the Rings Weekenders' at the Royal Albert Hall, featuring Howard Shore's iconic score performed live alongside the film. From classical symphonies to cinematic quests, these events promise unforgettable experiences that celebrate the power of music and storytelling.

A Symphony of Cultures: Beethoven to Middle-earth with the London Philharmonic

Join us as we embark on a captivating journey orchestrated by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, where each event unfolds a unique musical tapestry. From Stravinsky's mystic realms to Beethoven's harmonious symphonies, these concerts are not merely performances but profound narratives in sound and emotion. Highlighting renowned artists and timeless compositions, this series traverses the landscapes of classical and contemporary music, inviting audiences into a dialogue between tradition and innovation.

Unveiling Musical Narratives: An Odyssey with the London Philharmonic Orchestra

John Findon

Tan Dun

Hongni Wu

Elizabeth Watts

Dingle Yandell

London Philharmonic Choir

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Members of Crisis UK – all adults who have experienced homelessness – perform original music they have devised with LPO musicians and a workshop leader during a week-long creative project.

LPO Showcase: Crisis Creates

Southbank Centre

Every story has to start somewhere, and in this remarkable choral symphony the young Sibelius retells Finland’s most ancient poem, the Kalevala. This is Sibelius in the raw: the tragedy of a young hero and a love more terrible than war, told in music of operatic power. So gather round as Robin Ticciati, a full chorus and two star singers retell the story tonight. Lotta Wennäkoski – one of modern Finland’s most original young voices – has something new to add, too.

Voices from Finland

Beethoven wanted his Ninth Symphony to embrace all humanity, so when Tan Dun set out to compose his own tribute to Beethoven, he aimed just as high, combining ancient poetry from China and Europe to create an ‘ode to peace’ worthy of Beethoven’s Ode to Joy. His choral concerto Nine is everything you’d expect from the composer of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and tonight Tan Dun joins us to conduct the UK premiere – plus a full performance of Beethoven’s world-changing symphony. East meets West, and the result transcends both.

Beethoven’s Ninth

In the dark heart of a continent on the brink of war, a violin catches fire. Three robed priests vent their pain and rage, in molten, tactile paint. And a hut on hen’s legs flies through a fairytale forest. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but music can paint pictures that haven’t even been imagined. Tonight, Edward Gardner is the curator of a sonic picture gallery: presenting powerful 20th-century masterpieces by Mark-Anthony Turnage and Bartók alongside Mussorgsky’s multicoloured, hugely popular Pictures at an Exhibition. Let your ears be your eyes, and hear them come to life.

Pictures at an Exhibition

When Beethoven wanted to unwind, he headed for the countryside, and with its birdsong, its mountain streams and its summer storms, there’s still no better example of a composer in harmony with nature than his lovely ‘Pastoral’ Symphony. Add the world’s favourite violin concerto, played by Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider, and you could hardly ask for more melody in a single concert. But nature is nothing if not dynamic, and Anna Thorvaldsdottir’s CATAMORPHOSIS is charged with all the brooding, volcanic power of her native Iceland.

Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony

To the composers of the Romantic generation, nature was a storybook, where forests, mountains and rivers all echoed the joys and sorrows of the human heart. Antonín Dvořák’s love of the Czech countryside sings and dances through his overture In Nature’s Realm. Brahms’s bittersweet Double Concerto and Schumann’s stormy Fourth Symphony are like huge, elemental landscapes in their own right, and with a conductor as inspiring as Jonathon Heyward and two of the LPO’s own Principal players as soloists, there’s no better way to explore them.

Brahms’s Double

A graceful swan, a waltzing elephant, and a whole chorus-line of high-kicking fossils … when Saint-Saëns wrote his The Carnival of the Animals, his tongue was very firmly in his cheek. But beneath the humour, there’s a real wisdom and warmth to his ever-popular ‘grand zoological fantasy’, and tonight, with the help of Sandra Albukrek’s enchanting animations, it tells a magical new story about humanity’s relationship with nature. Lidiya Yankovskaya brings the same energy and imagination to Dvořák’s storm-swept symphony, plus an immersive piano concerto featuring live electronic sound and video – a brand new showcase for the inimitable genius of genre-crossing pianist Tomoko Mukaiyama.

Carnival of the Animals

In 2006 jazz musician Terence Blanchard saw his native New Orleans devastated by Hurricane Katrina. ‘When you’re hurt beyond anything you can imagine, I mean, it causes you to dig deep and try to find some answers’, he says. His creative response was A Tale of God’s Will – an extraordinary, emotionally charged musical testament in the symphonic jazz tradition of greats like Duke Ellington. As part of our Harmony with Nature season, Blanchard and his quintet join the LPO for a rare UK appearance – paired with Ellington’s own musical tale of man, God and nature, The River Suite.

Terence Blanchard: A Requiem for Katrina

‘Tremendous’ declared one critic when Nadine Benjamin made her Glyndebourne debut, and this dazzling British soprano has a voice that has to be heard to be believed. Today she joins the London Philharmonic Orchestra to bring all her radiance, her insight and her effortless dramatic flair to Eastbourne. How to follow that? Rising star (and LPO Fellow Conductor) Nefeli Chadouli explores the epic vistas and northern forests of Sibelius’s First Symphony: a young genius in a new nation, pouring all his imagination into music as wild as a winter storm and as wonderful as the Northern Lights.

Sibelius’s First

Congress Theatre

‘Wretches like us – we’ll always be cursed, in this world and the next.’ Poor Wozzeck is at the bottom of the heap – an underdog made for kicking, and an easy target for the powerful, the cynical and the cruel. Alban Berg’s devastating opera tells the story of a man pushed to breaking point, in some of the most searching – and searing – music of the 20th century. Wozzeck is one of those operas that simply has to be experienced live, and this one-off concert staging, with Edward Gardner conducting a cast of world-class dramatic singers, should leave you reeling.

Wozzeck

Embark on a journey with Frodo and the fellowship to Middle-earth at The Lord of the Rings Weekenders - a quest of epic proportions.

Beethoven’s Ninth

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