Organization

Conductor

Vasily Petrenko

Jennifer France

Soloist

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Orchestra

Southbank Centre

Icons Rediscovered: Rachmaninov’s Symphony No.2

London

United Kingdom

Royal Festival Hall

Icons Rediscovered: Rachmaninov’s Symphony No.2: Cockaigne, op. 40 Elgar (+2 More)

Public

Cockaigne Overture, op. 40

Brentano Lieder, op.68

Symphony No. 2 in E Minor, op. 27

Approved

South Bank Centre

When Vasily Petrenko conducts Russian music, you know to expect big emotions, and they don’t come much bigger than in Rachmaninov’s glorious Second Symphony. This is music of rolling stormclouds, blissful romance and melodies that seem to stretch out to the horizon and, when Petrenko recorded it, The Observer described the results as ‘essential listening’.

The same goes for the British soprano Jennifer France. Following outstanding performances as the glamourous Zerbinetta in Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos in 2022, tonight she brings that same sensational voice to a more intimate (but no less beautiful) side of Strauss.

Elgar’s Cockaigne Overture, meanwhile, is a bustling, brilliant portrait of London at the height of its Edwardian splendour. British music simply doesn’t get more colourful – or more fun.

English

Icons Rediscovered: Rachmaninov’s Symphony No.2 by Elgar, Strauss, Rachmaninoff, From (2024/2024), Conductor Vasily Petrenko, South Bank Centre, London, United Kingdom

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Ensemble

Program, About & Synopsis

Photos

Further reading

Performance Dates & Venues

Venues