Bartók, Janáček, Debussy
Charming. Evocative. Capricious.
Thursday 23 November 2023 • 7pm
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The Concert
Béla Bartók Violin Concerto No 1
Leoš Janáček Taras Bulba
Interval – 20 minutes
Ernest Chausson Poème
Claude Debussy La mer
Duncan Ward conductor
Isabelle Faust violin
London Symphony Orchestra
The concert will finish at approximately 9pm (timings subject to change)
Tickets
£70 £55 £39 £25 £18
+ £4 booking fee per online/phone transaction
Wildcard Tickets
£12/£16 + booking fee as above
Guaranteed entry – your seat will be allocated on the day.
Limited releases throughout the season. Full details
Save on Your Booking
Multibuy Discounts – save up to 40%
Under-18s – £6 tickets
14–25s – discounts for Young Barbican Members
Groups of 10+ – save at least 20%
Barbican Access Members – free companion tickets
Full details below
An allocation of tickets is available for NHS staff for selected LSO concerts through Tickets for Good. Visit ticketsforgood.org to register.
The course of true love never does run smooth in these four fascinating vignettes.
The Programme
Bartók dedicated his First Violin Concerto to the famed musician Stefi Geyer, but she refused it, unable to return his adoration. It wasn’t performed until 1956, when listeners discovered an unusual musical portrait of Geyer, exploring Bartók’s dreamy admiration and his crush’s quick wit.
Janáček’s Taras Bulba tells a rousing tale of Cossack warriors, featuring another doomed romance. Lamenting horns and tender oboes introduce a pair of lovers on opposing sides of a battle.
Chausson’s sensuous Poème was inspired by a short story about two men in love with the same woman, while Debussy’s scintillating evocation of the sea was written in the midst of an adulterous affair.
The Performers
Duncan Ward and the LSO set out to sweep you off your feet in this performance, while Isabelle Faust offers sensitive insights into the music of Bartók.
‘One letter from you, a line, even a word – and I am in a transport of joy, the next brings me almost to tears, it hurts so. What is to be the end of it all?’
Bartók to Stefi Geyer
LSO Patrons’ Supported Concert
Header Image © Felix Broede
Dive Deeper
Listen to Duncan Ward talk about his long-standing relationship with the Orchestra.
Booking and Discounts
Booking Your Tickets
Online at lso.co.uk or barbican.org.uk
By phone on +44 20 7870 2500 (Monday to Friday 12–5.30pm)
In person at the Barbican Centre
£4 booking fee per transaction when booking online or by phone
Refunds and Exchanges
If you can no longer user your tickets, you can exchange them for another LSO concert or Barbican credit voucher (valid for six months). Please inform the Box Office at least 24 hours before the performance (two weeks for group bookings). A per-ticket administration fee applies for all exchange services.
Questions About Your Booking?
Contact the Barbican Box Office at tickets@barbican.org.uk.
Visit the Barbican website for conditions of sale.
The LSO reserves the right to change artists or programmes if necessary. If the event is cancelled, all bookers will receive a refund. All discounts are subject to availability and may not be combined. Box office calls may be monitored or recorded for quality assurance or training purposes.
Multibuy Discounts
Book 2 to 3 concerts and save 10%
Book 4 to 7 concerts and save 20%
Book 8 to 11 concerts and save 30%
Book 12 or more concerts and save 40%
Plus retain your discount for any later bookings within the season.
Multibuy Discounts: Full Details
Wildcards
£12 or £16 (£10 or £15 for Half Six Fix concerts), plus booking fee. You are guaranteed entry to the concert but you won’t know your exact seat until the evening of the performance. Will you be lucky and bag a top-price seat in the stalls? Find out more about Wildcards.
Young People
£6 tickets for under-18s. Discounted tickets are available for selected LSO concerts for 14–25s through Young Barbican, and for full-time students through Student Pulse London.
Groups of 10+
Save 20%, or 30% when booking two or more concerts in the same season, plus additional benefits. Find out more about group booking.
Access Members
Members of the Barbican’s Access Scheme can book wheelchair places priced at the lowest price for that event and book a free companion seat. Join the Barbican Access Scheme.
Your Visit and Access
Getting to the Barbican
We are based at the Barbican Centre in the City of London. The main entrance to the Barbican is on Silk Street.
What to Expect
From the concert experience to venue facilities, find out what to expect from an LSO concert at the Barbican.
Accessibility
Find maps and guides, and join the Barbican Access Membership Scheme to let us know of your requirements and book access tickets.