Heroic. Dramatic. Playful.
Prokofiev and Beethoven
Seong-Jin Cho: Artist Portrait
Barbican
Public booking opens Wednesday 16 April 10am
Priority booking for LSO Supporters:
Wed 9 Apr 10am LSO Ambassador Friends and Pioneers
Fri 11 Apr 10am All LSO Friends
Dmitri Shostakovich
Symphony No 9 (25 mins)
Sergei Prokofiev
Piano Concerto No 2 (30 mins)
Interval
Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No 5 (35 mins)
Sir Antonio Pappano conductor
Seong-Jin Cho piano
London Symphony Orchestra
The concert will finish at approximately 9pm, including a 20-minute interval (timings subject to change).
Tickets
£72 £56 £39 £26 £18
+ £4 booking fee per online/phone transaction
Wildcard Tickets
£12/£16 + booking fee as above
Check availability and book
Limited releases throughout the season. Guaranteed entry, but your seat is only allocated on the day. Full details
Other Discounts
Save when booking multiple concerts. Discounts also available for young people, students, groups, and Barbican Access Members. Full details
The Concert
Beethoven’s defiant Symphony No 5 meets the sneering mockery of Shostakovich and Prokofiev in exhilarating mood.
The Music
In 1945, Soviet authorities expected Shostakovich to use his Ninth Symphony to celebrate Soviet military might. What they got was a subversive, mischievous work that thumbed its nose at Stalin.
Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No 2 is one of the most powerful and technically challenging of all. Listen out for moments in the opening movement that test the soloist’s stamina to its limits, and a helter-skelter finale that never lets up.
Fate rules over Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, a revolutionary work that grows to dramatic, sublime heights from the simple germ of its opening four notes.
The Performers
The LSO is joined by South Korean pianist Seong-Jin Cho, who embarks on the first of his three Artist Portrait concerts with the Orchestra. Sir Antonio Pappano, LSO Chief Conductor, conducts.
More to Explore
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Seong-Jin Cho: Artist Portrait
Thursday 20 November 2025 • 7pm
An evening celebrating music at the forefront of composition, as we hear three world premieres alongside Pierre Boulez’s Rituel.
Stravinsky, Chopin and Borodin
Artist Portrait: Seong-Jin Cho
Thursday 12 February 2026 • 7pm
Borodin’s folk-inspired symphony, Stravinsky’s tribute to Tchaikovsky, and Chopin’s brilliance shine under Gianandrea Noseda, with Seong-Jin Cho bringing poetic intensity to this Romantic programme.
Stravinsky, Chopin and Borodin
Artist Portrait: Seong-Jin Cho
Sunday 15 February 2026 • 7pm
Borodin’s folk-inspired symphony, Stravinsky’s tribute to Tchaikovsky, and Chopin’s brilliance shine under Gianandrea Noseda, with Seong-Jin Cho bringing poetic intensity to this Romantic programme.
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 (no booking fee)
Refunds and Exchanges
Contact the Box Office at least 24 hours before the performance (two weeks for group bookings) to exchange your tickets for another LSO concert or Barbican credit voucher, valid for twelve months. A per-ticket administration fee applies.
The LSO reserves the right to change artists or programmes if necessary. In the unlikely event of a cancellation, all bookers will receive a refund.
Questions About Your Booking?
Contact the Barbican Box Office at tickets@barbican.org.uk.
Visit the Barbican website for conditions of sale.
All discounts are subject to availability and may not be combined.
Multibuy Discounts
Book 2 or 3 concerts, save 10%
Book 4 to 7 concerts, save 20%
Book 8 to 11 concerts, save 30%
Book 12 or more concerts, save 40%
Retain your discount for any later bookings within the season. Find out more about Multibuy Discounts.
Wildcards
£12 or £16 (£12 or £15 for Half Six Fix concerts), plus booking fee. Check availability using the Wildcard link in the Tickets section above. On the concert night, show your Wildcard order email at the Stalls box office to receive a valid ticket worth at least £18 (£15 for Half Six Fix). Find out more about Wildcards.
Young People and Students
18 and under: £6 tickets. Book online, by phone or in person.
14–25s: Join Young Barbican for discounted tickets to selected concerts.
Full-time students: Join Student Pulse for £10 tickets to selected LSO concerts.
Groups of 10+
Save 20% to 30% and enjoy 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.
Header Image © Christoph Köstlin / Deutsche Grammophon
