Radical Magic – The Sound of Stravinsky
NB: Change of Artist
Thursday 21 September 2023 • 7pm
This event has passed.
The Concert
Igor Stravinsky Pulcinella – Ballet
Interval – 20 minutes
Joseph Haydn Symphony No 64, ‘Tempora mutantur’
Igor Stravinsky Symphony in Three Movements
Barbara Hannigan conductor
Fleur Barron mezzo-soprano
Charles Sy tenor
Douglas Williams bass-baritone
London Symphony Orchestra
The concert will finish at approximately 9.05pm
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%
Access – free companion tickets for Barbican Access Members
Full details below
The composer of the future in the early 20th century, Stravinsky still sounds new every time you hear him.
The Programme
From its striking opening flourish to the Technicolor triumph of its final chord, Stravinsky’s Symphony in Three Movements makes audiences sit up in their seats. It was written at the end of World War II, after the composer’s move to the United States – can you pick out the rhythms of marching soldiers and the sound of American victory?
Stravinsky’s ballet Pulcinella puts the composer’s distinctive stamp on a 200-year-old musical style, with fabulous roles for three solo singers. In Barbara Hannigan’s own words, it’s a ‘wonderful, characterful piece for three soloists and orchestra, very much Neo-Classical in style. Stravinsky took old music from different operas and did his Stravinsky thing – he played with it, changed the rhythms, and displaced the bar lines.’
Sandwiched between both Stravinsky pieces is Joseph Haydn’s Symphony No 64, a piece preoccupied with the passage of time – its title translates to ‘times change’. Packed full of charisma, Haydn takes the listener on a gleeful journey of surprising turns: some quick, some quiet, but always amusing.
The Performers
LSO Associate Artist Barbara Hannigan’s conducting debut was a Stravinsky opera, and her passion for the composer shines through every performance. And when it comes to Haydn, the LSO and Hannigan bring vivacious spirit to his music after bonding over the composer in recent seasons. She’s also joined by her choice of standout performers.
The Symphony in Three Movements is a piece that I absolutely love. It’s muscular, dynamic and bombastic at times – it’s really fun to conduct, and fun for the orchestra to play.
– Barbara Hannigan
Due to scheduling issues, bass-baritone Sam Carl will be replaced by Douglas Williams for the performances of Stravinsky’s Pulcinella on 20 and 21 September 2023. The programme remains unchanged.
Header Image © Mark Allan
Read: 'There is a journey: we move from dark to light.'
Barbara Hannigan, LSO Associate Artist, introduces her four electrifying concerts to open the 2023/24 season.
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.