Thursday 12.03.2026 2.00pm ALBAN GERHARDT PLAYS BRITTEN’S CELLO SYMPHONY Afternoon Performances on sale from 15 May 2025 £17.50 (includes restoration fund) – Early Bird Rate £20.50 (includes restoration fund) – if bought less than 2 weeks before the concert THEA MUSGRAVE - Aurora BRITTEN - Cello Symphony _interval_ ELGAR - Falstaff BRITTEN - The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra ALBAN GERHARDT cello Ryan Wigglesworth conductor Commissioned in 1945 by the Ministry of Education for a children’s film titled “Instruments of the Orchestra”, Britten’s cheery _tour de force _is the perfect excuse to show off the considerable talents of the BBC SSO’s individual players. You’ll also be stunned by the “consummate artistry” (The Guardian) of Alban Gerhardt as he performs Britten’s deeply expressive Cello Symphony, originally written for the great Russian virtuoso Mstislav Rostropovich. This BBC SSO has a long history with the music of Thea Musgrave—performing a remarkable 36 works by the Scottish composer since 1955. Like Elgar’s work which depicts the larger-than-life fictional character of Sir John Falstaff, Musgrave’s _Aurora _is inspired by the enchanting imagination of William Shakespeare. _Seating for Afternoon Performances is unreserved_