Lighthouse: Poole's Centre for the Arts

What's On @ Lighthouse: Poole's Centre for the Arts

What's Love Got To Do With It?

7 Jun 2025 - 6 Jun 2026

Ultimate tribute concert to Tina Turner, presented by the award-winning producers behind Whitney - Queen Of The Night.

Fisherman's Friends

17 Aug 2025 - 12 Apr 2026

Bound together by lifelong friendship and shared experience for more than 25 years, the Fisherman’s Friends have met on the Platt (harbour) in their native Port Isaac to raise money for charity, singing the traditional songs of the sea handed down to them by their forefathers. In 2010 they signed a major record deal and their album Port Isaac’s Fisherman’s Friends went gold as they became the first traditional folk act to land a UK top ten album. Since then they’ve been the subject of an ITV documentary, released the hit albums One and All and Proper Job and played to hundreds of thousands of fans at home and abroad. The Fisherman’s Friends have been widely credited with starting the revival of interest in shanty-style choral singing but a cornerstone of their success has been their constantly evolving and expanding repertoire.

Queen of the Night - A Tribute to Whitney Houston

29 May 2025 - 3 Sept 2026

Queen Of The Night – A Tribute to Whitney Houston  returns in 2026 for another show-stopping celebration, following sold-out tours across the UK, including an arena tour and iconic venues such as the Royal Albert Hall and The London Palladium. Established as the UK’s biggest Whitney Houston tribute, this breath taking production honours the music, legacy, and unmatched talent of the legendary Whitney Houston. Celebrate Whitney’s remarkable musical repertoire in an electrifying production that honours her timeless songs with sensational vocalists and a full live band. Prepare to be captivated by an extraordinary journey through three decades of all-time hits such as I Wanna Dance With Somebody,  One Moment In Time, I’m Every Woman, I Will Always Love You, My Love Is Your Love, So Emotional, Run To You, Saving All My Love, How Will I Know, Million Dollar Bill, The Greatest Love Of All, and many more. Join us for an unmissable evening filled with live music, captivating choreography, and powerful vocals, as we pay homage to the one and only queen of the night.  Please note that this is a tribute production not associated with the Estate of Whitney Houston.

Jimmy Carr: Laughs Funny

4 Jun 2025 - 19 Dec 2025

Jimmy tells jokes, and jokes are like magnets. Jokes attract people, but they can also repel. Some people are repelled by Jimmy's dark brand of comedy. This show is not for them. But if it's the kind of thing you like, then this is the kind of thing you’ll like.

Simon Reeve: To The Ends Of The Earth

28 May 2025 - 17 May 2026

Returning to venues across the UK with his brand new show ‘To The Ends Of The Earth’. Simon will be sharing stories, surprises, thrills, deeper thoughts and hearty laughs. He wants to nudge and encourage audiences to get out of their comfort zone, take a few gentle risks in life, and embrace the great outdoors and the wider world.

Rhod Gilbert & The Giant Grapefruit

4 Jun 2025 - 16 Nov 2025

When life gives Rhod lemons… In his last show ‘The Book of John’, Rhod was dealing with some pretty pungent life citrus, and an idiot called John. Little did he know that things were about to turn even more sour… But Rhod’s not bitter; he’s bouncing back and feeling remarkably zesty. Hilariously dark, passionate and way too personal, this is classic Gilbert, squeezing every last drop out of life’s latest curveballs...with a little help from an old adversary.

Chris McCausland: Yonks!

31 May 2025 - 17 May 2026

You might have seen him on Strictly Come Dancing, Scared of the Dark, Would I Lie to You, Have I Got News for You, The Royal Variety, QI, Blankety Blank, The Last Leg, and tons more as well. He's been called an "overnight success" - Even though he's been doing this for bloody yonks! Chris McCausland is hitting the road again with another masterclass in stand-up comedy that has literally been yonks in the making. The last tour was a sell-out, so get your tickets now!

Russell Kane Live: Hyperactive!

12 Jun 2025 - 6 Dec 2025

Russell Kane’s bringing to town his gut-punch funny, searing, award-winning take on the years we’ve just gone through. Hailed as the The Guardian’s Number 1 comedy performance to come out of 2020 (The Guardian are miserable and usually hate everything) – this high-octane show brings nuclear-energy belly laughs and pant-wetting observations which prove laughter really is the best medicine (actually, it’s probably hospital medicine). Russell Kane has two chart-topping, award-bagging podcasts: Man Baggage and BBC Radio 4’s Evil Genius. He is a regular on Channel 4, BBC, and ITV: all the usual shows you see funny people on. He’s also a writer, actor, and presenter. He drinks lots of coffee and is ‘like that in real life’. He was the first ever comedian to bag the two most prestigious comedy awards on earth in the same year, for the same show: The Dave’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards (formerly The Perrier), and The Melbourne International Comedy Festival Award, (formerly known as the Barry Award). He’s also a raving bighead that likes listing his achievements.

Rob Beckett: Giraffe

4 Jun 2025 - 18 Apr 2026

Comedian, presenter and panel-show superstar announces new tour Giraffe for 2025 Smashing the life out of the M25, M1, M5 and any other road that’s in my way. From Bromley to Brisbane, my new show Giraffe is going worldwide. Expectations on me: put on 3 stone from takeaways and post-show drinking. Expectations of you: leave the gig happier than when you arrived. My wife thinks it’s going to be tough for me to be away from the family, and don’t get me wrong, I do love my children/podcast content providers… but I also enjoy a lie-in and a hotel buffet breakfast. I think I’ll cope. What else is there to do? Sit next to your partner on the sofa, scrolling TikTok in silence again? You did that the last three nights. See you there! Host of Sky’s Rob Beckett’s Smart TV and Rob & Romesh Vs. He’s also the unmistakable voice of Channel 4’s Celebs Go Dating and the smash-hit podcast Parenting Hell.

Ian Prowse

26 Jul 2025 - 6 Dec 2025

Liverpool legend Ian Prowse makes a most welcome return. It's been a busy time for Ian. When he's not been on the road with his band Amsterdam for The Plough Tour, he was appearing as special guest for Elvis Costello & The Imposters on their "Boy Named If" tour. Take this opportunity to see his solo show where you can look forward to him performing old favourites like the iconic " Does This Train Stop on Merseyside?" through to songs from his new album and everything inbetween!

Boyzlife

2 Aug 2025 - 1 Apr 2026

Irish pop duo featuring ex-members of Westlife and Boyzone. Brian McFadden and Keith Duffy perform pop hits by their former bands. There are few acts that accomplished the level of success that Boyzone and Westlife respectively achieved. As two of the defining groups of 90s and 00s boyband era, both boybands together scored an incredible 21+ UK No.1 singles and can consider countless millions of audience members performed to worldwide.

Dean Friedman

7 Aug 2025 - 9 May 2026

Hailed by critics and fans alike as a one of the finest singer-songwriters of his generation, Dean Friedman has achieved legendary, pop-icon status for chart-topping hits, Ariel, Lucky Stars, Lydia, Woman of Mine, McDonald’s Girl, “Well, Well,” Said the Rocking Chair and more. Friedman performs songs from throughout his four decade career, including familiar hits and fan favourites. Invite family and friends for an evening of powerful, poignant and hilarious songs about the ordinary and extraordinary lives we share.

Blue

20 Jun 2025 - 5 Sept 2025

Multi-million selling BRIT Award winners Blue hit the road, bringing special, intimate shows packed with their best-loved songs and memories from throughout their career. Prepare to see Blue as you’ve never seen them before in grand theatre settings, featuring performances of fan favourites such as ‘All Rise’, ‘Flyby’, ‘Too Close’, ‘One Love’, ‘Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word’ and some surprises, alongside anecdotes from their 20 years as mainstays of the pop music scene.

Will Young

3 Jul 2025 - 3 Jul 2025

Will Young has spent the last two decades at the forefront of pop after bursting onto the scene in 2002 as the original winner of Pop Idol. His expansive career has culminated in four #1 and two #2 chart topping albums, two BRIT Awards, four UK number one singles and hits including ‘Leave Right Now’, ‘Evergreen’ and ‘Jealousy’. An acting career blossomed concurrently, with roles on stage and screen and presenting gigs on TV and radio, including regular cover for Jo Whiley on BBC Radio 2. Will’s most recent album Crying On The Bathroom Floor hit #3 in the UK album chart this year and his new book To Be A Gay Man is available now via Penguin Books.

The Levellers

10 Jul 2025 - 16 Nov 2025

Sell-out tours and 25 years in the ‘business’ are powerful proof of the power of the underground and the power of great live music. Renowned for their energetic live show, longevity has not diminished the Levellers’ ability to put in a performance and get everyone in a room, or field, dancing. Brighton folk-rockers Levellers have long been and still are, one of the best live bands around. But, often overlooked is their impressive back catalogue of recorded music. The Levellers sold more platinum, gold, and silver albums in the 1990s than any other act.

David O'Doherty: Tiny Piano Man

3 Jul 2025 - 7 Nov 2025

The dishevelled prince of £10 eBay keyboards tries to make you feel alive with a new pageant of laughter, song and occasionally getting up from a chair. It’s gonna be a big one. Star of 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, Live at The Apollo, The Great Celebrity Bake Off 2024 and Along For the Ride with David O’Doherty.

Ward Thomas

12 Sept 2025 - 26 Nov 2025

Ward Thomas could tell that change was afoot from the moment they wrote Cartwheels, now the punch-to-the-stomach title track of their sensational second album. Straight away the sisters knew the song was special. What they didn’t know was that their second album ‘Cartwheels’ would sail to #1 on the UK Album Chart on release making them the first ever UK country act to do so. Cartwheels the album, as you might guess, contains a cartwheel of emotions and each song suggested its own sound. “Lyrically, it was much more grown-up than anything on our debut. Sonically, it was a move away from country to lots of other influences we grew up with – Fleetwood Mac, The Beatles, KT Tunstall, some Kelly Clarkson, Taylor Swift’s Red album. We’re still influenced by country, we still adore the Dixie Chicks and Kacey Musgraves, but this isn’t just a country album.” In fact, the title track is among several on the album to shrug off country entirely, although the 22 year old twins’ beguiling harmonies remain their calling card. Lose Me is a fast-paced pop song that rocks out. The glorious Almost Easy adds strings and electronics to the mix. Bewitching ballad Who I’m Not is set to shimmering orchestration. Boisterous lead single Carry You Home is simply a storming pop song. The biggest change, however, was that the teenagers became adults. With their co-writers, they were four young women, sitting in a room, pouring their hearts out. They didn’t think in terms of genre, but of stories, emotions and coping mechanisms. They wrote about situations they had either experienced themselves or seen their friends go through. In extraordinary couplets they captured everything from deep friendship to deep despair, from loneliness and heartbreak to the joy of moving on, from feeling like a failure to the pleasure of heading to the hills to de-stress.

Country Hits Live

9 Oct 2025 - 26 Oct 2025

Performed by a cast of multi award-winning musicians and singers, Country Hits Live will celebrate the atmosphere and energy of an evening in the home of country music. Prepare be taken back through the history of country music featuring songs from Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Shania Twain and Garth Brooks right through to Taylor Swift and Luke Combs.

Beth Hart

14 May 2026 - 14 May 2026

Four of the greatest lead guitar legends in the business have asked her to perform with them: in concert with Jeff Beck, in concert and on two spellbinding albums (Don't Explain and Seesaw) with Joe Bonamassa, on two powerhouse records with Slash, and on a very special blues album, Rhythm and Blues, with Buddy Guy. It's no wonder she's been nominated for two Blues Music Awards! Every live performance gets a standing ovation, because no one knows how to rock the house better than Beth Hart. When she sings clocks stop, hearts dance and neck-hair tingles - it's that compelling!

Julian Clary: A Fistful of Clary

28 May 2025 - 8 Jun 2025

Yee-haw! You’ve heard of The Man With No Name? Well, here’s The Man With No Shame. Julian Clary, renowned homosexual and national trinket, is fixing to saddle up and head on out for his UK tour. “Yes, it has a Western theme,” the old buckaroo confirms, sipping Bourbon from a pint tankard. “It was only a matter of time before I eased myself into some chaps” he adds, dabbing his temples with a damp flannel. Julian is sure that the men in the audience will be so eager to join his posse they won’t be able to keep their hands off his Rawhide. The lucky few will play with him on stage in the Hang ‘em Low saloon, where Wild Bill Hickok used to meet his special friend, Raving Clarence la Fruit. But life in the Old West was tough. Not all of Julian’s wild bunch will be around to witness the final shoot-out that will result in Julian giving himself selflessly at high noon to the last man standing. Who knows what else he’ll do for a few dollars more?

Connor Burns: 1994

31 Jul 2025 - 24 Aug 2025

From one of the most exciting emerging new stars in the UK’s live stand-up scene,1994 is Edinburgh native’s Connor Burns third solo hour. A prolific joke writer, his Scottish-level cynicism and self-deprecation punctuates a disarmingly relaxed persona and an intelligent, razor-sharp wit. Connor’s burgeoning reputation as “one to watch” was cemented at the 2023 Fringe when he sold out his entire run two months before the festival started.

Music

Orchestra

Rock & Pop

London Symphonic Rock Orchestra

23 Jul 2025 - 29 Mar 2026

Boundary breaking pioneers fusing the omnipotent power of the orchestra with innovative technology and the raucous rebellion of rock, London Symphonic Rock Orchestra deliver iconic rock hits in the most spectacular way. A collective of 12 classically trained artists brought together by their love of rock music and immense talent, the LSRO formed in 2018 and have been wowing audiences ever since. LSRO have collaborated and performed with many artists including the Trevor Horn Band and Queen Machine and have played more than 200 shows to over 400,000 fans! Dressed as an army of rock warriors, LSRO perform whilst immersed in a candlelit fantasy forest. The atmosphere is electric, the musicians are mesmerising and the supersonic, 100% live, wall of sound they create leaves the audience instantly captivated. Expect reimagined classic hits from: AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Guns n Roses, Evanescence, Motörhead, Foo Fighters, Rage Against The Machine, System Of A Down and many more.

The Manfreds

28 May 2025 - 29 Nov 2025

The '60s group Manfred Mann is now considered, more than ever, one of the finest and most respected bands from that era. Their numerous hits were R&B based with an undercurrent of jazz - a very unusual but winning combination of playing style and substance. As a result, their records have a timeless quality and, some 55 years on, The Manfreds, with original front man, Paul Jones, will be performing many of their hits, including ‘Do Wah Diddy Diddy’, one of the most popular and instantly recognisable songs of the ‘60’s,and still the biggest audience pleaser at their concerts, along with a mix of Jazz and Blues covers and tracks from their individual solo albums. Paul Jones, with his unique harmonica sound, will be joined by Mike Hugg on keyboards, Tom McGuinness on guitar, Rob Townsend on drums, Marcus Cliffe on bass, and Simon Currie on saxophone/ flute.

Rude Science Live!

19 Jul 2025 - 10 Apr 2026

Rude Science Live The naughtiest, funniest, most revolting science show in the world. Brace yourselves for BBC Gastronaut Stefan Gates’ revolutionary, high-tech, highly-explosive new show, packed with outrageous science stunts. On the surface it’s a riot of disgusting experiments built to delight young audiences but under the bonnet it’s a brilliantly-constructed curriculum-driven adventure designed to inspire Britain’s kids with a lasting fascination for science. Expect enormous bottoms, frt machines, snot cocktails, vast whoopee cushions, pee-powered fireworks and ear-wax-oozing mannequins in this celebration of the fascinating bodily science essential to life. The show transforms complex biology, physics and chemistry into educational hilarity using Stef’s signature stunts and encyclopaedic science knowledge. Stefan Gates is an award-winning presenter of 20 TV series (including five for CBBC including Incredible Edibles, Gastrolab and Gastronuts), and a STEM author of 12 books (including Fartology and Science You Can Eat), and he’s internationally renowned for his clever, high-octane, highly-educational stage shows that inspire young audiences to fall in love with science.

Ed Byrne: Tragedy Plus Time

29 Oct 2025 - 29 Oct 2025

TV favourite Ed Byrne tours his Best Reviewed Show at the Edinburgh Festival, British Comedy Guide's No 1 Comedy show, and his most personal show to date. From the quote attributed to Mark Twain, humour is defined as Tragedy Plus Time. Come and join one of our leading laugh specialists as he tests that formula by mining the most tragic event in his life for laughs. With his TV career now in its third decade, Ed has regularly appeared on the likes of QI, Mock The Week, Alan Davies As Yet Untitled, and Live At The Apollo. With legions of fans both in the UK and abroad, Ed remains the observational stand-up to see.

John Wilson and Sinfonia of London: Rodgers & Hammerstein's Greatest Hits

18 Jun 2025 - 29 Jun 2025

Prepare to be enchanted as John Wilson and Sinfonia of London bring the timeless music of Rodgers & Hammerstein to life in a spectacular concert featuring beloved songs from some of the greatest musicals of all time including South Pacific, the Sound of Music, Oklahoma! Carousel and The King and I. Sinfonia of London with their ‘extraordinary musicality’ under the masterful direction of John Wilson, who is renowned for his passion and expertise in interpreting the music from the golden Age of Hollywood, will ensure each note resonates with the magic and emotion that has captivated audiences for decades.

Rhys Darby - The Legend Returns

30 May 2025 - 29 Jun 2025

In a world full of AI and Robot tech can a simple dad with slightly tight jeans stay relevant? Ancient Astronaut Theorists say yes! Rhys hopes to prove that right now a touch of very human silliness is more important than ever!? Perhaps his unique human skills, once thought of as absurd, might just be useful after all!

Kerry Godliman

19 Jun 2025 - 19 Jun 2025

Kerry Godliman is back on tour. Her straight talking brand of quick wit and bewilderment will be covering more of life’s anomalies. Why is there a Buddha at the garden centre? Why collect her children’s teeth? And even though she can't stand aubergines, why is it her favourite emoji? There’s loads to get sorted. Be there. She’ll do all the talking. Both an incredibly talented comedian and a phenomenal actor, Kerry is best known for her appearances on BBC’s Live At The Apollo, Mock The Week, Jack Dee’s Referendum HelpDesk, Channel 4’s Derek and Comedy Gala in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital’. Kerry is also a regular on Radio 4 with appearances on the esteemed News Quiz, The Now Show and Just A Minute as well as her own series Kerry’s List. Kerry is currently starring in the Sky 1 series Carters Get Rich.

...Earnest?

28 May 2025 - 14 Jun 2025

When a traditional production of Oscar Wilde’s classic play gets underway, everything seems to be going perfectly to plan… that is, until the lead actor fails to arrive on cue and an actual audience member is chosen to star in the show. What follows is a madcap medley of impromptu games and spontaneous solutions as the desperate director does his best to keep this faithful production going. But with stage whiskey being swapped, off-the-cuff auditions being held and muffins being eaten (no matter what state they’re in), there’s just no telling what this unique version of The Importance of Being Earnest is going to throw up. Especially when more audience members are drafted in to replace an ever-thinning cast… With the script ripped up and rewritten, can the show reach its fabulous finale, just as Oscar Wilde intended? This one-of-a-kind comedy sensation is completely different, completely chaotic, and completely Wilde every single night. And who knows, you might even become a star yourself! Guaranteed to have you laughing whether you’re sitting in the audience… or performing onstage …Earnest? is perfect for fans of The Play That Goes Wrong and Noises Off!

Jason Manford - A Manford All Seasons

4 Jun 2025 - 26 Mar 2026

Born in 1981, it took only 17 years for comedian, writer, actor, television and radio presenter Jason Manford to make his mark on the live circuit. Working as a glass collector at the Buzz Comedy Club in Manchester's suburban area of Chorlton, Manford stepped in when a scheduled performer failed to turn up. Just six live gigs later he claimed The City Life North West Comedian Of The Year award, launching a career that would cement him as a household name across the United Kingdom. Jason’s been busy since his last smash-hit stand up show but fans of his Absolute Radio show will know this nationally acclaimed comedian hasn’t changed a bit.

Ross Noble: Cranium of Curiosities

16 Jul 2025 - 22 Mar 2026

What happens when pure comedy takes human form? What happens when a creature is created and bred to do stand up? Nobody knows because that isn’t a thing. What is a thing is Ross Noble doing a show. You can come and see it. This is it. Ross’s on-stage credits include 16 nationwide comedy tours and his recent critically acclaimed performance as Igor in Mel Brooks’ West End revival of monster hit musical Young Frankenstein, at London’s Garrick Theatre. As well as his on-stage work, Ross is a regular on national UK TV and radio programmes such as ‘QI’ (BBC One), ‘Have I Got News for You’ (BBC One) and ‘Just a Minute' (BBC Radio 4). Ross has fronted Ross Noble: Off Road (Dave) and presented his own surreal magazine show for radio, ‘Britain In Bits’ (BBC Radio 4).

Phantoms Of The Popera

27 May 2025 - 22 May 2026

This vocally dynamic evening showcases smash-hit songs from the West End and Broadway, brought to you by four of the world’s finest voices. Join the guys on a spine-tingling rollercoaster of breathtaking show-tunes, riding the high and lows of uplifting melodies, heart-rending ballads and climactic anthems. Featuring classics from Les Mis, Phantom, South Pacific, Jersey, and more.

The Amy Winehouse Band

24 Oct 2025 - 19 Dec 2025

We are delighted to bring you this exceptional & unique show: this, is The Amy Winehouse Band – Amy’s Original band led by her long term Musical Director/Bass player Dale Davis and Amy’s close friend from the very start of her career, celebrate her era defining global music and live performances, keeping her spirit and legacy and the Amy Winehouse sound alive in a true connection only possible by Amy ’s original band.

BSO: Celebration of Christmas Carols

23 Dec 2025 - 23 Dec 2025

Experience the warmth and joy of Christmas with a concert devoted to the best traditional carols ever written. Join in the singing with the Bournemouth Symphony Chorus and Youth Chorus. With a selection of festive favourites, the evening is the perfect way to start the Christmas holiday in the company of family and friends, and a good old, sing-along. Please note that the matinee performance is slightly abridged, running for 70 minutes without interval.

BSO: John Williams Blockbusters

21 Mar 2026 - 21 Mar 2026

A spectacular concert celebrating the music of the most prolific and successful film-score composer ever. John Williams has been at the forefront of film music from the 1960s and since then has been awarded 5 Oscars, 25 Grammys, 4 Golden Globes, 3 Emmys and 7 BAFTAs. Many of the most popular films of recent times owe much of their success to his amazing music. Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to hear a live performance of many of his most memorable themes.

BSO: Handel's Messiah

17 Dec 2025 - 17 Dec 2025

We commence the festive period with one of the most celebrated pieces in the classical canon, Handel’s jubilant oratorio. Since 1742, Messiah has secured itself in the Christmas calendar as a true celebration of the nativity. Heaped with beautiful arias including He was Despised and Rejected and I Know that My Redeemer Liveth and rousing choruses like For Unto Us a Child is Born and the ever-popular Hallelujah Chorus. This sublime work offers the quintessential holiday celebration.

BSO: Last Night of the Christmas Proms

19 Dec 2025 - 22 Dec 2025

Christmas just isn’t Christmas without the BSO’s Last Night of the Christmas Proms concert! Dive head first into festivities and bring the whole family along for this musical sleigh ride. Orchestral classics, traditional Christmas numbers new and old, and a selection of Broadway and West End hits all wrapped up with a sprinkling of magic and a great big bow on top. And with Pete Harrison returning as conductor, our evening of festive fanfare is sure to be the highlight of the season!

BSO: Led Zeppelin Symphonic

2 May 2026 - 2 May 2026

Whole Lotta Love, Black Dog, Kashmir, Rock & Roll, Dazed & Confused and of course Stairway To Heaven: Led Zeppelin’s songs take on a whole new dimension with Led Zeppelin Symphonic. Performed to sold-out audiences at the London Palladium in London and the Acropolis in Athens, among others, more than 100,000 tickets have already been sold in Europe and Québec for this international show. Led Zeppelin Symphonic brings together British singers, rock musicians and the full BSO, to perform a larger-than-life repertoire that has captivated fans for 50 years. Led Zeppelin, which was to the 1970s what the Beatles were to the 1960s, has bewitched an entire generation. Led Zeppelin Symphonic takes the musical experience even further!

BSO: New Year's Day Viennese Gala

1 Jan 2026 - 1 Jan 2026

The swirling majesty and joyous sounds of the traditional Viennese Gala will see you spinning into the New Year with a flourish! Merry waltzes, polkas and marches from Johann Strauss II, his family and contemporaries fill this sparkling concert evening that will transport you from your seat in the concert hall all the way into the traditional gala halls of Vienna. This evening of joyous music includes all of Strauss’ greats such as the Fledermaus Overture, Thunder and Lightning Polka, Radetzky March and, of course, The Blue Danube! This beguiling performance that will ensure a glamorous start to your New Year!

BSO: Smooth Valentine Classics

14 Feb 2026 - 14 Feb 2026

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with an evening of luscious symphonic classics offering some of the most romantic melodies ever written. The concert features the sensuous slow movements from three of the finest concertos for piano and Richard Addinsall’s Warsaw Concerto, as well as love themes from silver screen masterpieces by Ennio Morricone, James Horner and John Williams Also included is Wagner’s musical love letter and Tchaikovsky’s passionate overture to Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet. Make sure you make a date and treat a loved one!

BSO: It's a Living Thing

18 Oct 2025 - 18 Oct 2025

Formed in 1970 in Birmingham UK, the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) is a band that fuses pop music with classical overtones. Jeff Lynne, its creator and continuing driving force added violins, cellos, string basses, horns and woodwind to the standard rock line-up to “pick up where the Beatles left off…” In the 13 years following their arrival on the music scene, they sold over 50 millions records worldwide, accumulated 27 Top 40 songs in the UK singles chart, and 15 in the US charts. In the summer of 2016, they played the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury Festival, and in December, it was announced they had been elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2017 Jeff Lynne continues to front ELO (Jeff Lynne’s ELO). This special concert celebrates the unique aura of ELO, expanding the classic sound with a treatment that utilises a full symphony orchestra and band, with 6 singers to replicate the glorious wall of vocal sound. The concert celebrates ELO’s catalogue of classic chart hits – not re-imagined, but like you’ve never heard them before! In association with GRB Concerts.

Milton Jones: HA!milton

6 Jun 2025 - 29 Nov 2025

This is not a musical. Milton Jones is tone deaf and has no sense of rhythm, but at least he doesn’t make a song and dance about it. He has more important things to discuss. Like giraffes... and there’s a bit about tomatoes. You might know him from Mock the Week, Live at the Apollo or Radio 4. Or that time he stood for the Scottish National Party, fought a hard campaign, but in the end had to respect the wishes of the people of Cardiff. A whole new show of daftness. You know it makes sense. Warning - contains jokes from the start.

Paul Merton & Suki Webster's Improv Show

11 Oct 2025 - 28 Mar 2026

“Paul Merton and Suki Webster’s Improv Show” is a night of fast, and fabulously funny improvised games, scenes, stories, songs and laugh out loud surrealism. All deftly conjured up on the spot and based on suggestions by you: The Audience! These two masters of Comedy Improvisation are joined by two fabulous guests each week to create cascades of laughter and joyful silliness.

Simon & Oscar - The Songs of Ocean Colour Scene

2 Oct 2025 - 25 Oct 2025

Get up close and personal with Ocean Colour Scene’s Simon Fowler and Oscar Harrison. Intimate acoustic performances of big hits, anthems, deep cuts and choice picks from the Ocean Colour Scene song book.

Eddie Izzard: The Remix

13 Sept 2025 - 5 Nov 2025

Ever wondered what became of Darth Vader and Mr Stevens or the monkey in the tree, did the pears ever ripen… and will God ever appear? It’s a glorious chance to ‘maybe’ find out the answers or discover more questions to those Izzard conundrums. It’s highly likely that no night will be exactly the same so as ever with Eddie, expect the unexpected. This show promises to be a beautiful, hilarious journey spanning a 35 year career of talking thought provoking, nonsense, who could resist?

Rebecca Ferguson

9 Jun 2025 - 31 Oct 2025

Vocalist celebrated for her soulful voice and powerful songwriting “Our generation’s songbird,” was what Nicole Scherzinger called Rebecca Ferguson during her X Factor days. Britain fell in love with Ferguson’s voice during the seventh season of the competition show, during which the then 24-year-old singer won hearts with her story of single motherhood and passionate love of music. Shortly after her time on The X Factor, Ferguson released her debut album, Heaven. It was received with universal acclaim from critics, with no publication giving it less than four stars, and was certified platinum in the UK. In early 2012, Ferguson departed on her first headline tour, which sold out across the UK and Ireland. Ferguson’s sophomore album, Freedom, arrived in December 2013. The album saw Ferguson making a departure from her soul-influenced sound in favour of R&B-tinged, dance-friendly tracks. Her next full-length project, Lady Sings The Blues, was even bolder departure from her previous work. It saw Ferguson reimagine Billie Holiday’s 1956 record of the same name, covering 17 songs previously performed by Holiday. Her fourth studio album, Superwoman, was released in 2016. In 2023, Ferguson announced the upcoming release of Heaven – Part 2, her first full-length album in seven years. She explained on social media that the album would be her last, marking her retirement from the music industry.

BSO: Classic FM Hall of Fame

5 Mar 2026 - 7 Mar 2026

Rossini’s bright and sunny overture preludes one of the most famous and popular of all concertos, suffused with the sun-drenched melodies and balmy atmosphere of southern Spain; its achingly beautiful slow movement is perhaps the most sublime pieces of music ever written. The Spanish passion continues with Chabrier’s dazzling rhapsody and Rimsky-Korsakov’s vibrant and colourful suite. In contrast, Borodin’s tone poem evokes the sweeping plains of central Asia, whilst nightmarish visions abound in Mussorgsky’s dark and brooding depiction of a Witches Sabbath.

Joel Dommett: Happy Idiot

30 May 2025 - 24 Apr 2026

Joel returns to his stand-up roots with a brand-new show. With glamorous tales from behind the camera and less glamorous anecdotes of first-time fatherhood, Joel remains a charming, exhausted, happy idiot. As one of the nation’s most familiar faces on television, Joel has established himself as one of the UK’s most trusted and beloved presenters and a firm favourite in UK households. As presenter of Saturday night smash-hit The Masked Singer, ITV2’s I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here: Extra Camp, BBC’s reboot of Survivor, the hugely popular quiz show In With A Shout and the front man of the National Television Awards, Joel has also hosted BBC’s Live at the Apollo and co-hosts hit podcast, Never Have I Ever with his wife, Hannah.

Dead Ringers

18 Sept 2025 - 22 Oct 2025

To mark its 25th anniversary, BBC Radio 4’s legendary, multi-award-winning topical satire show takes to the road with a full UK tour for the first time. Starring long-standing cast members Jon Culshaw, Jan Ravens, Lewis MacLeod, and Duncan Wisbey the show will take you on a trip through a quarter century of classic sketches & unrivalled impressions, alongside the razor-sharp topical humour which has become the series’ trademark.

Jenny Eclair: Jokes, Jokes, Jokes, Live

30 May 2025 - 21 Nov 2025

In celebration of the release of her hilarious memoir of the same name, comedian, novelist and professional show-off Jenny Eclair comes to venues nationwide with a brand-new autobiographical show. From drama school (mostly drinking cider and eating sausage rolls), sleeping with men who looked like they lived under a carpet, punk poetry, anorexia, bedsit misery, waitressing and not really having a clue about anything, to being the first woman to win the Perrier Award, becoming a mother, author, grumpy old woman, podcaster and nana! Still gigging to sell-out crowds forty years later, Jenny invites you to look back at what she can remember before she forgets everything. Warning: punk poetry, animal impressions and baritone nursery rhyme singing may feature.

Mark Steel - The Leopard in my House

13 Jun 2025 - 29 Nov 2025

The Leopard in My House is proof that this leftie, working-class, Radio 4 favourite truly deserves his place in the UK comedy pantheon. Join multi award-winning, BAFTA-nominated writer and comedian Mark Steel for his new tour ‘The Leopard in My House’. The topic? His battle with throat cancer. A battle he is winning (thankfully) and which only his rapier wit could fashion a comedy tour show out of. Cancer has done nothing to dull Mark’s acute political observations or quash his “frankly bonkers” energy: you will laugh, you will cry, but you’ll laugh again, and again, and again. Mark Steel is best known for his critically-acclaimed BBC Radio 4 show Mark Steel’s in Town (now in its 13th series), as well as his hit podcast What The F★★★ Is Going On…?. He has presented the BAFTA-nominated Mark Steel Lectures for BBC Two, and is a regular on BBC One’s Have I Got News for You and BBC Radio 4’s The News Quiz. He has also written several acclaimed books, including an adaptation of his critically acclaimed stand-up show Who Do I Think I Am? for Audible.

Michael Starring Ben

29 May 2025 - 20 Nov 2026

Take a journey back in time to remember Michael Jackson – the man, the music and the magic. MichaelⓇ Starring Ben is a hit theatre production starring the UK's ultimate Michael Jackson tribute star, Ben Bowman. Not only does he look and sound like the King of Pop, but he's honed his routine so carefully that audiences truly believe they are watching Michael Jackson himself. The show features a live band, dazzling costumes and the performer's iconic dance routines. It also showcases the greatest hits of Michael Jackson and also of The Jackson 5 including Beat It, Billie Jean, Thriller and Man in the Mirror.

Second Summer of Love

3 Jul 2025 - 4 Oct 2025

Original raver, Louise, wonders how she went from ecstasy-taking idealist to respectable, disillusioned, suburban mum? Meet Molly and Brian as, triggered by her daughter's anti-drugs homework and at peak mid-life crisis, Louise flashes back to the early 90s rave scene. A story of rave remembrance, coming of age and mid-life awakening. Pick of The Fringe - Sell Out - 5 Star - Comedy on Tour 2025 "Will leave you uplifted entertained and wondering what your mum was up to in 1993" EdFringe Review Second Summer of Love was inspired by STERNS nightclub in Worthing. Press from Yvonne Arnaud, Mill Studio 2023: ★★★★★ “I absolutely loved this play... overwhelming energy...excellent cast” London Theatre 1 Press from Edinburgh Fringe 2022 ★★★★ “Warm and witty, uplifting and sunny” – Broadway Baby ★★★★ “A superb perfromance” - Lost in Theatreland, Amy Rye ★★★★ “Happisburgh is captivating”, “A fresh perspective to discussion about recreational drug use” “An impressive performer seamlessly shifting between different characters” EdFringe Review - Anna Gardner ★★★★ “A joyous celebration of 90's rave culture” “Ingenious music and movement sequences" EdFringe Review Jess Painter ★★★★ “A vivid protagonist played with boundless energy” - Fringe Biscuit Chris Neville-Smith’s “Pick of the Fringe” 2022 “Gem of a show about rave culture – grab a ticket now” Omid Djalili “Absolutely loved Second Summer of Love… one for all the ravers (and ex-ravers!)” Matt Quinton, BBC Originally developed in collaboration with Pants on Fire and showcased at the SHORTS festival 2020

Avatar - The Last Airbender

5 Oct 2026 - 18 Oct 2026

Immerse yourself in a two-hour show with a live orchestra bringing the show's iconic musical score to life, in perfect harmony with favourite moments from the series. Avatar: The Last Airbender follows the adventures of the main protagonist Aang and his friends, who must defeat Fire Lord Ozai and end the Hundred-Year War to restore balance to the Four Nations. The creative mastermind behind the show's original music, Emmy Award-winning composer and musician Jeremy Zuckerman, has poured his heart and exceptional talent into expanding his compositions for the concert series. Get ready for an unparalleled musical odyssey as Nickelodeon, Senbla and GEA Live proudly present Avatar: The Last Airbender in concert.

Glenn Moore: Please Sir, Glenn I Have Some Moore?

2 Jun 2025 - 18 Feb 2026

Edinburgh Comedy Award "Best Show" nominee Glenn Moore is one of the best joke writers of his generation and is back on tour.

Ardal O'Hanlon - Not Himself

19 Jun 2025 - 27 Mar 2026

Oh, it’s all there! All the trademarks are in evidence in Ardal’s latest show. Beautifully crafted stand-up comedy? Yes. Celebrated use of language? Tick. Lateral thinking, surreal flourishes, sharp observations? Of course. As for the occasional profundity? Maybe. Despite his best attempts over many decades to put the world to rights, it is still a colossal mess. And so, Ardal has no choice but to go out on the road again. Like the good comedy doctor he is, he fearlessly diagnoses the various pathologies and neuroses that are currently ravaging humanity. Disclaimer: No solutions provided. After an alarming experience at the supermarket, Ardal reflects on who he is as a man and a comedian. He examines his own ethnic and religious background, and thinks twice about the very core of his identity as a voice of reason. Is everything a big lie? With no major trauma of his own to draw on for material, apart from the drag of getting older, he also turns his gaze outwards at the joys and follies of contemporary life. Towel Animals? A.I.? Chair Yoga? Cauliflower as a main course? Yes. Yes. Yes. And Yes. No current idiocy is left unexamined. With a highly developed sense of the ridiculous, and proper comedy bones, NOT HIMSELF, is a testament to the healing power of humour. And the joy of jokes.

BSO: Piano Pyrotechnics (DIGITAL)

21 Jan 2026 - 21 Jan 2026

Tchaikovsky’s Polonaise from Eugene Onegin is probably the greatest concert example of this dance ever written. Generally stately, this one has flair, with large orchestral gestures and the kind of catchy tune that sticks in the mind for ages. Chopin’s gift for melody absolutely shines throughout his First Piano Concerto, which established him as a talent to be watched and launched his international fame. It opens with a grand orchestral sweep before the piano enters with a dazzling display of technical virtuosity, culminating in a race to the end with a series of blazing scales and arpeggios both enthralling and exhausting. Mendelssohn’s impressions of the “comfortless, inhospitable solitude” of a Scottish walking holiday were the inspiration behind this stirring symphony, dedicated to Queen Victoria. Its haunting recurring theme came to the young composer as he explored the ruined chapel at Holyrood Palace.

BSO: A Fine Romance

3 Dec 2025 - 3 Dec 2025

Dvořák’s ebullient overture is one of three composed on the themes of nature, life and love. It depicts the high-spirited tumult of a festive carnival setting – barkers, vendors, boisterous crowds, although it is interrupted with a tinge of melancholy. Bruch’s Violin Concerto is one of the most popular and performed of any in the repertoire, beloved by both violinists and audiences alike. Capturing a heartfelt romantic allure with its lush and memorable themes, excellent solo writing, and impeccable pacing, it exploits virtually everything the violin can do in the hands of a master: from dramatic multi-stopped chords to soulful singing in the instrument’s husky low register all the way to its sparkling top. Modelled after Wagner but with Humperdinck’s own brand of instantly loveable songs and remarkable gift for melody, Hansel and Gretel almost glows with its innocence and peaceful spirit. Swan Lake is, without question, the greatest Romantic ballets of all time. A passionate love story with music to match, Tchaikovsky’s genius lies in the musical embodiment of the characters – the elegance of the swans, Odile’s allure, and Rothbart’s malice. From the sweeping romanticism of the “swan theme” to the celebratory waltzes and iconic national dances, the beautifully evocative score never fails to make a powerful impact.

BSO: Blue Skies

11 Mar 2026 - 11 Mar 2026

Bridge’s tone poem arose from his desire to escape to the country during the first months of the First World War. Steeped in delicious harmonies and very free rhythmically, it evokes the warmth of an English summer day with strings creating a haze against which wind instruments emerge and recede. Despite writing a great deal of music for solo piano, Ravel wrote only two piano concertos: his last major compositions before the onset of his tragic brain illness. The Concerto in G was a showcase for his remarkable virtuosity and compositional talents. It sparkles with energy and a sense of spontaneity drawing upon Basque and Spanish melodies, jazz riffs and even his childhood fascination with mechanical toys. Rachmaninov’s elegant, ingenious, and often surprising Third Symphony is more in concerto form than symphony. Thematic strands endlessly weave and overlap one another, bound together by a theme that recurs in various guises and transformations. This chant-like motto appears quietly at the very opening but before long, it bursts forth in loud, stern animation and a thunderous, celebratory conclusion: all dark thoughts banished. Click Play and Discover the Music

BSO: Celestial Symphony

6 May 2026 - 6 May 2026

Bax’s Tintagel is a piece deeply entwined with the South West, not just because of the ruined castle which inspired it, but also through its connection to English folklore and mythology and its windswept coasts. Sir Dan conducted the premiere in Bournemouth in 1921 The influence of Mozart is apparent throughout Beethoven’s C major Piano Concerto. The piano’s role ornaments the orchestral material, but the broad artistic expressiveness shows Beethoven’s embrace of the emerging Romantic mood of the day. Vaughan Williams’ Fifth Symphony is one of hope written at a time of raging war. It emerges from a dreamlike stillness. Gradually the orchestra is brought to life through playful dialogue reaching its emotional zenith in the gloriously stirring Romanza, before a series of exuberant variations reach a sudden halt. The music subsides back to its mysterious opening and finally rests in hushed transcendence. Click Play and Discover the Music

BSO: Colour and Light

15 Oct 2025 - 15 Oct 2025

Elgar’s magnificent orchestral showpiece is more than just a mere transcription of Bach’s mournful organ Fantasia. It slowly swells as more and more layers of orchestral colour are built up until the full-throttle climax. In his Violin Concerto, Sibelius opposes rather than meshes solo and orchestra in a succession of wonderful melodies until reaching a giddying climax of syncopated brilliance. At times dreamy and reflective and at others turbulent and darkly passionate, it is full of technical prowess – a deep and gritty orchestral exploration from darkness into light. The origins of the Bohemian hymn on which Suk based his Meditation can be traced back a thousand years. A work that pays homage to one of the most revered saints in Czech history, it is both heartfelt and nostalgic, interweaving Suk’s personal sense of patriotism with a deep spirituality. Using fragments of ancient Gregorian chant, Respighi’s symphonic suite Church Windows depicts four imagined religious scenes forever captured in stained-glass windows. His supreme orchestral mastery is on full show, shimmering with refracted, kaleidoscopic colour as light floods through. Click Play and Discover the Music

BSO: Fate and Fortune

4 Feb 2026 - 4 Feb 2026

Grieg chose four of the 28 original movements from the incidental music composed for Henrik Ibsen’s play Peer Gynt for his Suite No. 1. From the beautiful sunrise over the Moroccan desert to the primal, pulsating energy of In the Hall of the Mountain King, the music is enchanting and evocative. With its graceful main theme and resourceful invention, the Rococo Variations remains one of Tchaikovsky’s most popular pieces. It is a work characterised by carefree charm, grace and the indomitable spirit of his idol, Mozart, filtered through his Russian and Romantic sensibilities. Among his most popular works, the Fourth Symphony is a meticulously structured meditation on Fate in four movements written at a time of great emotional turmoil. As Tchaikovsky admitted it is autobiographical; turbulent but finally triumphant; reflecting his recent tribulations as well as his eventual recovery. The principal idea of the work is the implacability of Fate, a force that “poisons the soul” by impeding the individual’s quest for peace and fulfilment.

BSO: Harmony of Balance

15 Apr 2026 - 16 Apr 2026

Coalescence explores the concept of mankind’s attempt to outsmart nature. An evocative sound-world showcases Howard’s distinctive style, featuring real church bells which signify the warning signs given to us by nature, as the work explores humans ignoring these warnings. Even by Mozart’s standards, his Sinfonia Concertante revels in a wealth of melody and invention. It may be that he was displaying his musical skill in the hope of a court position, and the piece is a model of contrast and balance. It was a revolutionary work for him, a dramatic gesture of self-assertion, individuality and depth of expression. Dvořák broke new ground with his Eighth Symphony. Freed from the confines of the sonata form it is a seemingly spontaneous flow of thematic ideas. It has often been described as a “sunny” work, but in truth it is much more than that. With passages of drama, exhilaration, happiness and nostalgia it is unusually animated and tuneful, though it incorporates a streak of melancholy that occasionally erupts into fury, evoking a wide range of human emotions and is yet profoundly optimistic. Click Play and Discover the Music

BSO: Classical Heights

28 Jan 2026 - 29 Jan 2026

Stravinsky’s concerto for orchestra derives inspiration not only from Bach but also from musical ideas from across the entire 18th century, giving it a particularly eclectic air – a blend of traditional counterpoint and fugal writing with Stravinsky’s spiky melodic lines and syncopated rhythms. One of his earliest compositions for orchestra, the Second Piano Concerto reflects Beethoven’s mastery of Classical form and style. Underneath the Mozartian structure, we can hear glimpses of the mature Beethoven, especially in his use of unexpected harmonies and the muscular and powerful solo part. Mozart’s extraordinary complexity and superb craft reached their peak in what has been described as one of the towering artistic masterworks of Western civilization. Bubbling over with Mozart’s high spirits and compositional genius, the music of his final symphony, perhaps nicknamed Jupiter due to its magnitude, is of exalted greatness beyond compare. Click Play and Discover the Music

BSO: Hollywood Hit

26 Nov 2025 - 27 Nov 2025

Liszt’s solidly romantic tone poem is an exciting, vibrant work. With moments of “bucolic calm” and struggle, fanfare, roaring brass, horn calls and heavenly harp, it is a musical representation of the journey of life. Korngold plundered his Hollywood catalogue for the most haunting, expressive and beautiful themes to create a concerto that would prove his prowess beyond a writer of swashbuckling movie scores. Its combination of full-throated lyricism and unbridled virtuosity made it a favourite with Jascha Heifetz and later violinists. Korngold develops the main theme in freely rhapsodic fashion, embellishing it with pyrotechnic passagework that ascends into the stratosphere. Symphony No.6 was the first of Dvořák’s symphonies to be published and the first to be performed widely outside of Bohemia. Clearly cast in the mould of Austrian symphonies, the rich colours and textures of the Czech folk music of Dvořák’s childhood are nonetheless present throughout and eventually burst through to dominate the rousing final movement. Click Play and Discover the Music

BSO: Fantastic Symphony

5 Nov 2025 - 5 Nov 2025

An early comic opera by Wagner, Forbidden Love is set in Sicily and celebrates the Italian pleasure in life and love. The very un-Wagner-like overture sets the scene in an almost Gilbert and Sullivan manner, with dancing rhythms, imaginative use of percussion, lots of big ensembles, and flamboyant finale. Dani Howard’s Saxophone Concerto is a homage to the instrument’s inventor Adolphe Sax. Howard explains that it “reflects the pivotal moments in Sax’s life; his ingenuity, his resilience in the face of adversity, and the enduring legacy of his invention”. Hector Berlioz was a good friend of Sax and the first composer to write a piece for the new instrument. Ever the original, his Symphonie fantastique sounded like no other music yet written when it was first performed in the 1830s. With its daring music and staggeringly inventive use of the orchestra, it tells its own story of forbidden love. Its forms are fresh, its programme is grotesque, with bold, unexpected harmonies and melodies united around a recurring musical motive that he called the ‘idée fixe’. It is still to this day, unlike anything else; there isn’t a page of this score that doesn’t contain something distinctive and surprising – an iconic leap forward in musical and romantic expression.

BSO: Innocence Lost

13 May 2026 - 13 May 2026

During the 1930s, Copland and celebrated choreographer Martha Graham developed a mutual sense of admiration, based on their shared interest in simple, natural expression. Thus Appalachian Spring was born. The Shaker tune Simple Gifts fits well with Graham’s image of unity, simplicity and American rural life. Copland presents a series of variations on this tune – the music is illuminated by an inner glow of greater warmth and poignancy than perhaps any of his earlier works and has become the quintessential representative of American musical nationalism. The oratorio A Child of Our Time was Tippett’s artistic and emotional response to the events that led to the ‘Kristallnacht’ pogrom of November 1938. He used as his formal and historical models the Bach Passions and Handel’s Messiah which share with this contemporary morality the subject of the death of an individual set against the universal background of human suffering. Tippett’s use of the spiritual as a contemporary equivalent for the Lutheran chorale of the Bach settings draws the listener more closely into the drama through the spirituals’ unique verbal and musical metaphor.

BSO: Lewis Plays Mozart

29 Oct 2025 - 29 Oct 2025

Mozart wrote twelve of his piano concertos in a two-year blaze of creativity, a series of masterpieces to delight the mind, charm and seduce the ear, and pierce the heart. Of them all, No.25 is the biggest, grandest and most sonorous. Separating itself from the tragic manner of its immediate predecessor, it represents the C major summit of the 30-year-old composer’s Viennese style. It is a masterpiece not only magisterial but moving – broad and splendid, yet keenly detailed. Tchaikovsky saw himself as the victim of a cold, cruel fate. He felt a strong empathy for other people in the same situation, be they real or fictitious. That’s why he identified so closely with Manfred, the lonely, heartbroken wanderer at the centre of Byron’s epic poem. Deeply programmatic, long and technically challenging, it is often overlooked, yet it has a great deal to offer – bountiful drama, colour and a memorable series of melodies.

BSO: Love and Devotion

12 Nov 2025 - 12 Nov 2025

Perhaps one of Ravel’s most personal creations Le tombeau de Couperin is a memorial to the fallen in the First World War. Bursting with colour and inventiveness, he reimagines the clarity and rhythmic liveliness of its Baroque forebears. Wagner was hopelessly in love with Mathilde Wesendonck, the young, golden-haired wife of his wealthy friend Otto when he was composing his great love tragedy Tristan and Isolde, as well as the five songs on poems written by Mathilde herself. He identified himself in them (and in her) the perfect love which had eluded him. They rage of frustrated love and ardent infatuation, displaying the full measure of Wagner’s gifts of melody, harmony, and seamless text setting, as well as his unmatched ability to channel human emotion through music. Duruflé’s Requiem, with its use of medieval chant alongside modern musical techniques, remains a timeless masterpiece. The sometimes archaic- sounding melodies are fused with sophisticated harmonies influenced by the earlier generation of French Impressionists. Restraint and intimacy are perfectly balanced with majesty and power, creating a work of faith and tranquillity that touches the soul. Click Play and Discover the Music

BSO: Mahler's Fifth

18 Mar 2026 - 19 Mar 2026

Haydn composed his second Cello Concerto in 1783 for Antonín Kraft, a cellist in the Esterházy court orchestra. It was for many years thought to be the work of Kraft (who presumably offered help in the writing of the solo part) before the rediscovery in 1954 of the autograph manuscript, which had lain unnoticed in a Vienna archive for over 40 years, cleared up the question of the work’s authenticity once and for all. The journey from death to life lies at the heart of Mahler’s Fifth Symphony, extremes of joy and pain contrastingly expressed more fully than ever before. Psychologically speaking, it proceeds from tragedy to triumph. Mahler paints a huge canvas of cosmic emotion, using enormous brushstrokes of sound for the largest possible gestures. From the opening funeral march the music gradually lightens, progressing through a gigantic waltz fantasy and intensely lyrical adagietto before reaching the exuberant rondo-finale. The effect is electrifying.

BSO: Monumental Brahms

10 Dec 2025 - 10 Dec 2025

Originally the slow movement to his String Quartet No.1, Kernis’ heartfelt music, expanded for full strings, was inspired by the serene beauty of medieval music and imagined sound of angels singing in heaven. It’s parallel to Barber’s Adagio is instantly apparent. Mozart’s Symphony No.39 opens grandly, with a darkly dramatic introduction in which orchestral texture and harmonic dissonance increase to near breaking point. This gives way to superlatively crafted work of contrasting melodic invention and rhythmic and contrapuntal exploration. The origins of this concerto, Brahms’ first symphonic work, can be traced to 1854, when the composer heard a performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. It is directly inspired by that revolutionary monolith and its own large scale is particularly evident in the tremendous and unconventional first movement, filled with an almost over-abundance of themes. The effect is exhilarating and entirely unexpected which perhaps explains its early poor reception. The following meditative adagio is the most sublime of slow movements, whilst the final rondo has a brusque, even baroque momentum all its own. Click Play and Discover the Music

BSO: Organ Symphony

22 Apr 2026 - 22 Apr 2026

Unlike the eponymous charioteer’s skills, Saint-Saëns technical skills were at their peak in his tone poem Phaeton: its galloping steeds racing to a catastrophic demise before a final lament for youthful hubris. Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto is an exuberant and passionate work filled with uninhibited virtuosity. It remains refreshingly original with its exciting and altogether exceptional opening, and richly forged musical dramas of powerful virtuosity and of uncommon sensitivity. A lyrical sensibility defines Lili Boulanger’s bright and festive picture of a carefree spring morning with its arabesque-like playfulness and delicate, highly transparent instrumentation. Saint-Saëns said that he had “given everything I was able to give” to his Third Symphony and this shows in its virtuosic piano passages, brilliant orchestral writing and the audacious use of organ. It reveals a genuine flair for sumptuous orchestral colour, suave and unforgettable melody and brilliant craftsmanship – the zenith of his symphonic output. There is simply nothing else quite like it.

BSO: Playful Shostakovich

11 Feb 2026 - 12 Feb 2026

These charming variations on an original theme display the teenage Shostakovich’s increasing mastery of the sound of the orchestra and contain one or two surprises that must have shocked his conservative teachers. Shostakovich’s Second Piano Concerto stands miles apart from many of his other works in its sense of freedom and abandon. It is a gloriously free, wistful creation – an unrestrained delight from start to finish, particularly in the soulful and heart-rending adagio; opening with a cloud-shrouded string theme before the piano enters like the sun breaking through. The music from the ballet The Bolt is as accomplished as anything Shostakovich wrote. Overflowing with seditious charm and laced with the driest of wit, the suite is a whirligig of tipsy tunes, musical raspberries and slinky, laugh-out-loud rhythms. Bursting with energy and catchy tunes, the satirical parody Moscow Cheryomushki shows Shostakovich at his best when it came to light music and operetta. Mocking the corruption and idealism of the USSR in the post-Stalin era. The music, full of subversive undercurrents and parodies of the Russian musical cannon, playfully highlights the operetta’s wit, candour and insight. Click Play and Discover the Music

BSO: Roderick Williams Recital

29 Apr 2026 - 29 Apr 2026

Using the 24 songs of Schubert’s original Winterreise as inspiration, Roderick Williams has handpicked English songs that reflect each individual piece in this unique musical journey. Songs include those by Vaughan Williams, Britten, Finzi, Parry, Gurney and Ina Boyle as well as more modern works by Judith Weir Elizabeth Maconchy and Errollyn Wallen, inspired by the poetry of Shakespeare, Hardy, Blake, Tennyson, Yeats, de la Mare and Stevenson.

BSO: Standing Up For Truth

1 Oct 2025 - 1 Oct 2025

Referencing the concept that a butterfly flapping its wings in one location can cause a hurricane elsewhere, Dani Howard’s The Butterfly Effect reflects on how small actions can have a lasting impact, and how a decision can affect the rest of your life. After the success of his Second and Third Piano Concertos, Rachmaninov revised the First in 1917. It is very different from his later works; in exchange for less memorable melodies, this concerto incorporates elements of youthful vivacity and impetuosity in a concise and spirited fashion. The Tenth Symphony is now widely regarded as Shostakovich’s finest work in the genre – a perfect balance of expressive qualities and political meaning. This is music that sums up all that Shostakovich wanted to say about living under Stalin’s oppression, inspiring us through his resilience of spirit, determination, and courage to hold on to the truth, when even truth itself was under threat. Click Play and Discover the Music

BSO: Piano Pyrotechnics

21 Jan 2026 - 22 Jan 2026

BSO: The Power of Love

8 Oct 2025 - 9 Oct 2025

Renowned through his many, inspired Lieder, Schubert’s gift for melody is also abundantly evident in his ‘Unfinished’ Symphony. The variety and immediacy of the themes suffusing its two movements are breathtaking; it is powerful, satisfying music. No one really knows why he never completed it – perhaps it was left unfinished because it could not, need not be finished. Alexander Zemlinsky’s Lyric Symphony owes a clear debt to his contemporary Mahler and his Das Lied von der Erde. Looking eastward, setting poems by Bengali writer Rabindranath Tagore, and merging symphony with opera, baritone and soprano alternate with one another over the course of the seven movements in what amounts to an exploration of longing and desire. The orchestral writing is delicate and refined which bathes the singers in a luminous beauty of shades and colours. English translation surtitles/subtitles will allow you to enjoy the full beauty of the extraordinary poetry. Click Play and Discover the Music

BSO: Triumph Over Adversity

25 Mar 2026 - 26 Mar 2026

Beethoven’s Leonore Overture No.2 is hugely dramatic, mirroring the intensity of the darkest events of the opera it was intended to precede. Derived from music from Act II of Fidelio, it depicts Florestan’s dungeon, to which we are led via dark, descending octaves and dissonant harmonies. Bartók wrote his Second Piano Concerto as a counterpart to the first. It is thematically more agreeable and with fewer difficulties for the orchestra. This intention explains the more folk-like, lighter character of most of the themes. It is intricately planned and reveals Bartók’s characteristic fascination with symmetrical patterns, using the piano as an inherently percussive instrument. Now a firm favourite, it took listeners a little time to recognise the genius and pioneering expression of the symphonic form in Sibelius’ Second Symphony. He wrote it whilst holidaying in Italy: a Mediterranean warmth penetrates the work, thawing some of the Finnish ice. But there is also tension; a pent-up energy builds throughout until eventually the granite-like finale bursts open in a flood of triumphant brass.

BSO: Wigglesworth Conducts Elgar

25 Feb 2026 - 25 Feb 2026

Sensitively written for the violin, Beethoven’s only completed concerto for the instrument is a lyrical balance between soloist and orchestra, a masterpiece like no other. It belongs to the flood of compositions that poured from Beethoven’s pen during what was the most productive period of his life, unleashed by his spiritual crisis of 1802 and the realisation of his oncoming deafness. Despite this, it feels like a celebration, a modest and reserved one, perhaps, but triumphant, nonetheless. Far more complex and deeply personal than his First, Elgar described his Second Symphony as “the passionate pilgrimage of a soul” suggesting the music’s predominantly restless and tragic character. It reflects the tension of the time in which it was written – a study of conflict and paradox. Riddled with doubts, questioning and conflict it reflects not only the true spirit of the age but also the personality of the composer as it meanders from extrovert exuberance to melancholy introversion.

BSO: Viva Espana

14 Jan 2026 - 15 Jan 2026

Turina composed Danzas Fantásticas a few years after returning to Spain, inspired by the novel La Orgía by his friend José Más. All three pieces draw on traditional Spanish song and dance idioms, rhythmically energetic and featuring lovely lyrical interludes. A Moorish flavour is also present in de Falla’s set of symphonic impressions of the great gardens of Granada and Cordoba, incorporating dance rhythms of Andalusia, Debussy’s shimmering Iberia, extols the musical magnetism that Spain seemed to exert on French composers of the 19th and 20th centuries, combining customary Spanish fire and spice with Gallic elegance. Commissioned to write a ballet, Ravel incorporated the “bolero” dance into his score which depicts a young gypsy woman as she begins a slow, languid dance. Entranced by her movements the other café dancers join in, one by one, until everyone is dancing, with the pace slowly quickening into a dramatic climax. It has the power to mesmerise the senses and quicken the pulse more effectively than any other piece of music.

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