Radical. Iconic. Sweeping.
America's Voice
Barbara Hannigan
Barbican
Charles Ives
Shall we gather at the river (4 mins)
From the Steeples and the Mountains (5 mins)
Ruth Crawford Seeger
Rissolty Rossolty (5 mins)
Wallingford Riegger
Study in Sonority (7 mins)
Carl Ruggles
Sun-treader (15 mins)
Interval
Richard Rodgers arr Don Walker
Carousel Waltz (8 mins)
George Gershwin arr Robert Russell Bennett
Porgy and Bess – a Symphonic Picture (24 mins)
Barbara Hannigan conductor & soprano
London Symphony Orchestra
The concert will finish at approximately 8.50pm, including a 20-minute interval (timings subject to change).
Tickets
£75 £56 £39 £27 £18
+ £4 booking fee per online/phone transaction
Save 10–40% when you book more than one concert with Multibuy
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
Trailblazing soprano and conductor Barbara Hannigan guides us through the musical landscape of America at a defining point in its history, from concert hall to musical theatre.
The Music
Tonight’s concert is a journey through American music starring one of today’s most breathtaking talents, the soprano and conductor Barbara Hannigan. She begins with Charles Ives’ haunting Shall we gather at the river followed by a feast of early 20th-century avant-garde composers, showing how the US broke from European tradition to forge a distinct, experimental sound.
The second half celebrates a more familiar, confident American style that grew in parallel, through the Broadway hits and jazz-inspired works of Rodgers and Gershwin. Revel in this compelling arc from pioneering dissonance to popular melodic triumph.
The Performers
A world-class conductor and soprano, Barbara Hannigan is also one of music’s great communicators – ideal for a concert of this narrative scope and stylistic variety.
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Thomas Adès conducts Sibelius' Seventh Symphony and Oceanides, Saariaho's shimmering Oltra mar, and a new version of his own work America, joined by soprano Anna Dennis and the London Symphony Chorus.
Soweto Kinch: Trilogy
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Thursday 19 November 2026 • 7.30pm
Saxophonist, rapper and composer Soweto Kinch revisits his acclaimed LSO trilogy: The Black Peril, White Juju and Soundtrack to the Apocalypse.
John Adams at 80
Sir Simon Rattle
Sunday 10 January 2027 • 7pm
Sir Simon Rattle leads the LSO in music by John Adams: Frenzy, an extract from The Gospel According to the Other Mary and Harmonielehre – an electrifying journey through the composer's luminous soundworld.
Booking and Discounts
Box Office Information
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)
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.
Contact the Barbican Box Office at tickets@barbican.org.uk, get help via WhatsApp or send them a text message on 07380 975000.
Visit the Barbican website for conditions of sale.
All discounts are subject to availability and may not be combined.
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.
Offers and Savings
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%
Keep your discount for any later bookings within the season. Find out more about Multibuy Discounts.
From £12, plus booking fee. Price may rise to £15 or £16, as indicated. Check availability and price using the Wildcard link in the Tickets section above. On the concert night, show your Wildcard order at the Stalls box office to receive a valid ticket worth at least £18 (£15 for Half Six Fix and Symphonic Cinema). Exclusions apply. Find out more about Wildcards.
18 and under*: £6 tickets, plus booking fee. 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.
* Evening and Half Six Fix concerts are recommended for ages 12+
Save 20% to 30% and enjoy additional benefits. Find out more about group booking.
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 © Mark Allan
