Luminous. Brutal. Powerful.
Beethoven and Shostakovich
Sir Antonio Pappano and Maxim Vengerov
Barbican
Sunday 21 February 2027 • 7pm
Public booking opens Friday 24 April 10am
Priority booking for LSO Supporters:
Friday 17 April 10am Patrons, Pioneers and Ambassador Friends
Monday 20 April 10am All LSO Friends
Ludwig van Beethoven
Violin Concerto (42mins)
Interval
Dmitri Shostakovich
Symphony No 8 (64 mins)
Sir Antonio Pappano conductor
Maxim Vengerov violin
London Symphony Orchestra
The concert will finish at approximately 9.20pm, 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
Violinist Maxim Vengerov brings elegance and majesty to Beethoven, before the unrelenting and colossal power of Shostakovich’s war-scarred Eighth Symphony.
The Music
Beginning with four quiet taps on the timpani, an expansive orchestral introduction and a violin entrance that sounds like a bird taking to the air, Beethoven’s Violin Concerto is one of the composer’s most exquisite creations. Its central movement is, if anything, even more beautiful, before a boisterous finale gives the soloist free reign to shine.
Shostakovich’s Symphony No 8 is a harrowing product of World War II. Composed in 1943 during the Battle of Stalingrad, it’s a brutal, despairing reflection on war’s horrors and human suffering under totalitarianism.
The Performers
Violinist Maxim Vengerov, renowned for his combination of technical and expressive powers, brings star quality to Beethoven, while the LSO will bring to Shostakovich’s music their illustrious history with 20th-century Russian masterpieces.
Concert generously supported by The Huo Family Foundation.
Recorded for future broadcast on Mezzo.
More to Explore
Shostakovich: a Guide to the Symphonies
Timmy Fisher guides us through an intense musical journey spanning almost 50 years, as we explore the symphonies of Dmitri Shostakovich.
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Limited Tickets
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Sir Antonio Pappano, the LSO, and the London Symphony Chorus bring Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius to life – a powerful oratorio filled with drama, beauty, angels and demons.
Limited Tickets
Elgar: The Dream of Gerontius
Sir Antonio Pappano
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Sir Antonio Pappano, the LSO, and the London Symphony Chorus bring Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius to life—a powerful oratorio filled with drama, beauty, angels and demons.
Limited Tickets
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
