Expansive. Optimistic. Profound.
Season Opening: Bernstein and Copland
Sir Antonio Pappano
Sunday 14 September 2025 • 7pm
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Leonard Bernstein
Symphony No 3, ‘Kaddish’ (revised version) (40 mins)
Interval
Aaron Copland
Symphony No 3 (40 mins)
Sir Antonio Pappano conductor
Dame Felicity Palmer narrator
Katharina Konradi soprano
London Symphony Chorus
Tiffin Boys’ Choir
London Symphony Orchestra
The concert will finish at approximately 9pm, including an interval (timings subject to change).
Tickets
£72 £56 £39 £26 £18
+ £4 booking fee per online/phone transaction
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
Dramatic, emotionally intense American symphonies, both born of 20th-century tumult.
The Music
Dedicated to the memory of JFK, the spectacular ‘Kaddish’ Symphony explores Bernstein’s crisis of faith. Musical theatre, oratorio and choral symphony rolled into one, its libretto rails against and praises God, mirrored by music of rhythmic urgency, unbounded joy and profound beauty.
Copland’s own Third Symphony, completed in 1946, is a vast and beautiful work of sprawling landscapes, offering early audiences a glint of optimism as the war came to an end. The final movement features the composer’s inspirational Fanfare for the Common Man.
The Performers
This is a concert of huge forces, operatic soprano Katharina Konradi, known for her vivid and heartfelt portrayals, and Dame Felicity Palmer, whose deep connection to both music and words brings the narrator’s role to life, alongside the London Symphony Chorus. Chief Conductor Sir Antonio Pappano conducts, opening the 2025/26 season.
I think you’ll be surprised by its power.
Leonard Bernstein writes about ‘Kaddish’ in a letter to his sister Shirley Bernstein
Filmed for broadcast by Marquee TV
More to Explore
What was Leonard Bernstein's relationship with the LSO?
From his first concert in 1966, to becoming LSO President in 1987, Leonard Bernstein had a close relationship with the LSO that spanned 24 years.
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.
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%
Retain your discount for any later bookings within the season. Find out more about Multibuy Discounts.
£12 or £16 (£12 or £15 for Half Six Fix concerts), plus booking fee. Check availability using the Wildcard link in the Tickets section above. On the concert night, show your Wildcard order email at the Stalls box office to receive a valid ticket worth at least £18 (£15 for Half Six Fix). Not available for LSO Discovery Family Concerts or concerts at LSO St Luke’s. 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.
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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
