Barbican reveals 2024-25 season

The Barbican has today announced the classical music programme for its upcoming for 2024-2025 season with performances by its resident, associate and partner ensembles as well as international guests.

As well as a brand new season from resident orchestra London Symphony Orchestra (LSO), which this year celebrates the arrival of its new chief conductor Sir Antonio Pappano, and the return of associate ensemble Academy of Ancient Music, the Barbican will also host the BBC Symphony Orchestra (BBCSO) and Chorus for a new season as associate ensembles with conductors Dinis Sousa and Jonathon Heyward making their BBCSO debuts. The BBC Singers also make their return to mark their 100th birthday with a centenary concert featuring a host of guests plus the world premiere of a new work by Roderick Williams.

Helen Wallace, who became the Barbican’s head of music in February, said: ‘The Barbican music programme always strives to be ambitious, international and relevant. From exciting new music theatre work and cross-cultural collaborations, welcome returns from both the Simón Bolivar Orchestra and Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Yo-Yo Ma and Darbar Festival, to debuts from Sir Antonio Pappano as the LSO’s chief conductor, Spinifex Gum, LOD muziektheater and more, we’re offering audiences a rich array of perspectives, captivating performances and, above all, brilliant art music.’

Elsewhere in the season, the Carducci Quartet mark 50 years since the death of Shostakovich with his full string quartet cycle and collaborations with musicians from Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Gustavo Dudamel returns to the Barbican for two concerts with the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela and the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal makes its long-awaited return to the venue with conductor Rafael Payare and pianist Daniil Trifonov.

Georgian pianist Khatia Buniatishvili celebrates his Barbican Artist Spotlight residency with a collaboration with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields and further performances (yet to be announced) across the spring and summer of 2025.

On the opera stage, composer Rolf Hind presents his Sky in a Small Cage, created with Mahogany Opera, in September, while the BBCSO presents an operatic semi-staging of David Henry Hwang’s Broadway play M. Butterfly with music by Huang Ruo and libretto by Hwang and LOD muziektheater and Toneelhuis tell a story of resistance to colonial injustice in Ghana through Gorges Ocloo’s ‘Afropera’ The Golden Stool in October.

Cairns-based musical collective Spinifex Gum brings the stories of the Indigenous Australian Yindjibarndi people to life in October and Sō Percussion make their Barbican Hall debut with Caroline Shaw in December. Darbar Festival will also return to the Barbican in the upcoming season for a weekend of Indian Classical Music featuring RPS award-winner Jasdeep Singh Degun, plus Dr L Subramaniam, Dilshad Khan, Pandit Anindo Khan, Shalmalee Joshi.

Public booking for the upcoming season opens on 19 April.