Forged in Sound: Heavy Metal Orchestrated
Rock and heavy metal anthems and orchestral music collide in the Philharmonia Orchestra’s epic show, featuring guests Mr Lordi, Alison Mosshart and Suzi Quatro.
Epic. Loud. Flamboyant. Classical music and heavy metal have more in common than you might think.
Drawing inspiration from metal’s industrial roots, the 100-strong Philharmonia Orchestra (alongside other musical collaborators to be announced) brings its powerful sound to some of the biggest pieces of orchestral music ever composed – think Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries – and full throttle orchestral versions of rock and heavy metal anthems.
Principal Conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali taps into his past as a rock drummer for a performance that brings together the defiant and often iconoclastic energy of two extraordinary musical forms.
Commissioned by Southbank Centre and the Philharmonia Orchestra.
Performers
Philharmonia Orchestra
Santtu-Matias Rouvali conductor
Marzi Nyman guitar, band leader
Pete Friesen guitar
Jonathan Noyce bass
Hayley Cramer drums
Suzi Quatro vocals
Alison Mosshart vocals
Mr Lordi vocals
Repertoire
Wagner: Ride of the Valkyries from Die Walküre
Metallica: Orion
Mike Chapman: [with Nicky Chinn]: Can the can
Shostakovich: Allegro (2nd movement) from Symphony No.10 in E minor
Metallica: Enter sandman
Daniel Nelson: Steampunk blizzard
The Kills: Doing it to death
Mosolov: Zavod (The Iron Foundry) (Factory: Music Machine), Op.19
Interval
Holst: Mars, the bringer of war from The Planets
Motörhead: Ace of spades
Mahler: Excerpt from Adagietto from Symphony No.5
Bob Dylan: Knockin' on heaven's door
Led Zeppelin: Kashmir
Vivaldi: Presto (3rd movement) from Violin Concerto in G minor, Op.8 No.2 (Summer)
Saint-Saëns: Finale (Maestoso - Allegro) from Symphony No.3 in C minor (Organ)
Mr Lordi: Hard rock hallelujah
Need to know
Find out more about the music with our free programme.
View the programme
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For your visit
This event is held at the Royal Festival Hall Southbank Centre
The Royal Festival Hall is open six days a week.
Tuesday – Sunday, 10am – 11pm
Monday, closed.
Plan your visit
The Royal Festival Hall is home to our largest auditorium as well as The Clore Ballroom, National Poetry Library, Members’ Lounge, Festival Bar & Kitchen, Ballroom Cafe and Skylon restaurant.
Getting here
Our address is Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX.
The nearest tube stations to us are Waterloo and Embankment; Waterloo is also the nearest train station. And more than 20 different London bus routes pass within 500 metres of our venues. More information on getting here by rail, road or river is available on our Getting here page.
We’re cash-free
Please note that we’re unable to accept cash payments across our venues.
Access
We’re working hard to remove barriers, so that our facilities and events can be accessible to as many people as possible.
All help points, toilets, performance and exhibition spaces at the Southbank Centre are accessible to all, as are the cafes, bars and restaurants. We also have excellent public transport links with step-free access.
All information about booking wheelchair spaces, step-free access, blue badge parking, access maps and guides and other help available whilst you’re here, including details about our Access Scheme, can be found on our Access page.
Food & drink
On Level 2 of our Royal Festival Hall you can grab a slice of life by the Thames with drinks and freshly made pizza at our Festival Bar & Kitchen which opens out onto our Riverside Terrace. You can grab a coffee and a slice of freshly made cake from our Ballroom Cafe. Or alternatively enjoy destination dining in the restaurant at Skylon.
From coffee to cocktails, filling favourites to fine dining, plus some of London’s best street food – it’s all here at the Southbank Centre.