Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with Benedetti
Hear Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto brought to life in all its glory by the Philharmonia Orchestra and one of the great violinists of our time, Nicola Benedetti.
Lyrical and virtuosic in equal measure, Mendelssohn’s only Violin Concerto has long been one of the best-loved works in the classical repertoire.
The chance to hear it live from this dream team of orchestra, conductor and soloist is a highlight in London’s musical calendar. What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon.
Conductor Paavo Järvi reunites Mendelssohn with his friend Schumann – the two met regularly with fellow musicians to set the world to rights in the cafes of 1830s Leipzig.
The last symphony Schumann wrote, the Rhenish was inspired by a happy holiday with his wife Clara. The second movement evokes the broad, peacefully flowing river Rhine, the fourth, with its sombre brass chorales, tells of a ceremony the couple witnessed in Cologne Cathedral, and the finale brings this joyful concert to a close in celebratory mood.
Performers
Philharmonia Orchestra
Jakub Hrůša conductor
Nicola Benedetti violin
Repertoire
Smetana: Overture, The Two Widows
Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto
Interval
Schumann: Symphony No.3 in E flat (Rhenish), Op.97
Need to know
Times & tickets
Dates, times and prices
Dates & times
01 Nov 2026, 3pm
Run time
1 hour and 45 minutes (approx)
All timings are approximate and subject to change
Standard entry
from £22 + £4 booking fee
Ticket prices may be adjusted without notice to reflect demand.
Concessions
Learn more about concession discounts
Refunds and exchanges
Find out more about our refund and exchange policy
Multi-buy Autumn/Winter 26/27 discount
3 – 4 events: 10% discount
5 – 7 events: 15% discount
8 – 10 events: 20% discount
11 – 14 events: 25% discount
15+ events: 30% discount
Discounts apply to selected events, September 2026 – January 2027 inclusive. Offer can’t be combined with the Spring/Summer 2026 multi-buy.
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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.