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Nikolai Lugansky Plays Rachmaninov

The Philharmonia Orchestra pulls out all the stops in the finale of their 2024/25 season, ending with Respighi’s cinematic Pines of Rome.

Part of Philharmonia Orchestra Classical Season - Spring/Summer 2025

More details for Royal Festival Hall

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Esteemed pianist Nikolai Lugansky joins the orchestra in Rachmaninov’s Third Piano Concerto.

One of the all-time great interpreters of Rachmaninov, renowned for his ‘quintessentially Russian sound’ (The Independent), Lugansky understands this most challenging and rewarding of concertos inside out.

All Rachmaninov’s trademarks are there: bittersweet melodies, pianistic fireworks, and lush orchestral writing.

Alborada del gracioso roughly translates as ‘Dawn Song of the Jester’. It’s a beguiling short piece with a Spanish flavour, complete with castanets, and a harp imitating the strumming of a guitar.

La Valse is an altogether darker affair – Ravel’s deconstruction of a Viennese waltz is said to represent the cataclysmic impact of the First World War.

In Pines of Rome, Respighi uses a huge orchestra to paint four pictures of Rome in thrilling detail: the innocence of children playing, gloomy catacombs, a gentle nocturne, and finally a victorious Roman legion returning home, acclaimed by jubilant brass.

Every member of the Philharmonia will be turning the dial up to 11 to bring their 2024/25 season to a roof-raising close.

Performers

Philharmonia Orchestra

Carlos Miguel Prieto conductor *

Nikolai Lugansky piano

Repertoire

Ravel: Alborada del gracioso from Miroirs arr. for orchestra

Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No.3

Interval

Ravel: La valse

Respighi: Pines of Rome

Need to know

Age guidance

For ages 7+

Event information

* Please note change of conductor from originally advertised

Reviews

‘Lugansky’s passion radiates, and his piano sings and thunders’Bachtrack

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.

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A lively crowd cheers with raised hands, while a performer in a white hat and suit plays guitar, against red lighting.

A guitarist performing on a dark stage at the Royal Festival Hall, lit up by multiple spotlights.

Pianis Víkingur Ólafsson is seated at a grand piano while playing Bach’s Goldberg Variations on the stage of Royal Festival Hall

Organist Carol Williams plays the Royal Festival Hall organ whiich is illumiated with bold colours

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.

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.

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.

Other places to eat and drink whilst you’re here