Victoria Oruwari singing, in a mostly black and white image with a purple echo of her.

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Paraorchestra: Symphony of Sorrowful Songs

Enter the world of Henryk Górecki’s cathartic and hauntingly beautiful Symphony of Sorrowful Songs at an immersive performance, conducted by Charles Hazlewood.

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More details for The Clore Ballroom, Level 2, Royal Festival Hall

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Górecki’s Symphony of Sorrowful Songs is an astonishing meditation on loss and transcendence.

Performed by pioneering contemporary orchestra Paraorchestra with acclaimed soprano Victoria Oruwari; Charles Hazlewood conducts this evocative and heartfelt ‘spiritual minimalist’ composition in a uniquely immersive format.

Paraorchestra presents orchestral music in extraordinary and unexpected ways: the ensemble are arrayed throughout the space, with the audience invited to move amongst them as they play, bringing the virtuosity of Paraorchestra and the emotional charge of Górecki’s masterpiece breathtakingly close. Depending on where you wander, you’ll tap into an entirely different experience – one you won’t forget in a hurry.

With strong themes of motherhood and loss, each of the three movements features a Polish lament that takes audiences on an uplifting journey through grief and solace.

Composed in 1976, Sorrowful Songs was popularised by soprano Dawn Upshaw and conductor David Zinman with the London Sinfonietta in 1991.

Climbing to the top of the classical music charts, it received an unprecedented term on the mainstream UK album chart and has remained a much-cherished contemporary classical work across generations ever since.

Performers

Paraorchestra

Charles Hazlewood conductor

Victoria Oruwari soprano

Repertoire

Górecki: Symphony No.3 (Symphony of Sorrowful Songs), Op.36

Need to know

Age guidance

For ages 10+

Event information

The texts are sung in Polish. Find out more about the music with our free programme, which includes the texts.
View the PDF programme
Download a Word version of the programme for screen readers

Access

The introduction to the performance is British Sign Language interpreted (BSL) by Paul Pryce-Jones (subject to change).

Limited seating is available if required, and a quiet space is available for use from 4pm. Please speak to a member of staff.

You can join our free Access Scheme through your online Southbank Centre account or via email.
Find out more about our Access Scheme
All our access information

For your visit

This event is held at the The Clore Ballroom Southbank Centre

The Clore Ballroom is open six days a week.

Tuesday, 10am – 6pm*
Wednesday – Sunday, 10am – 11pm
Monday, closed.

*If we’re hosting a performance, the building will stay open until the event ends.

A smilie black woman dancing in The Clore Ballroom

A diverse group of people, including elderly women, joyfully dance together indoors, wearing green scarves, in a lively, well-lit setting

A flutist wearing all white, standing on a small stage

A tabla workshop in The Clore Ballroom. The instructor is cross-legged on a stage, with people playing instruments in front of him.

A vintage orchestra play on a stage in the Clore Ballroom, a band leader dressed in white stands in front of them; couples in vintage dress dance on the dancefloor

A man in a red shirt leading a dance class in the Clore Ballroom

The Clore Ballroom is located inside our Royal Festival Hall on Level 2.

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.

There is step-free access to The Clore Ballroom, Level 2, Royal Festival Hall, via a ramp.

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.

Next to The Clore Ballroom is our Ballroom Cafe where you can grab a coffee and a piece of freshly made cake. Also 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.

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