Santtu & Alena Baeva
Alena Baeva joins the Philharmonia Orchestra for Prokofiev’s profoundly lyrical Violin Concerto No.2, a work of dazzling contrasts.
Hailed as ‘a magnetic presence’ by New York Classical Review, Baeva joins the Philharmonia for Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No.2. Lyrical, long-breathed melodies fill the first two movements. But the violin’s singing lines are tinged with darkness, and give way to a stumbling dance in the finale.
Rachmaninov’s brilliant Symphonic Dances are a masterclass in orchestral writing, giving every instrument from the tiny piccolo to the growling contrabassoon the chance to shine.
Maybe aware that this would be his last completed work, Rachmaninov quotes passages from his First Symphony, and writes a soulful melody for a relative newcomer to the orchestra, the alto saxophone.
Stravinsky’s ballet The Fairy’s Kiss was written as a ‘compatriotic homage’ to Tchaikovsky. Melodies from Tchaikovsky’s songs and piano pieces are transformed by Stravinsky’s touch, their sweetness and lyricism given a distinctive 20th-century twist.
Performers
Philharmonia Orchestra
Santtu-Matias Rouvali conductor
Alena Baeva violin, *
Repertoire
Stravinsky: Divertimento from The Fairy's Kiss arr. Stravinsky & Dushkin for orchestra
Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No.2 in G minor, Op.63
Interval
Rachmaninov: Symphonic Dances
Need to know
* Pease note change of artist from originally advertised.
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.