The Rite by Heart

A riot onstage and off: Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring sounded the klaxon for the beginning of modern music in 1913.

Now, Aurora Orchestra gives the iconic work their Orchestral Theatre treatment, bringing Stravinsky’s epic score to life.

In the first half, witness a dramatisation of Stravinsky’s unruly creation and the 1913 premiere of the work. Actors Karl Queensborough (reprising his 2023 role) and Sarah Twomey join conductor Nicholas Collon in multifaceted roles as the famed composer Stravinsky and his collaborators.

This unique living programme note sets the stage for a performance of the whole ballet entirely from memory, without sheet music, stands or chairs, allowing you to get under the skin of the 20th-century masterpiece.

Winner of the 2024 Golden Prague International Television Festival Grand Prix, this production is not one to be missed.

Performers

Aurora Orchestra

Nicholas Collon conductor

Karl Queensborough actor

Sarah Twomey actor

Repertoire

A dramatised and musical exploration of The Rite of Spring

Interval

Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring (performed from memory)

Need to know

Age guidance

For ages 7+. Under-12s must be accompanied by an adult.

Event information

Box package
You can buy an exclusive box package for this event. More details of our Royal Festival Hall exclusive box package.

Find out more about the music with our free programme.
View the programme

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.

A concrete building with flags on the roof, with the London Eye and Big Ben in the background

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