Unnatural Harmony: Sounds of Lee Alexander McQueen
In a spectacular show, the London Contemporary Orchestra and choreographers Holly Blakey and Michael Clark reimagine the music behind the designer’s iconic moments.
The show shines a light on 20 years of music that shaped Lee Alexander McQueen’s life and work. The LCO performs an eclectic score that takes in everything from haunting classical masterpieces by Barber, Mozart and Glass, plus tracks by Björk and Lady Gaga.
Directed by Elayce Ismail, the show includes a new film by Douglas Hart and Eddie Whelan featuring new work from Michael Clark and a new performance choreographed by Holly Blakey.
The performance premieres at our 2026 Multitudes festival as a multi-arts fashion and classical music event celebrating Lee Alexander McQueen’s iconic body of work, created by Robert Ames and John Gosling.
The London Contemporary Orchestra has established itself as one of the UK’s most innovative and respected ensembles, promoting the best new music and cross-arts collaborations.
Holly Blakey’s critically acclaimed choreography and movement direction traverses the worlds of contemporary dance, art, music and fashion.
Robert Ames is a conductor, composer and curator who has pioneered a genre-fluid approach to collaboration, opening new horizons for instrumental music in the process.
John Gosling is well known as a member of industrial music group Psychic TV and collaborator of Coil. He was a close friend of Lee Alexander McQueen and worked with him as music director on all of his shows.
Michael Clark is a dancer, choreographer and defining cultural figure who has been at the forefront of innovation in dance since his emergence in the 1980s.
Le Gateau Chocolat was named by Time Out London as one of its top-10 cabaret stars. His work spans drag, cabaret, opera, musical theatre, children’s theatre and live art. His productions have been seen from Sydney Opera House to the Royal Albert Hall and Bayreuth Festival.
Galya Bisengalieva is a Kazakh composer, producer and violinist. A champion of experimental sounds, she can be heard on TV and film soundtracks, albums by icons like Frank Ocean and Taylor Swift, and has collaborated with fashion houses including Alexander McQueen.
Commissioned by the Southbank Centre. Produced in collaboration with NEWFORM Music and the London Contemporary Orchestra.
This production is a tribute to the life and creative vision of Lee Alexander McQueen and the role that music played in his life. This production has not been made with the involvement, endorsement or sponsorship of the House of Alexander McQueen. No costumes, clothing, fabrics or designs featured in this production are the goods or products of the House of Alexander McQueen nor are they endorsed by them.
Performers
London Contemporary Orchestra
Robert Ames conductor
Galya Bisengalieva violin
Le Gateau Chocolat vocals
Sari Mizoe dancer
Willow Kerensa Fenner dancer
Repertoire
Barber: Adagio for strings
Björk: Frosti
Lady Gaga: Bad romance
Philip Glass: Morning passages from The Hours
Gosling: [with Raymond Watts]: Parts 1 - 4 from Plato's Atlantis
Handel: Sarabande from Suite in D minor for keyboard, HWV.437
Armand van Helden: Dark ages mix from The Witch Doktor
Mick Jagger: [with Keith Richards]: Paint it black
Mozart: Adagio from Piano Concerto No.23 in A, K.488
Nirvana: Smells like teen spirit
Michael Nyman: The heart asks pleasure first from The Piano
Penderecki: Threnody to the victims of Hiroshima
Purcell: When I am laid in earth (Dido's Lament) from Dido and Aeneas
A Smith: Duelling banjos
Strauss: Introduction (Sunrise) from Also sprach Zarathustra
John Williams: Main theme from Schindler's List; WIld signals from Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Need to know
Find out more about the music with our free programme.
View the programme
Creative director: Robert Ames
Creative director: John Gosling
Director: Elayce Ismail
Live choreography: Holly Blakey
Filmed choreography: Michael Clarke
Film by: Eddie Whelan
Film by: Douglas Hart
Lighting design: Matt Daw
Sound design: Simon Hendry
Stage costumes consultant and stylist: Matthew Joseph
Film costume consultant and styling: Katy England
Film original costumes: Stevie Smith
Image gallery
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.