The Royal Festival Hall’s Level 2 foyer spaces are currently being refurbished, as we work to bring you a brand new cafe, bar, shop and Ticket Office. Find out more

Daniel Pioro & James McVinnie: Rosary Sonatas

PAST EVENT
Multi-buy
Sun 22 Jan 2023, 8am – 5pm
Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer
Classical music
From £15 per performance
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Portrait artists Daniel Pioro and James McVinnie
Alex Kozobolis

Take a day-long deep dive into the world of Biber’s virtuosic Rosary Sonatas, with performances and talks stretching from sunrise to sunset.

Performers
  • Daniel Pioro violin
  • James McVinnie organ, harpsichord
Repertoire
  • 8am: Performance - Set 1 (Joyful Mysteries):
  • Biber: Rosary (Mystery) Sonata No.1 (The Annunciation); No.2 (The Visitation); No.3 (The Nativity); No.4 (The Presentation in the Temple); No.5 (The Finding in the Temple)
  • 12pm: Performance - Set 2 (Sorrowful Mysteries):
  • Biber: Rosary (Mystery) Sonata No.6 (The Agony in the Garden); No.7 (The Scourging at the Pillar); No.8 (The Crowning with Thorns); No.9 (The Carrying of the Cross); No.10 (The Crucifixion)
  • 4pm: Performance - Set 3 (Glorious Mysteries):
  • Biber: Rosary (Mystery) Sonata No.11 (The Resurrection); No.12 (The Ascension); No.13 (The Descent of the Holy Spirit); No.14 (The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin); No.15 (The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin)

This in-depth exploration of Biber’s masterpiece features three performances from Daniel Pioro and James McVinnie, in addition to talks and other events bringing the Rosary Sonatas to life.

Light.

Growing light – darkness – fading light.

This is a day of devotion, both to this extraordinary collection of music by Biber, and to the stories of the Rosary, stories that regardless of personal faith hold so much meaning.

The first set of sonatas, the ‘Joyful Mysteries’, are timed to coincide with the first rays of morning light as they hit the river Thames. The Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer is the ideal place to feel how the city of London wakes up around us.

The second set of sonatas, the ‘Sorrowful Mysteries’, take place in a dark Purcell Room, evoking the enclosed sorrow and the agony of these works.

The final set of sonatas, the ‘Glorious Mysteries’, take us back into the Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer to observe the darkness drawing in, but this time a natural darkness that is free of pain and anguish.

Set 1

8am – 9am
Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer
£15

Set 2

12 noon – 1pm
Purcell Room
£15

Set 3

4pm – 5pm
Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer
£15

Need to know

Age recommendation

For ages 7+

Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer; 9.45am, 10.45am, 2pm & 2.45pm: as part of our day-long deep-dive into the world of Biber’s virtuosic Rosary Sonatas, you can learn more at our Deep Dive Sessions, which are taking place between the performances. Admission free. The schedule for the sessions is:
9.45am – 10.30am: The Music (Dr Elisabeth Giselbrecht)
10.45am – 11.30am: The History (Dr William O’Reilly)
2pm – 2.30pm: In Conversation: James McVinnie with Toks Dada
2.45pm – 3.30pm: The Rosary (Revd Sarah Lenton).

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

Offers Ticket holders to our day-long deep dive into the Rosary Sonatas on Sunday 22 January can enjoy discounts just for them on the day:

Biber breakfast deal Get a hot drink and a pastry for just £5 at our Concrete Cafe at Queen Elizabeth Hall, 7.30am – 12 noon on Sunday 22 January 2023. Set 1 ticket holders only are eligible for a free hot drink and pastry – vouchers for this offer will be distributed to ticket holders on entry to the Queen Elizabeth Hall between 7.30am and 8am.

Shopping
Browse to your heart's content at our three shops on-site. Inspiring products for all, with every penny supporting the arts. Show your ticket at the till for 10% off.
Browse the Southbank Centre Shop

Strada
Enjoy traditional Italian food with a modern twist at Strada's flagship restaurant boasting wonderful views of the riverside. Show your ticket for 20% off your order.
Explore Strada at the Southbank Centre

Giraffe
Show your ticket for 10% off your order at Giraffe, the location for freshly-cooked food served to the sound of great music with stunning views over the Thames.
T&Cs: 10% discount offer valid all day Sunday 22 January. Offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer or discount. Valid concert ticket must be shown at the start of your meal. Maximum 8 persons. Offer only valid at Giraffe Southbank Centre.
Find out more about Giraffe

Wagamama
Enjoy a free side at wagamama, while soaking up the buzzy atmosphere of this stretch along the Thames. T&Cs: any free side upon purchase of an adult main. Offer valid at wagamama Southbank Centre only. Offer expires Sun 22 Jan 2023. Offer claimed upon showing proof of concert ticket. Discover wagamama at the Southbank Centre

Dates & times

Sun 22 Jan 2023

Performance Set 1: 8am – 9am
Deep Dive Session 1 (The Music with Dr Elisabeth Giselbrecht): 9.45am – 10.30am
Deep Dive Session 2 (The History with Dr William O’Reilly): 10.45am – 11.30am
Performance Set 2: 12 noon – 1pm
Deep Dive Session 3 (In Conversation: James McVinnie with Toks Dada): 2pm – 2.30pm
Deep Dive Session 4 (The Rosary with Revd Sarah Lenton): 2.45pm – 3.30pm
Performance Set 3: 4pm – 5pm

 

Price

  • Standard entryFrom £15*
  • Concessions25%**


* Excludes £3.50 booking fee.

Book as early as you can to ensure the best choice of tickets. Ticket prices may be adjusted without notice to reflect demand.

** Limited availability. Read about concessions.

Tickets can only be sold through the Southbank Centre and our authorised agents, and can't be resold. You can return your tickets to the Southbank Centre for a credit voucher up to 48 hours before the event. Tickets resold on any third-party platforms will become invalid.

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Venue

Queen Elizabeth Hall

Our number one priority is the health and wellbeing of our visitors and staff. 

Check here for our current guidance

The Queen Elizabeth Hall is open daily from 10am.

See the opening times for all our venues

Our address is: Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX. The nearest tube and train stations within 5-7 minutes walk are Waterloo (Northern, Bakerloo, Jubilee and Waterloo & City lines) and Embankment (District & Circle lines). There are also lots of bus routes with stops 2-5 minutes from our venues. For more information on getting here by road, rail or river.

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Pre-booking online is recommended. Check our website on the day for returns. There’s no need to print your e-ticket – just show your phone to our Visitor Assistants on entry.

Some free events don't require a ticket. Found an event labelled FREE on our website with no way to book? Simply turn up on the day.

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Your e-ticket will be sent to you seven days before the event date from [email protected]. If you don't receive your e-ticket, and it's not in your junk or spam folder, please get in touch. 

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More information

Find out all you need to know about tickets, including concessions, group bookings, returns, credit vouchers and more, via the link below.

Frequently asked questions

Get an overview of the seating layout of Queen Elizabeth Hall by downloading our seating plan.

Download seating plan

Toilets

An accessible toilet is located in the foyer.

A Changing Places toilet is located on Level 1 Royal Festival Hall next to the JCB Glass Lift, for the exclusive use of disabled people who need personal assistance to use the toilet.

The facility includes a height-adjustable bench, tracking hoist system, a centrally-placed toilet, a height-adjustable basin and a shower. The phone outside the Changing Places toilet will connect you with a member of staff, who can provide you with the key. The facility is open daily 10am – 11pm.

Cloakroom

The Queen Elizabeth Hall cloakroom is closed. You won’t be able to bring any bags over 40 x 25 x 25cm into the Queen Elizabeth Hall, so please leave large bags at home.

We're cash-free

Please note that we're unable to accept cash payments across our site. 

For step-free access from the Queen Elizabeth Hall Slip Road off Belvedere Road to the Queen Elizabeth Hall auditorium seating (excluding rows A to C) and wheelchair spaces in the Rear Stalls, plus Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer and the Purcell Room, please use the Queen Elizabeth Hall main entrance.

To reach this entrance, enter the Royal Festival Hall via the Southbank Centre Square Doors. Take the JCB Glass Lift to Level 2 and exit to the Riverside Terrace. Turn right to find the Queen Elizabeth Hall main entrance.

You can also use the external lift near the Artists' Entrance on Southbank Centre Square to reach Mandela Walk, Level 2. 

For access to the Queen Elizabeth Hall auditorium seating rows A to C and wheelchair spaces in the Front Stalls, please enter via the Artists' Entrance in the Queen Elizabeth Hall Slip Road (Level 1).

Talk to a member of staff at the auditorium entrance if you have a disability that means you can’t queue, or you need extra time to take your seat. They can arrange priority entry for you as soon as the doors open.

Please bear with us while we update our access map to reflect the refurbishment of the Royal Festival Hall’s Level 2 foyer spaces. The step-free routes remain the same.

Download step-free access map

More about Access and facilities

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