Pictures at an Exhibition
Conductor Jakub Hrůša and the Philharmonia Orchestra paint vivid musical pictures, joined by eminent British cellist Steven Isserlis.
The drama is turned up to 11 from the very first bar of Mussorgsky’s Night on a Bare Mountain, familiar to millions of music-lovers from Walt Disney’s Fantasia.
This fearsome description of a witches’ sabbath on a mountain outside Kyiv really gives the Philharmonia musicians licence to let go of their inhibitions.
The opening of Kabalevsky’s Second Cello Concerto couldn’t be more different – the cello enters with quiet pizzicato (plucked) notes, mysterious and alone. The piece runs the gamut of the cello’s expressive potential, now agitated and full of energy, now singing with heartfelt intensity.
Steven Isserlis gave the London premiere of this piece back in 1981. He was due to perform it with Hrůša and the Philharmonia in 2020 – it’s sure to be worth the wait.
Mussorgsky’s best-loved work crowns this evening’s programme.
It’s a musical promenade around an exhibition of paintings and designs by the composer’s friend Viktor Hartmann, encompassing country scenes, characters from Russian legend and the imposing Great Gate of Kyiv.
Performers
Philharmonia Orchestra
Jakub Hrůša conductor
Steven Isserlis cello
Repertoire
Mussorgsky: A Night on the Bare Mountain (vers. orig.)
Kabalevsky: Cello Concerto No.2, Op.77
Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition orch. Stokowski
Need to know
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.