BBC Proms - Sibelius' Violin Concerto
Fiery. Stunning. Sets the tone.
Who’s on stage
Our house orchestra Royal Northern Sinfonia, their principal conductor Dinis Sousa and guest violinist Alena Baeva.
What they’re playing
A bold trio of pieces to get our BBC Proms weekend started with a bang. A charming little suite by Germaine Tailleferre’s Petite suite, a sunny symphony by Antonín Dvořák and Jean Sibelius’ fiery violin concerto.
Need to know
Price: £8 – £46 (£8 promming (standing) ticket)
Running time: 2 hours, including a 20 minute interval.
Age: under 14s must be accompanied by an adult.
Pre-concert talk: 6.30pm on the Concourse
Pre-concert performance: Chorus of Royal Northen Sinfonia at 7pm on the Concourse
Concert programme: free BBC Proms digital programme
What you'll hear
Germaine Tailleferre Petite suite pour orchestra
Jean Sibelius Violin Concerto
Antonín Dvořák Symphony No. 8
Who's playing it
Dinis Sousa conductor
Alena Baeva violin
Royal Northern Sinfonia
What's happening in the music
Orchestras all over the world commissioned symphonies from Czech composer Antonín Dvořák but he wrote Symphony No. 8 just for himself. That extra freedom pushes his signature Romantic, folk-inspired style up a notch. It’s serene and sunny, like a summer afternoon in rolling green countryside.
Jean Sibelius’ Violin Concerto is anything but serene. It’s a song of fire and ice overflowing with passion and raw emotion that needs the soloist to give everything they’ve got. You’ll be on the edge of your seat with anticipation.
Germaine Tailleferre was the only female member of ‘Les Six’, a groups of composers in 1920s Paris including Francis Poulenc and Darius Milhaud. Her Petite suite is as charming and delicate as the very best French patisserie.
Take a listen
Here’s Alena Baeva playing Sibelius’ violin concerto with the State Academy Orchestra of Russia in 2019.
Pre Concert Events
Pre-concert talk
Dr Jacob Downs talks to tonight’s soloist Alena Baeva. They’ll chat about the music on the programme, nationalism and landscapes, what the composers were thinking when they wrote the music and how that relates to how we see the world today.
Grab a drink and listen from around the stage, the café, or on the balconies.
Pre-concert performance
Chorus of Royal Northern Sinfonia and their director Tim Burke open the BBC Proms festival weekend with beautiful songs by Gustav Holst, Gustav Rheinberger and Fiona Lander.
Grab a drink and listen from around the stage, the café, or on the balconies.
Join us for a free celebration of music and sound on the concourse
Come down early, stick around after your gig or just drop by – our concourse will be buzzing all weekend with free music and activities. No ticket needed.
Fresh, exciting new menus every time you dine.
Book your table in our Restaurant and make a night of it.