The Southbank Centre Will Launch New Multi-Artform Festival, Multitudes

The inaugural year of the Southbank Centre's new multi-artform festival, Multitudes, redefines the orchestral experience with an innovative, bold programme that pushes the boundaries of how classical music is presented in the 21st century.

Taking place from 23 April until 3 May, audiences can expect 11 days filled with orchestral music across the Southbank Centre site including an opening night of circus performance, a classical takeover of the Hayward Gallery, club nights and innovative collaborations from Marina Abramović, William Kentridge, George the Poet, Frantic Assembly, plus an orchestral evening from pioneering musicians who are leading the way in the British grime and hip hop scene.

Key Highlights include:

Australia’s internationally renowned circus company Circa will collaborate with the London Philharmonic Orchestra to present a rare full-length performance of Ravel’s ballet, Daphnis and Chloé (23 April). The collaboration between orchestra and gravity-defying circus teases out a world as intriguing, sensual and strange as the music itself with dramatic group acrobatics, intimate duos and aerial solos.

One of today’s most compelling performers, pianist Igor Levit, will perform Erik Satie’s challenging Vexations, directed by artistic icon Marina Abramović. Lasting 16-22 hours long, Vexations is considered one of classical music’s most simple, yet demanding, scores that instructs the player to repeat the piece 840 times (24 April).

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra collaborates with Punch Records for LEGACY - uniting the sounds of grime, hip hop, rap, and orchestral music from leading musicians from Birmingham and the West Midlands, including Lady Leshurr and Jaykae (28 April).

The UK premiere of leading dance company Sasha Waltz & Guests and the London Sinfonietta who join forces to present their vision of Terry Riley’s In C, a trailblazing piece that is considered the first piece of minimalist music written in 1964 (Tue 29 April & Wed 30 April).

Hailing from Peckham, The Multi-Story Orchestra will immerse the Hayward Gallery for a celebratory performance that responds to Mickalene Thomas’ newly acclaimed exhibition, All About Love (Singing All About Love- 26 April)

Huang Ruo’s City of Floating Sounds will take audiences on a journey through London -layers of sound are played on mobile phones, culminating in a live performance from the BBC Concert Orchestra in the Royal Festival Hall (30 April).

Aurora Orchestra collaborate for the first time with the internationally-renowned physical theatre company Frantic Assembly on a reimagining of the much-loved Carnival of the Animals. Carnival is a spectacular, virtuosic parade where orchestral instruments blend with movement and text (Kate Wakeling) for a dazzling night of demon speed notes and floor-shaking footsteps (3 May).

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