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Black background, a black and white portrait of Beethoven inside a hand-drawn pink star. Black background, a black and white portrait of Beethoven inside a hand-drawn pink star.

In Search of Purpose

Composers finding their purpose in life’s biggest questions: our season theme for 2026/27

At a moment of deep personal crisis in 1802, Ludwig van Beethoven confronted his hearing loss and questioned whether he could go on. In music, he found a way forward – and in doing so, transformed it into a powerful vehicle for human expression and resilience. From this journey, our 2026/27 season takes its title: In Search of Purpose. 

We trace Beethoven’s path from despair to hope in his Fifth Symphony, alongside a cycle of his piano concertos, and explore his ongoing legacy. And we hear from composers finding their purpose in the face of conflict, grief, oppression, and life’s biggest questions.  

We invite you to listen – to the music, to each other, and to the purpose within. 

Beethoven's search for purpose

LPO's Principal Guest Conductor Karina Canellakis wearing a leather jacket, smiling and resting her chin on her hand.

Wed 4 Nov 2026, 7.30pm

Karina Canellakis conducts Beethoven

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • Elgar Violin Concerto (45’)
  • Dai Fujikura Radiance (UK premiere) (10’)*
  • Beethoven Symphony No. 5 (36’)
  • Karina Canellakis conductor**
  • Christian Tetzlaff violin
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Pianist Alice Sara Ott sitting cross-legged on a piano stool, leaning on the piano with her left arm.

Fri 6 Nov 2026, 7.30pm

Alice Sara Ott plays Beethoven

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4 (34’)
  • Mahler Symphony No. 1 (56’)
  • Karina Canellakis conductor*
  • Alice Sara Ott piano
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Pianist Lukas Sternath smiles and rests his arm on a piano.

Sat 6 Feb 2027, 7.30pm

Lukas Sternath plays Beethoven

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • Unsuk Chin subito con forza (5’)
  • Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 1 (37’)
  • Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6 (Pathétique) (45’)
  • Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider conductor
  • Lukas Sternath piano
Find out more Book now Arrow
Black and white photo of conductor Paavo Järvi, a bald man in a black t-shirt, standing at a conductor's podium with his arms outstretched wide and his head tilted back.

Wed 17 Feb 2027, 7.30pm

Shostakovich’s Tenth

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • Tormis Overture No. 2 (10’)
  • Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5 (Emperor) (38’)
  • Shostakovich Symphony No. 10 (53’)
  • Paavo Järvi conductor
  • Benjamin Grosvenor piano
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Pianist Mitsuko Uchida, a woman with dark shoulder-length hair, wearing a dark pleated jacket, seated with arms folded and chin resting on her hand, gazing ahead in a hallway with arched windows.

Wed 24 Mar 2027, 7.30pm

Mitsuko Uchida plays Beethoven

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • Wagner Prelude to Parsifal (14’)
  • Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3 (34’)
  • Bruckner Symphony No. 7 (Cohrs edition) (64’)
  • Vladimir Jurowski conductor
  • Mitsuko Uchida piano
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Pianist Kirill Gerstein, a bald man with a beard, wearing a black top, resting his chin on his hand at a grand piano and gazing forward against a dark green background.

Fri 2 Apr 2027, 7.30pm

Beethoven & Strauss

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • R Strauss Death and Transfiguration (24’)
  • Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 0 (28')
  • Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 2 (28’)
  • R Strauss Der Rosenkavalier Suite (21’)
  • Dima Slobodeniouk conductor
  • Kirill Gerstein piano
Find out more Book now Arrow

Beethoven’s legacy

Violinist Julia Fischer, a woman with light blonde hair pulled back in a loose bun, wearing a blue blouse, holding her violin up to her shoulder, contemplative expression.

Wed 21 Oct 2026, 7.30pm

Julia Fischer plays Brahms

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • Brahms Violin Concerto (36’)
  • Tchaikovsky Manfred Symphony (56’)
  • Edward Gardner conductor*
  • Julia Fischer violin
Find out more Book now Arrow
LPO's Principal Guest Conductor Karina Canellakis wearing a leather jacket, smiling and resting her chin on her hand.

Wed 4 Nov 2026, 7.30pm

Karina Canellakis conducts Beethoven

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • Elgar Violin Concerto (45’)
  • Dai Fujikura Radiance (UK premiere) (10’)*
  • Beethoven Symphony No. 5 (36’)
  • Karina Canellakis conductor**
  • Christian Tetzlaff violin
Find out more Book now Arrow
Pianist Lukas Sternath smiles and rests his arm on a piano.

Sat 6 Feb 2027, 7.30pm

Lukas Sternath plays Beethoven

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • Unsuk Chin subito con forza (5’)
  • Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 1 (37’)
  • Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6 (Pathétique) (45’)
  • Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider conductor
  • Lukas Sternath piano
Find out more Book now Arrow
Pianist Javier Perianes, a man with short dark hair wearing a grey suit jacket, seated beside an open grand piano and gazing to the side against a bright white background.

Wed 3 Mar 2027, 7.30pm

Javier Perianes plays Schumann

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • Webern Im Sommerwind (15’)
  • R Schumann Piano Concerto (37’)
  • Brahms (orch. Schoenberg) Piano Quartet No. 1 (43’)
  • Thomas Guggeis conductor
  • Javier Perianes piano
Find out more Book now Arrow
Pianist Mitsuko Uchida, a woman with dark shoulder-length hair, wearing a dark pleated jacket, seated with arms folded and chin resting on her hand, gazing ahead in a hallway with arched windows.

Wed 24 Mar 2027, 7.30pm

Mitsuko Uchida plays Beethoven

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • Wagner Prelude to Parsifal (14’)
  • Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3 (34’)
  • Bruckner Symphony No. 7 (Cohrs edition) (64’)
  • Vladimir Jurowski conductor
  • Mitsuko Uchida piano
Find out more Book now Arrow

Finding purpose in the search for peace

Black and white image of LPO's Principal Conductor Edward Gardner leading the London Philharmonic Orchestra

Sat 26 Sep 2026, 7.00pm

Edward Gardner conducts Britten’s War Requiem

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • Britten War Requiem (77’)
  • Edward Gardner conductor*
  • Natalya Romaniw soprano
  • Allan Clayton tenor
  • Benjamin Appl baritone
  • London Philharmonic Choir
  • London Symphony Chorus
  • Tiffin Boys' Choir and Girls' Choir
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Black and white photo of conductor Paavo Järvi, a bald man in a black t-shirt, standing at a conductor's podium with his arms outstretched wide and his head tilted back.

Wed 17 Feb 2027, 7.30pm

Shostakovich’s Tenth

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • Tormis Overture No. 2 (10’)
  • Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5 (Emperor) (38’)
  • Shostakovich Symphony No. 10 (53’)
  • Paavo Järvi conductor
  • Benjamin Grosvenor piano
Find out more Book now Arrow
Soprano Louise Alder, a woman with long dark wavy hair, wearing a red sleeveless V-neck dress, smiling upward and leaning against a stone column outdoors.

Sat 27 Feb 2027, 7.30pm

Fauré’s Requiem

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • Judith Weir Respire, Inspire (world premiere) (10’)*
  • Fauré Requiem (38’)
  • Vaughan Williams Dona Nobis Pacem (40’)
  • Edward Gardner conductor**
  • Louise Alder soprano
  • Gerald Finley bass-baritone
  • London Philharmonic Choir
Find out more Book now Arrow

Finding purpose in love

LPO's Principal Guest Conductor Karina Canellakis wearing a leather jacket, smiling and resting her chin on her hand.

Wed 4 Nov 2026, 7.30pm

Karina Canellakis conducts Beethoven

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • Elgar Violin Concerto (45’)
  • Dai Fujikura Radiance (UK premiere) (10’)*
  • Beethoven Symphony No. 5 (36’)
  • Karina Canellakis conductor**
  • Christian Tetzlaff violin
Find out more Book now Arrow
Pianist Javier Perianes, a man with short dark hair wearing a grey suit jacket, seated beside an open grand piano and gazing to the side against a bright white background.

Wed 3 Mar 2027, 7.30pm

Javier Perianes plays Schumann

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • Webern Im Sommerwind (15’)
  • R Schumann Piano Concerto (37’)
  • Brahms (orch. Schoenberg) Piano Quartet No. 1 (43’)
  • Thomas Guggeis conductor
  • Javier Perianes piano
Find out more Book now Arrow
Soprano Renée Fleming, a woman with short blonde wavy hair, wearing a gold sequined coat with fur trim, standing side-on and looking back over her shoulder against a gold textured wall.

Wed 10 Mar 2027, 7.30pm

Renée Fleming

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • Kevin Puts The Brightness of Light (45’) (European premiere)
  • Dvořák Symphony No. 9 (From the New World) (40’)
  • Tianyi Lu conductor
  • Renée Fleming soprano
  • Lucas Meachem baritone
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Conductor Vladimir Jurowski, a man with long dark hair, wearing a black turtleneck, leaning against a marble wall and looking directly at the camera.

Wed 21 Apr 2027, 6.30pm

The Sleeping Beauty

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • Tchaikovsky The Sleeping Beauty (complete score) (3 hrs, including interval)
  • Vladimir Jurowski conductor
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Finding purpose in the face of loss and grief

Violinist Julia Fischer, a woman with light blonde hair pulled back in a loose bun, wearing a blue blouse, holding her violin up to her shoulder, contemplative expression.

Wed 21 Oct 2026, 7.30pm

Julia Fischer plays Brahms

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • Brahms Violin Concerto (36’)
  • Tchaikovsky Manfred Symphony (56’)
  • Edward Gardner conductor*
  • Julia Fischer violin
Find out more Book now Arrow
Conductor Kahchun Wong, a man with dark hair and glasses, wearing a black suit jacket, mid-conducting with baton raised and smiling against a warmly-lit wood-panelled room.

Wed 10 Feb 2027, 7.30pm

Strauss & Saint-Saëns

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • Ives The Unanswered Question (6’)
  • R Strauss Also sprach Zarathustra (32’)
  • Saint-Saëns Symphony No. 3 (Organ) (32’)
  • Kahchun Wong conductor
  • Iveta Apkalna organ
Find out more Book now Arrow
Violinist Pekka Kuusisto, a man with short blonde hair wearing a dark jacket, standing in profile and holding his violin, gazing downward, against a large window with bare trees visible outside.

Wed 24 Feb 2027, 7.30pm

Pekka Kuusisto plays Sibelius

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • George Benjamin Concerto for Orchestra (17’)
  • Sibelius Violin Concerto (31’)
  • Sibelius The Swan of Tuonela (10’)
  • Tippett Symphony No. 4 (32’)
  • Edward Gardner conductor*
  • Pekka Kuusisto violin
Find out more Book now Arrow
Cellist Zlatomir Fung, a man with short dark hair and glasses, wearing a black shirt, energetically playing his cello with the bow blurred in motion and smiling, against a white background.

Sat 20 Mar 2027, 7.30pm

Roots and Revolutions

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • Ligeti Concert Românesc (12’)
  • Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 1 (28’)
  • Bartók Concerto for Orchestra (35’)
  • Cristian Măcelaru conductor
  • Zlatomir Fung cello
Find out more Book now Arrow
Pianist Kirill Gerstein, a bald man with a beard, wearing a black top, resting his chin on his hand at a grand piano and gazing forward against a dark green background.

Fri 2 Apr 2027, 7.30pm

Beethoven & Strauss

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • R Strauss Death and Transfiguration (24’)
  • Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 0 (28')
  • Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 2 (28’)
  • R Strauss Der Rosenkavalier Suite (21’)
  • Dima Slobodeniouk conductor
  • Kirill Gerstein piano
Find out more Book now Arrow
Black and white portrait of conductor Ed Gardner, a white man with short silver hair, wearing a black shirt with arms folded and holding a conductor's baton, looking at the camera against a wooden planked wall.

Sat 24 Apr 2027, 7.30pm

The Dream of Gerontius

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • Elgar The Dream of Gerontius (95’)
  • Edward Gardner conductor*
  • Natalie Lewis mezzo-soprano
  • Michael Spyres tenor
  • Yngve Søberg baritone
  • London Philharmonic Choir
Find out more Book now Arrow

Finding purpose in the search for meaning

Violinist Julia Fischer, a woman with light blonde hair pulled back in a loose bun, wearing a blue blouse, holding her violin up to her shoulder, contemplative expression.

Wed 21 Oct 2026, 7.30pm

Julia Fischer plays Brahms

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • Brahms Violin Concerto (36’)
  • Tchaikovsky Manfred Symphony (56’)
  • Edward Gardner conductor*
  • Julia Fischer violin
Find out more Book now Arrow
Conductor Kahchun Wong, a man with dark hair and glasses, wearing a black suit jacket, mid-conducting with baton raised and smiling against a warmly-lit wood-panelled room.

Wed 10 Feb 2027, 7.30pm

Strauss & Saint-Saëns

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • Ives The Unanswered Question (6’)
  • R Strauss Also sprach Zarathustra (32’)
  • Saint-Saëns Symphony No. 3 (Organ) (32’)
  • Kahchun Wong conductor
  • Iveta Apkalna organ
Find out more Book now Arrow
Violinist Pekka Kuusisto, a man with short blonde hair wearing a dark jacket, standing in profile and holding his violin, gazing downward, against a large window with bare trees visible outside.

Wed 24 Feb 2027, 7.30pm

Pekka Kuusisto plays Sibelius

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • George Benjamin Concerto for Orchestra (17’)
  • Sibelius Violin Concerto (31’)
  • Sibelius The Swan of Tuonela (10’)
  • Tippett Symphony No. 4 (32’)
  • Edward Gardner conductor*
  • Pekka Kuusisto violin
Find out more Book now Arrow
Cellist Zlatomir Fung, a man with short dark hair and glasses, wearing a black shirt, energetically playing his cello with the bow blurred in motion and smiling, against a white background.

Sat 20 Mar 2027, 7.30pm

Roots and Revolutions

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • Ligeti Concert Românesc (12’)
  • Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 1 (28’)
  • Bartók Concerto for Orchestra (35’)
  • Cristian Măcelaru conductor
  • Zlatomir Fung cello
Find out more Book now Arrow
Pianist Kirill Gerstein, a bald man with a beard, wearing a black top, resting his chin on his hand at a grand piano and gazing forward against a dark green background.

Fri 2 Apr 2027, 7.30pm

Beethoven & Strauss

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • R Strauss Death and Transfiguration (24’)
  • Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 0 (28')
  • Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 2 (28’)
  • R Strauss Der Rosenkavalier Suite (21’)
  • Dima Slobodeniouk conductor
  • Kirill Gerstein piano
Find out more Book now Arrow
Black and white portrait of conductor Ed Gardner, a white man with short silver hair, wearing a black shirt with arms folded and holding a conductor's baton, looking at the camera against a wooden planked wall.

Sat 24 Apr 2027, 7.30pm

The Dream of Gerontius

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • Elgar The Dream of Gerontius (95’)
  • Edward Gardner conductor*
  • Natalie Lewis mezzo-soprano
  • Michael Spyres tenor
  • Yngve Søberg baritone
  • London Philharmonic Choir
Find out more Book now Arrow

Finding purpose in identity

Violinist Julia Fischer, a woman with light blonde hair pulled back in a loose bun, wearing a blue blouse, holding her violin up to her shoulder, contemplative expression.

Wed 21 Oct 2026, 7.30pm

Julia Fischer plays Brahms

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • Brahms Violin Concerto (36’)
  • Tchaikovsky Manfred Symphony (56’)
  • Edward Gardner conductor*
  • Julia Fischer violin
Find out more Book now Arrow
Headshot of conductor Robin Ticciati smiling outdoors, wearing a scarf and jacket.

Wed 18 Nov 2026, 7.30pm

Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • Sibelius King Christian II Suite (23’)
  • Hindemith Kammermusik No. 4 (21’)
  • R Strauss Ein Heldenleben (46’)
  • Robin Ticciati conductor
  • Vilde Frang violin
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Violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja sits cross-legged holding her violin in a silk red dress.

Sat 28 Nov 2026, 6.30pm

Patricia Kopatchinskaja plays Shostakovich

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • Rachmaninov Youth Symphony (13’)
  • Shostakovich Violin Concerto No. 2 (33’)
  • Rachmaninov Symphony No. 1 (41’)
  • Edward Gardner conductor*
  • Patricia Kopatchinskaja violin
Find out more Book now Arrow
Pianist Lukas Sternath smiles and rests his arm on a piano.

Sat 6 Feb 2027, 7.30pm

Lukas Sternath plays Beethoven

London, Royal Festival Hall
  • Unsuk Chin subito con forza (5’)
  • Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 1 (37’)
  • Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6 (Pathétique) (45’)
  • Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider conductor
  • Lukas Sternath piano
Find out more Book now Arrow

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