The Southbank Centre will host Multitudes, a ground-breaking new arts festival from 23 April to 3 May 2025, featuring a bold fusion of orchestral music, contemporary performance, dance, and visual arts. The festival brings together world-class orchestras, including Aurora Orchestra, Chineke! Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Sinfonietta, and Philharmonia Orchestra, alongside national and international artists.
Innovative cross-genre projects form a core part of the new festival, with highlights including “Vexations”, a marathon 16-hour performance of Erik Satie's work by pianist Igor Levit, directed by conceptual artist Marina Abramović, and “Refractions”, which unites electronic musician Clark with Manchester Collective to create a unique synthesis of dance and electronic music. Mickalene Thomas collaborates with The Multi-Story Orchestra at the Hayward Gallery, responding to her exhibition All About Love through music and performance. Other standout performances include “Oh To Believe In Another World”, where the Philharmonia Orchestra pairs Shostakovich's “Symphony No. 10” with William Kentridge's powerful film exploring themes of freedom and oppression.
Multitudes is set to reimagine the concert hall experience, making orchestral music more accessible and engaging for both traditional and new audiences. You can find out more about the festival and book tickets here.