This concert brings the BBC Symphony Orchestra back to Shanghai with a program that travels across eras, cultures, and sound worlds. Led by longtime chief conductor Sakari Oramo and featuring acclaimed French pianist Bertrand Chamayou, the evening moves from contemporary British music to Romantic seascapes and vivid orchestral storytelling. It’s a thoughtfully curated night for listeners who enjoy both familiar masterpieces and lesser-heard gems.

Program

• Judith Weir – The Welcome Arrival of Rain
• Saint-Saëns – Piano Concerto No. 5 in F Major, Op. 103 (Piano: Bertrand Chamayou)
• Mendelssohn – The Hebrides Overture, Op. 26
• Stravinsky – The Firebird Suite (1945 version)

Program is subject to change
Children under 1.2m in height are not admitted

About the Concert

The BBC Symphony Orchestra returns to Shanghai with a program that moves across eras and cultures, linking contemporary British music with Romantic and early modern masterpieces. Under the direction of Chief Conductor Sakari Oramo and featuring French pianist Bertrand Chamayou, the concert opens with Judith Weir’s evocative The Welcome Arrival of Rain, followed by Saint-Saëns’ “Egyptian” Piano Concerto No. 5, Mendelssohn’s seascape-inspired The Hebrides Overture, and Stravinsky’s vivid Firebird Suite in its expanded 1945 version. Together, the works form a richly contrasted musical journey from atmospheric reflection to orchestral storytelling.

Conductor: Sakari Oramo

Sakari Oramo is an internationally acclaimed conductor known for combining structural clarity, authority, elegance, and emotional intensity. He has served as Chief Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra for twelve consecutive seasons, shaping its programming with a strong commitment to both contemporary works and classical repertoire. A regular presence at the BBC Proms, Oramo has led numerous world and national premieres and maintains an active international career with major orchestras across Europe and beyond, alongside an award-winning discography.

Piano: Bertrand Chamayou

Bertrand Chamayou is one of today’s most celebrated pianists, praised for his exceptional technical command, imagination, and refined musical expression. A leading interpreter of French repertoire, he is the only artist to have won France’s Victoires de la Musique award five times and has received international recognition for his recordings, including the 2019 Gramophone Recording of the Year for Saint-Saëns’ piano concertos. Chamayou performs widely with top orchestras worldwide and is also deeply engaged in contemporary music and chamber collaborations.

BBC Symphony Orchestra

Founded in 1930, the BBC Symphony Orchestra has been a central pillar of British musical life for nearly a century and plays a leading role in the BBC Proms, performing annually at both the opening and closing concerts. As a resident orchestra at London’s Barbican Centre, it is renowned for its broad repertoire, technical excellence, and strong commitment to contemporary music through commissions and premieres. The orchestra’s performances are widely broadcast on BBC platforms, extending its reach to audiences well beyond the concert hall.