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Marie Jacquot and Inmo Yang serve up super French fare at the BBC Proms

By Christopher Woodley, 28 August 2025

Marie Jacquot makes her BBC Proms debut with great performances of Bizet, Saint-Saëns and Augusta Holmès, while Inmo Yang dazzles in Sarasate.

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London

29 Aug 2025

Marie Jacquot serves up super French fare at the BBC Proms

By Christopher Woodley

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Seoul

Saint-Saëns illuminated: Măcelaru, Kantorow, and the Orchestre National de France in Seoul

By SangKwon Lee, 29 April 2025

A sumptuous exploration of Saint-Saëns at Lotte Concert Hall in a programme forming a cohesive tapestry woven from the composer’s fascination with colour, all traced back to a distinctly Parisian sensibility.

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Seoul

30 Apr 2025

Saint-Saëns illuminated by the Orchestre National de France in Seoul

By SangKwon Lee

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Manchester

Late passengers join the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra’s evocative French road trip

By Leighton Jones, 29 March 2025

In a concert taking in music of the Belle Époque and beyond, Dame Sarah Connolly joins the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra in a performance of Chausson’s Poème de l’amour de la mer.

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Manchester

31 Mar 2025

BBC Philharmonic Orchestra on an evocative French road trip

By Leighton Jones

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Sheffield

The Hallé in Sheffield: a neglected masterpiece takes centre stage

By Phil Parker, 15 November 2024

A rare outing for Lili Boulanger’s Du fond de l'abîme is the high point of Delyana Lazarova’s concert with the Hallé in Sheffield, with fine performances of Debussy and Saint-Saëns running it close.

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Sheffield

16 Nov 2024

The Hallé in Sheffield: a neglected masterpiece takes centre stage

By Phil Parker

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London

Indefatigable high spirits in Pappano’s LSO programme of Romantic giants

By Eleanor Knight, 15 September 2024

For the third concert in the series opening his LSO tenure, Antonio Pappano heads to classics from the Romantic repertoire, aided by Yuja Wang and Anna Lapwood.

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London

17 Sep 2024

Indefatigable high spirits in LSO programme of Romantic giants

By Eleanor Knight

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Sydney

French connections: Stéphane Denève and Olivier Latry join the Sydney Symphony

By David Larkin, 11 July 2024

In the run-up to Bastille Day, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra offers an entirely French programme under the baton of Stéphane Denève, with Olivier Latry as organ soloist.

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Sydney

13 Jul 2024

French connections: Sydney Symphony performs Saint-Saëns

By David Larkin

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Rome

Let’s dance! Kantorow's Tchaikovsky and Rhorer's Saint-Saëns enchant Rome

By Alissa Balocco, 08 June 2023

French pianist Alexandre Kantorow and conductor Jérémie Rhorer make successful debuts with the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia.

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Rome

10 Jun 2023

Let’s dance! Kantorow's Tchaikovsky enchants Rome

By Alissa Balocco

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Manchester

Anna Lapwood and Corinna Niemeyer pull out all the stops with the Hallé

By Leighton Jones, 30 April 2023

Conductor and organist prove their strong musical bond at Bridgewater Hall, peaking in Saint-Saëns’ Third Symphony.

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Manchester

30 Apr 2023

Lapwood and Niemeyer pull out all the stops with the Hallé

By Leighton Jones

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London

Championing Saint-Saëns with style: Emelyanychev, Isserlis and the OAE

By Mark Pullinger, 26 January 2023

The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment dip into the late Romantic period to make the case for more Saint-Saëns in this rip-roaring concert under Russian conductor Maxim Emelyanychev.

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London

27 Jan 2023

Championing Saint-Saëns with style: Emelyanychev, Isserlis and the OAE

By Mark Pullinger

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Manchester

Joyous Saint-Saëns crowns the Belgian National Orchestra's Manchester visit

By Rohan Shotton, 07 November 2022

Roberto González-Monjas conducts the Belgian National Orchestra, joined by Paul Lewis, in Manchester's Bridgewater Hall.

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Manchester

09 Nov 2022

Saint-Saëns crowns the Belgian National Orchestra's Manchester visit

By Rohan Shotton

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Kansas City

Princely playing from Benjamin Beilman in new violin concerto

By Hilary Stroh, 03 June 2022

Beilman plays the world premiere of Chris Rogerson’s Violin Concerto no. 1 “The Little Prince” with the Kansas City Symphony under Gemma New.

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Kansas City

05 Jun 2022

Princely playing from Benjamin Beilman in new violin concerto

By Hilary Stroh

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Zurich

The Zurich Tonhalle celebrates a major acquisition

By Sarah Batschelet, 23 September 2021

The Tonhalle Zurich recently welcomed a new organ to its recently-renovated concert hall.

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Zurich

24 Sep 2021

The Zurich Tonhalle celebrates a major acquisition

By Sarah Batschelet

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Birmingham

Kazuki Yamada and the CBSO open 2021 season with a triumphant mix of light and serious

By Simon Cummings, 16 September 2021

The CBSO’s newly-announced Chief Conductor delivers a jaw-dropping season opener featuring French and Russian music full of emotional contrasts.

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Birmingham

17 Sep 2021

Kazuki Yamada and the CBSO open their 2021 season triumphantly

By Simon Cummings

London

Echoes and pre-echoes: Sir Mark Elder and The Hallé with Benjamin Grosvenor at the Proms

By Alexander Hall, 07 September 2021

At the Proms the splendour of Saint-Saëns’ Organ Symphony provides a contrast to but also a parallel with Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto in a welcome visit by The Hallé and Sir Mark Elder with Benjamin Grosvenor.

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London

08 Sep 2021

Echoes and pre-echoes: Sir Mark Elder and The Hallé at the Proms

By Alexander Hall

Atlanta

The in-laws in Atlanta: Wagner and Liszt headline Villaume's program

By William E Ford, 05 March 2020

In Atlanta, guest conductor Emmanuel Villaume and pianist Andrew von Oeyen powerfully perform a Liszt concerto.

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Atlanta

06 Mar 2020

The in-laws in Atlanta: Wagner and Liszt headline Villaume's program

By William E Ford

London

Poetry and panache: Jean-Efflam Bavouzet excels in Ravel with the LPO

By Mark Pullinger, 14 February 2020

The French pianist's account of Ravel's G major concerto is the highlight of a nearly all-French programme under Emmanuel Krivine.

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London

15 Feb 2020

Poetry and panache: Bavouzet excels in Ravel with the LPO

By Mark Pullinger

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Edinburgh

A warm reunion: RSNO and Neeme Järvi spread French delight

By David Smythe, 01 November 2019

RSNO is reunited with Neeme Järvi, joined by Catriona Morison in a crowd-pleasing programme of Delibes, Bizet and Saint-Saëns.

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Edinburgh

03 Nov 2019

A warm reunion: RSNO and Neeme Järvi spread French delight

By David Smythe

Belfast

Electric buzz in Belfast: Daniele Rustioni takes his bow as Ulster Orchestra's Chief Conductor

By Leighton Jones, 27 September 2019

In his inaugural concert at the helm of the Ulster Orchestra, Rustioni starts the new season with vigour in a charged evening of musical excitement.

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Belfast

28 Sep 2019

Electric buzz in Belfast: Daniele Rustioni takes his bow

By Leighton Jones

Tokyo

Legendary Chung siblings give breathtaking Brahms in Tokyo

By Ju Hyuk Kim, 04 October 2018

Kyung Wha Chung exceeds her already-legendary reputation, assisted by her brother, Myung-whun Chung, and the Tokyo Philharmonic.

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Tokyo

05 Oct 2018

Legendary Chung siblings give breathtaking Brahms in Tokyo

By Ju Hyuk Kim

Birmingham

Boris Giltburg and the CBSO power through Prokofiev

By Robert Gainer, 18 April 2018

A triumphant night for the CBSO, Harish Shankar and Boris Giltburg, with the mighty Saint-Saëns’ “Organ Symphony” and an inspired performance of Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto no. 3.

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Birmingham

19 Apr 2018

Boris Giltburg and the CBSO power through Prokofiev

By Robert Gainer

Adelaide

Adelaide Symphony’s Master Series launches with Saint-Saëns

By Brian Angus, 06 April 2018

A marvellous Saint-Saëns “Organ Symphony” makes great use of the Adelaide Town Hall organ.

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Adelaide

09 Apr 2018

Adelaide Symphony’s Master Series launches with Saint-Saëns

By Brian Angus

London

Prom 43: Dutoit and the RPO pull out all the stops

By Alexander Hall, 17 August 2017

Just what the doctor ordered: a programme of Franco-Iberian musical delights to advance the cause of a Mediterranean lifestyle, with Charles Dutoit and the RPO in commanding form.

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London

18 Aug 2017

Prom 43: Dutoit and the RPO pull out all the stops

By Alexander Hall

London

Operatic drama in Saint-Saëns' “Organ Symphony " from Jean-Luc Tingaud and the RPO

By Dominic Lowe, 29 November 2016

Bruch’s Violin Concerto bo. 1 had a delicate soloist, but an outspoken orchestra, while Saint-Saëns’ “Organ Symphony” struck all the right notes.

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London

01 Dec 2016

Operatic drama in Saint-Saëns

By Dominic Lowe

London

Mixed performances from a mélange of French composers at the Festival Hall

By David Truslove, 23 October 2015

Last Friday evening’s well-planned concert mostly produced some fine playing from both the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Benjamin Grosvenor but had the occasional misfire.

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London

26 Oct 2015

A mélange of French composers from the LPO

By David Truslove

Milan

Discipline and power from the Sinfónica Juvenil de Caracas: El Sistema at La Scala

By James Imam, 27 August 2015

The Sinfónica Juvenil de Caracas tackled a brooding Romantic programme in a showcase of impressive power.

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Milan

30 Aug 2015

Discipline and power from the Sinfónica Juvenil de Caracas

By James Imam

Amsterdam

Saint-Saëns' Organ Symphony overshadows Federico Colli debut in Amsterdam

By David Pinedo, 12 July 2015

A performance by Leo van Doeselaar on the Concertgebouw’s Maarschalkerweerd Organ in Saint-Saëns’ Symphony no. overshadows all else in the Concertgebouw.

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Amsterdam

14 Jul 2015

Saint-Saëns' Organ Symphony overshadows Colli debut

By David Pinedo

Bristol

Miloš Karadaglić's Colston Hall debut with Brussels Philharmonic underwhelms

By Alexandra Hamilton-Ayres, 27 November 2014

Miloš Karadaglić plays his debut at Colston Hall with Brussels Philharmonic under Michel Tabachnik.

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Bristol

28 Nov 2014

Miloš Karadaglić's Colston Hall debut

By Alexandra Hamilton-Ayres

London

Franck and Saint-Säens eclipse Casella and Chopin at the Proms

By David Truslove, 08 August 2014

A lovingly crafted performance Franck’s Symphonic Variations glows under the advocacy of Benjamin Grosvenor while Gianandrea Noseda steers the BBCPO through a magnificent Saint-Säens’ Organ Symphony.

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London

11 Aug 2014

Franck and Saint-Säens eclipse Casella and Chopin at the Proms

By David Truslove

London

Masterly conducting of French repertoire by Charles Dutoit

By Julia Savage, 14 May 2014

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra's current season is dedicated to performances of works for which its conductor, Charles Dutoit, has received critical acclaim in interpreting. This all-French programme of three very different works by Ravel, Berlioz and Saint-Saens continued the season in style.

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London

19 May 2014

Masterly conducting of French repertoire by Charles Dutoit

By Julia Savage

London

Pulling out the stops in Poulenc and Saint-Saëns

By Mark Pullinger, 26 March 2014

Yannick Nézet-Séguin explores the London Philharmonic Orchestra’s palette in an intoxicating French programme, celebrating the restoration of the Royal Festival Hall’s organ.

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London

27 Mar 2014

Pulling out the stops in Poulenc and Saint-Saëns

By Mark Pullinger

Madrid

A European journey with the Orquesta Nacional de España and Miguel Harth-Bedoya

By Alberto Hernández Mateos, 17 January 2014

The Orquesta Nacional de España with violinist Veronika Eberle and organist Daniel Oyarzábal plays three nineteenth-century works: Berlioz's Roman Carnival overture, Dvořák’s Violin Concerto and Saint-Saëns' Organ Symphony.

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Madrid

19 Jan 2014

Orquesta Nacional de España and Miguel Harth-Bedoya

By Alberto Hernández Mateos

Paris

French music with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France

By Constance Clara Guibert, 08 November 2013

Last Friday, the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and its musical director Myung-Whun Chung offered a wonderful panorama of French music: Claude Debussy’s impressionism, Olivier Messiaen’s abstraction and Camille Saint-Saëns’ romanticism.

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Paris

12 Nov 2013

French music with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France

By Constance Clara Guibert

London

Prom 67: Introspection and exuberance from Järvi, Jansen and Orchestre de Paris

By Carla Finesilver, 01 September 2013

Tonight’s Orchestre de Paris Prom was very much a concert of two halves, in the first of which they got to show their sensitive, introspective side, reflecting on the nature of life and lamenting too-early death, then becoming considerably more extrovert in the second for some free-spirited buccaneering, and what the programme notes describe as “vivid, prolonged and grand noise”.

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London

02 Sep 2013

Prom 67: Introspection and exuberance from Järvi, Jansen and Orchestre de Paris

By Carla Finesilver

Cologne

WDR Symphonieorchester Köln takes a gamble on young talent, but Kazuki Yamada delivers

By Gavin Dixon, 06 July 2013

The WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln put its fate in the hands of the younger generation for this evening’s concert. Conductor Kazuki Yamada is only 34. The original violin soloist was to have been Lisa Batiashvili, but she pulled out and was replaced by the 22-year-old Serge Zimmermann.

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Cologne

08 Jul 2013

WDR Symphonieorchester Köln takes a gamble on young talent, but Kazuki Yamada delivers

By Gavin Dixon

Sydney

Dutoit conducts Saint-Saëns and Frank Martin with Sydney Symphony

By Oliver Brett, 07 June 2013

The title of the latest Sydney Symphony Orchestra concert was simply “Organ Symphony”, referring to the work which was to form the second half of the evening’s concert – Saint-Saëns’ “Organ Symphony” in C minor.

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Sydney

10 Jun 2013

Dutoit conducts Saint-Saëns and Frank Martin with Sydney Symphony

By Oliver Brett

Hong Kong

The king of instruments: David Atherton, David Drury and the Hong Kong Philharmonic

By Alan Yu, 12 January 2013

Former Hong Kong Philharmonic Music Director David Atherton returned to his hometown on Saturday to lead the orchestra in a concert entitled “The King of Instruments”, a reference to works on the programme involving the organ, an instrument rarely heard in the symphony hall.

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Hong Kong

14 Jan 2013

The king of instruments: David Atherton, David Drury and the Hong Kong Philharmonic

By Alan Yu

Los Angeles

LA Phil with Leonard Slatkin at the Hollywood Bowl

By Ted Ayala, 12 July 2012

It was a night that didn't augur well for those Hollywood Bowl patrons seeking the usual symphonic serenade under starlight. Los Angeles, on Thursday night, was seized by a sudden heat wave that was accompanied with stifling humidity more fitting for Manila or Saigon than the Hollywood Hills.

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Los Angeles

17 Jul 2012

LA Phil with Leonard Slatkin at the Hollywood Bowl

By Ted Ayala

Poole

Sun, Sand and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

By Brenden Guy, 27 May 2012

This past weekend offered a taste of the great British summer with temperatures soaring into the high 20s. And yet, despite the lure of an afternoon spent reclining on the sunny beaches of the South Coast, large crowds flocked to the Lighthouse in Poole to watch the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra perform in their annual Benevolent Fund Concert, led by Portuguese conductor Rui Pinheiro.

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Poole

30 May 2012

Sun, Sand and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

By Brenden Guy

London

Messiaen, Poulenc and Saint-Saëns - Dame Gillian Weir in St Paul's

By Andrew Benson-Wilson, 12 July 2011

This was the showpiece concert of this year’s City of London Festival and took place in the spectacular surroundings of St Paul’s Cathedral. Three key French composers were featured, concluding with well-known 3rd Symphony of Saint-Saëns. The first performance of this work was conducted by Saint-Saëns in London in 1886 in the long-since demolished St James’s Hall.

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London

13 Jul 2011

Messiaen, Poulenc and Saint-Saëns - Dame Gillian Weir in St Paul's

By Andrew Benson-Wilson