Pappano and the LSO: a thrilling collision between heaven and hell

Vilde Frang, Sir Antonio Pappano and the London Symphony Orchestra

Sir Antonio Pappano conducts the London Symphony Orchestra

By Charlotte Gardner, 18 April 2026

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“a beautifully Romantic-leaning, long-drawn, floating dream world”

Reviewed at Barbican Hall, London on 16 April 2026

Holst I., Persephone

Korngold, Violin Concerto in D major, Op.35

Shostakovich, Symphony no. 5 in D minor, Op.47

Sir Antonio Pappano, Conductor

Vilde Frang, Violin

London Symphony Orchestra

Denis Kozhukhin: captivating storytelling with the London Symphony

Clare Varney, 1st May

At the Konzerthaus Dortmund, Sir Antonio Pappano and the LSO are joined by Russian pianist Denis Kozhukhin to plunge into the depths of despair in Bernstein’s melancholic The Age of Anxiety.

***11

A dream of a Gerontius from Pappano, the LSO and Chorus

Roy Westbrook, 21st April

Giving their 27th performance of the oratorio, the London Symphony Chorus excel as angelic angels and demonic demons.

****1

Han Kang’s The White Book takes on a compelling new life

Peter Quantrill, 5th March

At the Barbican, Laura Bowler's new work for Barbara Hannigan translates Han Kang's novel into a soundscape of icy stillness

****1

A curious evening from Noseda, Kopatchinskaja and the LSO

Mark Valencia, 26th February

Good, bad, but never ugly, a curious evening unfolds at the Barbican, inspired at times, ill-judged in places.

***11

Borodin steps into the symphonic limelight: Noseda and the LSO

Mark Pullinger, 15th February

Seong-Jin Cho continues his Artist Portrait series with the LSO by performing Chopin's poetic Second Piano Concerto.

****1

Rattle and the LSO sell a travel package to Hungary and Spain

Roy Westbrook, 18th January

Opening her LSO Artist Portrait series, Patricia Kopatchinskaja plays Béla Bartók’s Second Violin Concerto before Rattle and the LSO whisk the audience to Falla’s Andalusia.

****1

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Charlotte Gardner

Charlotte Gardner is a music critic and journalist regularly to be found in specialist music publications including Gramophone (where she specialises in strings and Baroque), The Strad and Classical Music magazine, and writing concert programme notes for organisations including the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Before turning to writing she spent eight years at the BBC, the final years of which were in News, on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. She holds a Music MA from the University of Cambridge.

Pappano and the LSO deliver a thrilling collision between heaven and hell