Violinist Janine Jansen showcases Britten’s soulful concerto before the LSO launches into Shostakovich’s scathing criticism of Stalin.
There’s a sparky energy and bittersweet lyricism to Britten’s 1939 Violin Concerto that nods to Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev. But this is also a deeply personal work that helped boost Britten’s international reputation.
Russian soprano Galina Vishnevskaya called Shostakovich’s blistering Symphony No 10 ‘a composer’s testament of misery, forever damning a tyrant.’ Premiered soon after Stalin’s death, the work blends solemnity and mocking sneers that are as powerful as anything the composer wrote.
One of today’s most expressive and technically impressive violinists, Janine Jansen has made Britten’s Concerto her own in recent years, while the LSO has a long and illustrious history with Shostakovich.
This performance will end at approximately 8.50pm, including a 20-minute interval (timings subject to change).
Produced by the London Symphony Orchestra.
Programme
Performers
Ticket prices
£6*
£12/£16*
Guaranteed entry to the concert – your seat will only be allocated on the day of the performance. You could be placed anywhere in the Hall, in seats worth at least £18. Book early for the best price – following an initial allocation Wildcards may rise in price from £12 to £16.
Online booking only. Tickets subject to availability, max 2 per person. Cannot guarantee that 2 tickets purchased at the same time will be seated next to each other.
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Top-Up Bookings
Customers who book multibuy tickets in the 2025/26 season will be able to retain their discounts for any later bookings for concerts in the same period.
Anyone booking just one main season concert will receive a 10% discount for any additional bookings they make within the 2025/26 season.
Higher discounts are available if enough qualifying concerts are booked at the same time.
Multibuy and Top-Up bookings exclude LSO Discovery Family Concerts.
£18
Aged 16–25? Join Young Barbican for free.
Subject to availability
Wheelchair spaces and free companion seats may now be booked online.
Please select the relevant preferences on the access registration page during your booking so we can provide you with the correct information and discounts.
Booking a wheelchair space: Select a seat displaying the wheelchair user icon and then select wheelchair user ticket type. The ticket will be priced at the lowest price for that event. If you need an essential companion, please select the click the E icon next to the wheelchair space you have selected.
Booking essential companion tickets: Please select at least two tickets and one of them will be automatically discounted to zero in the basket.
Booking British Sign Language or Captioned Seats: Select seats in the area appropriate to your needs.
Groups of 10 or more receive a 20% discount, or 30% for two or more concert bookings.
Contact the Box Office Groups Team at [email protected]
Booking fees
£4 booking fee per online/phone transaction.
No fee when tickets are booked in person.
Booking fees are per transaction and not per ticket. If your booking contains several events the highest booking fee will apply. The booking fee may be reduced on certain events. Members do not pay booking fees.
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Hall
Location
The Barbican Hall is located within the main Barbican building. Head to Level G and follow the signs to find your seating level.
Address
Barbican Centre
Silk Street, London
EC2Y 8DS
Public transport
The Barbican is widely accessible by bus, tube, train and by foot or bicycle. Plan your journey and find more route information in ‘Your Visit’ or book your car parking space in advance.
We’ve plenty of places for you to relax and replenish, from coffee and cake to wood-fired pizzas and full pre-theatre menus
Mobility
Spaces for wheelchair users in row U at the rear of the stalls (up to sixteen, depth of row 180cm) and the back row of the circle (four), both with fold-down companion seats. Some seats in row S of the stalls for people with very limited mobility.
Assistance dogs
Assistance dogs may be taken into the concert hall where there are a limited number of suitable seats in row G of the stalls. If you prefer, you may leave your dog with a member of the cloakroom staff during the performance.
Hearing facility
There is an induction loop in the concert hall. You can use this by adjusting your hearing aid to the ‘T’ setting.
Free large-print programmes
These are available for most of our concerts. Please contact [email protected] at least a week beforehand, to prebook a large-print programmme.
For more access information, please visit our Accessibility section.
