Sir Simon Rattle conducts Ravel, Barber, Harrison, and Varèse — With Barbara Hannigan

Don't miss the extraordinary Barbara Hannigan on double duty in this tour de force at LSO St Luke's! To begin the evening, the superstar soprano and conductor sings and conducts Samuel Barber's Knoxville: Summer of 1915 alongside the world-renowned London Symphony Orchestra; this nostalgic, dreamlike setting of James Agee's homage to his childhood hometown, performed movingly by Hannigan, represents a moment of innocence before tragedy struck. Next, Maestro Sir Simon Rattle takes up the baton to conduct Lou Harrison's mysterious Song of Quetzacoatl, percussive and enigmatic, before the almost prophetic-sounding chords of Varèse's Offrandes offer a showcase for Hannigan's astonishing vocal agility. Finally, Ravel's beguiling Ma Mère l'Oye (Mother Goose) brings the concert to a serene and contemplative close.

Photo: Sir Simon Rattle © Oliver Helbig, Barbara Hannigan © Marco Borggreve