Turning tips into memories

Live autumn concerts, opera and chamber music

By Claudia Pritchard on 1/9/2020

World-class audiences perform to small audiences, Aurora move outdoors, and The Gruffalo gets a musical make-over

Violinist Alina Ibragimova plays at Fidelio Café, Clerkenwell

Fidelio Unbound: live music and dinner

As larger orchestras puzzle out a new way to perform live, this Clerkenwell venue has forged ahead with a series of live concerts featuring world-class artists. Listen up close to top players most nights of the week, and talk it over afterwards with dinner.

WHEN

Tues 1 Sept to Thurs 31 Dec

WHERE

Fidelio Orchestra Cafe
91-95 Clerkenwell Rd, Holborn , London, EC1R 5BX

The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment plays live at its home base, Kings Place

Kings Place, autumn concerts live

Live audiences and those at home can enjoy this autumn's classical concerts at Kings Place. Buy a ticket to be safely seated at the venue for an evening's music, or subscribe to a streaming of that performance. With the Orchestra of the Age of Englightenment (pictured), Aurora Orchestra, Brodsky Quartet and many other top-flight performers.

WHEN

07 Sep 2020 – 12 Dec 2020, regular events, for live audience and streamed, times vary

WHERE

Kings Place
90 York Way, London, N1 9AG

Live concert series, Wigmore Hall

World-class chamber music-making resumes in a series of concerts almost daily, with safely spaced live audience. Artists include baritone Christian Gerhaher, pianist Igor Levit, saxophonist Jess Gillam and soprano Elizabeth Llewellyn (pictured).

WHEN

13 Sep 2020 – 01 Nov 2020, 80 concerts, times vary. Streamed and on demand, with possible live audience when allowed

WHERE

Wigmore Hall
36 Wigmore Street, London, W1U 2BP

Hyeyoon Park is the soloist in Beethoven's Violin Concerto. Photo: Benjamin Ealovega

Bromley & Beckenham International Music Festival

Benjamin Grosvenor, Hyeyoon Park (pictured) and friends stage a weekend of top-class music live close to home. Each one-hour concert has a live audience, safely spaced and helps fund both live music and local health projects.

WHEN

17 Sep 2020 – 20 Sep 2020, Four one-hour concerts, times vary

WHERE

St Peter and St Paul's Church, Bromley
Church Road, Bromley , BR2 0EG

In Fidelio, prisoners marvel as they venture into the light. Photo: Johan Persson

Fidelio semi-staged, Garsington Opera

A heroic rescue is at the heart of Beethoven's only opera, Fidelio. And at Garsington Opera another heroic rescue has ensured that, while this year's season was cancelled, live and semi-staged performances of Fidelio will take place in September. Returns only for now, but it's worth joining the waiting list, and listening to the BBC Radio 3 broadcast, Sat 26 Sept, 6:30PM.

WHEN

12 Sept 2020 – 20 Sept 2020, Performances on 12, 14, 18 and 20 Sept

WHERE

Garsington Opera
Wormsley Estate , Stokenchurch, HP14 3YG

English National Opera: Drive and Live

Drive-in opera comes to London with English National Opera's return to live performance, at Alexandra Palace. A shortened version of Puccini's La Bohème, the Paris-based story of a doomed love affair, stars many of today's favourite singers, including, in the role of Mimì, sopranos Natalya Romaniw (pictured) and Nardus Williams.

WHEN

19 Sep 2020 – 27 Sep 2020, performance dates and times to be confirmed

WHERE

Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace Way, London, N22 7AY

Glyndebourne's autumn dates include a comic opera and Mozart. Photo: James Bellorini

Glyndebourne live, autumn dates

After the huge success of staging opera in the gardens at Glyndebourne this summer, the opera house announces a return to indoor performances, from 10 October. Full details on 7 Sept, but audiences can expect more performances of the summer hit, In The Market for Love, a shortened Magic Flute, and Christmas music.

WHEN

From 10 October

WHERE

Glyndebourne
Lewes, East Sussex, BN8 5UU

The Snowman is screened with live orchestral music on 21 Dec at Cadogan Hall. Artwork: Snowman Enterprises Ltd

Cadogan Hall live: music for an audience of 300

With its generous stalls area and spacious balconies, Cadogan Hall off Sloane Square is well equipped to welcome a live audience once more. Its new autumn programme features classical musical, family events and jazz. We won't miss The Snowman with live music and a musical version of The Gruffalo, on 21 Dec.

WHEN

30 Sep 2020 – 31 Dec 2020, regular events, times vary

WHERE

Cadogan Hall
5 Sloane Terrace, London , SW1X 9DQ

Charles Owen and Katya Apekisheva founded and appear in the London Piano Festival. Photo: Sim Canetty-Clarke

London Piano Festival 2020, Kings Place

The London Piano Festival celebrates its fifth year at Kings Place as it began – with the piano centre stage and a live audience at a gala event. Of course numbers are limited, so that the 100 ticket-holders can be safely spaced. But music-lovers can also enjoy events streamed.

WHEN

On 10 Oct 2020, Two concerts in one evening, with a reception midway

WHERE

Kings Place
90 York Way, London, N1 9AG

Simon Keenlyside leads the cast of A Feast in the Time of Plague

A Feast in the Time of Plague, Grange Park Opera live

A brand new opera, composed in six weeks, and with a distinguished pedigree and cast, is to be staged to a live, invited audience, the first new opera to be performed since lockdown. Starring Simon Keenlyside (pictured), as a sinister dinner guest.

WHEN

On 13 Sep 2020, Single performance live to an invited audience; later streamed free, to be viewed on demand

WHERE

Grange Park Opera
West Horsley Place, West Horsley,, Leatherhead, KT24 6AW