Where the Royal Festival Hall is heading Newsnorman lebrecht January 29, 2026The latest from a dysfunctional concert venue:LONDON, UK – The Southbank Centre today announces the full line-up for the return of Multitudes, its multi-arts festival powered by orchestral music, running from 16–30 April 2026 as part of the centre’s 75th anniversary year. The multi-arts concert is a reimagining of the music which inspired Alexander McQueen’s most iconic fashion runways in a live orchestral setting…. BBC Concert Orchestra and visual artist Mat Collishaw bring to life an immersive interpretation of Franz Liszt’s apocalyptic Dante Symphony, inspired by Dante’s infamous vision of hell, in Inferno. Resident Artist Manchester Collective collaborates with queer dance-theatre company Thick & Tight and electronic music artist CHAINES (Cee Haines) for Papillons (30 Apr), centred on Kaija Saariaho’s delicate yet intense Sept Papillons for solo cello. It excites younger audiences and first time attenders, bringing them into an encounter with the full force of classical music via diverse artistic touchpoints.