From left to right: Michael Sheen, Melanie C /© Denis O’Regan, Neil Gaiman /©Andy Paradise, David Arnold/© Andy Paradise
The Royal Albert Hall has announced an all-star line-up for its 150th anniversary concert, A Circle of Sound – its first full-capacity event since March 2020, and a celebration of national reopening on 19 July.
The concert centres around a new commission by composer David Arnold (Bond, Sherlock), with ten movements reflecting the Hall’s 150 years, presented by all-star narrators and writers: Michael Sheen, Melanie C, Nicola Adams, Brian Cox, Neil Gaiman, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Helen Pankhurst, Jack Thorne, Joe Penhall, and LionHeart.
Lucy Noble, Artistic Director at the Royal Albert Hall said, “We can’t wait to reopen our doors after more than a year of restrictions, and what better way to mark the occasion than this spectacular concert, which will start our 150th anniversary celebrations with a bang. It’s been a thrill to work with David Arnold on this piece, and we’re so excited about all the incredible talent he’s drawn in to write, narrate, and take part in this story – which manages to reflect so much of the Hall’s unbelievable journey.
A culmination of years of work with local schools and community groups, the concert will feature the in-house Albert’s Orchestra alongside the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain, spoken word artist LionHeart, and local schools who took part in the composition process. Its movements reflect themes across the Hall’s varied history – including legendary music performance, activism, charity, sport, science, dance, remembrance, and the next 150 years.
Actors Michael Sheen and Sanjeev Bhaskar will each introduce movements, and Melanie C, who performed at the Hall with the Spice Girls and for Nelson Mandela, will present a movement dedicated to legendary popular music – which the Hall has seen decades of, from Hendrix and The Beatles to Lady Gaga and Kano.
Flyweight Nicola Adams, the first female boxer to fight at the Hall, will lead a sports section marking the many thousands of sporting events the Hall has seen, including being the home of British boxing for over 100 years.
A movement celebrating activism, including the role of more than 20 Suffragette rallies at their ‘Temple of Liberty’, will be introduced by Helen Pankhurst – great grand-daughter of Emmeline Pankhurst.
Prof Brian Cox also appears, introducing ‘We dare, we dream, we do’: a movement dedicated to scientific discovery, and the role the Central Hall of Arts and Sciences, as it was originally called, played in scientific demonstration and debate – from electric lighting, telegraphy, amplified sound and radio, to Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking, and nylon garments.
Notable British writers from the worlds of theatre, television and film will also contribute, with author Neil Gaiman (The Sandman, Good Omens), playwright and Mindhunter creator Joe Penhall, and scriptwriter Jack Thorne (The Aeronauts, Wonder), each writing prose to accompany sections of the piece.
The 150th anniversary concert marks the start of the Hall’s anniversary celebrations, which will now extend into 2023, with leading performers, commissions, and new talent. The Hall has been closed for the first time since the Blitz due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with over £50m in losses and £20m in debt.
Book your tickets now for the 150th Anniversary Concert: David Arnold’s A Circle of Sound
This event is supported by John Lyons Charity.
