1986. It was the year of the Westland Affair, the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, the infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal at the World Cup in Mexico, the premiere of Harrison Birtwistle’s opera
The Mask of Orpheus… and in late June Wham! were at number 1 in the UK charts with The Edge of Heaven.
On 26 June, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment first stepped on to a stage.
40 years later we’re still doing it with that same Enlightenment spirit of discovery to unlock this remarkable period of music. Over the 2025 / 26 and 2026 / 27 seasons we will both rejoice in that legacy and look to the future.
Sunday 12 October, 7.00pm
Queen Elizabeth Hall SOLOMON
HANDEL
Solomon
Solomon is among the most human and spectacular of Handel’s oratorios. Nardus Williams is the versatile soprano soloist, valiantly singing three roles: Solomon’s Queen, the First Harlot and Nicaule, the Queen of Sheba.
Nardus Williams soprano
Helen Charlston mezzo-soprano
Hugo Hymas tenor
Florian Störtz bass-baritone
Choir of the Age of Enlightenment
John Butt conductor
Thursday 27 November, 7.00pm
Queen Elizabeth Hall
HAYDN: FROM ESTERHÁZA TO HANOVER SQUARE
JOSEPH HAYDN
Symphony No. 39
Sinfonia Concertante for oboe, bassoon, violin, cello & orchestra
Keyboard Concerto No. 11
Symphony No. 102
Sir András Schiff explores the thrilling contrasts of Haydn’s musical personality: from the electrifying ‘storm and stress’ era via an encounter with Hungarian folk music to the refinement of his London residencies.
Sir András Schiff fortepiano / director
Sunday 1 February, 7.00pm
Queen Elizabeth Hall
MOZART’S WORLD:
A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC
ARRIAGA
Overture in F minor
MOZART
Clarinet Concerto
MICHAEL HAYDN
Divertimento in G major
MOZART
Eine kleine Nachtmusik
Three composers whose lives are curiously entangled and linked by a date. Two of Mozart’s most enduringly popular orchestral pieces are framed by music from his friend Michael Haydn and the ‘Spanish Mozart’
Juan Arriaga, born 50 years to the day after Mozart.
Katherine Spencer clarinet
Kati Debretzeni violin / director
Sunday 8 February, 7.00pm
Queen Elizabeth Hall
IT SHALL CERTAINLY NOT BEND AND CRUSH ME COMPLETELY
BEETHOVEN
Symphony No. 4
Symphony No. 5
Adam Fischer conducts Beethoven’s defiant Fifth. Its finale is triumphantly reinforced by the appearance of trombones, piccolo and contrabassoon for the first time in a symphony. We begin with the joyous, playful Fourth Symphony that Berlioz once described as possessing a “celestial sweetness”.
Adam Fischer Conductor
Thursday 26 February, 7.00pm
Royal Festival Hall
MOZART’S WORLD: THE LAST SYMPHONIES
MOZART
Symphony No. 39
Symphony No. 40
Symphony No. 41 ‘Jupiter’
Through the summer of 1788 Mozart was consumed in a burst of inspiration. It produced the three remarkable symphonies that turned out to be his last. Rarely heard together, Robin Ticciati takes us inside Mozart’s bold, stormy and divine creations.
Robin Ticciati conductor
Sunday 29 March, 7.00pm
Queen Elizabeth Hall
ST JOHN PASSION
JS BACH
St John Passion
Johanna Soller makes her UK debut in Bach’s soulful St John Passion. The Artistic Director of the Munich Bach Choir has been praised for her unique combination of emotion, focused energy and intelligence.
Hilary Cronin soprano
Helen Charlston mezzo-soprano
Jonathan Hanley tenor
James Way Evangelist (tenor)
Peter Edge Christus (baritone)
Choir of the Age of Enlightenment
Johanna Soller conductor
Wednesday 27 May, 7.00pm
Royal Festival Hall
THE CREATION
JOSEPH HAYDN
Die Schӧpfung (The Creation)
A cosmic journey from the dark depths of the
Universe to gorgeous dawn in the Garden of Eden.
Václav Luks directs Haydn’s masterpiece inspired by the great oratorios of Handel.
Samantha Clarke soprano
Nick Pritchard tenor
Krešimir Stražanac bass-baritone
Choir of the Age of Enlightenment
Václav Luks conductor
Wednesday 3 June, 7.00pm
Queen Elizabeth Hall
LIFE OF THE SEA
On a popular chat show a great maritime explorer is interviewed about his life at sea and, most importantly, his new discovery: a hitherto unknown island in the middle of the Pacific. But this new land mass is not what our explorer thinks it is… it is, in fact, a garbage patch in the middle of the ocean.
Join our latest community musical adventure, as with the encouragement of the interviewer, the audience and our primary school friends, our explorer vows to return and clean up the ocean.
Wednesday 10 June, 7.00pm
Royal Festival Hall
SYMPHONIE
FANTASTIQUE
BERLIOZ
Harold in Italy
Symphonie fantastique
Sir Simon Rattle commands a cast of fantastical characters in a double bill of symphonies. Berlioz’s powerful, poetic music sets visions whirling of wandering poets, enchanting women, shepherds, an execution procession and witches.
Timothy Ridout viola
Sir Simon Rattle conductor
Wednesday 24 June, 7.00pm
Queen Elizabeth Hall
VIENNA 1897: BRAHMS’ LAST CONCERT
BRAHMS
Symphony No. 4
DVOŘÁK
Cello Concerto
JOSEPH HAYDN
Symphony No. 73 ‘La Chasse’
“Today you will hear a real piece!” So declared Brahms to his companion of Dvořák’s Cello Concerto before attending what we believe was his last concert, which also included his own Fourth Symphony. Two good friends of the OAE, Steven Isserlis and Maxim Emelyanychev, join us for the finale of our season in celebration of our 40th Anniversary.
Steven Isserlis cello
Maxim Emelyanychev conductor
An interactive concert for 2 – 5 year olds and their grown ups
Strike out on more adventures with tunes and rhythms from the Baroque and Classical eras. Bring your clapping hands and stamping feet as these upbeat
OAE Tots concerts give families the chance to share the stage with a cast of occasionally weird – and always wonderful – instruments.
Still a Radically Different Orchestra After
40 Years.
10.30am & 12.00 noon
Sunday 18 January 2026
Royal Festival Hall
Sailing Away 10.30am Tuesday 31 March Royal Festival Hall
In 1986 a group of musicians took a good look at that curious institution we call the orchestra, and decided to start again from scratch. They began by throwing out the rulebook. Put a single conductor in charge?
No way. Specialise in repertoire of a particular era?
Too restricting. Perfect a work and then move on?
Too lazy. The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment was born. Questioning. Challenging. Trailblazing.
We play music on instruments (or replicas) and use techniques from the time the music was written. This gets you closer to the experience audiences would have had at the time the music was written. There
are some quite radical differences between historic instruments and modern ones – for example, our strings are made of sheep gut rather than nylon and steel.
In 2020, we became the very first orchestra in the UK to take up residence in a school. Our embedded education partnership with Acland Burghley School in Camden means that we will share the next chapter of the OAE story from within the community. In the orchestra, the school finds revenue and diverse artistic opportunity that inspires across the curriculum. In the school, the orchestra finds a place to live, play and work. The residency leads to new creative adventures, such as the premiere of Breaking Bach (pictured below), a new contemporary dance work that brought together street dancers from Acland Burghley with international choreographer Kim Brandstrup and the OAE’s musicians, at the Edinburgh International Festival in August 2025.
Photo: Charlie Kirkpatrick
Our name refers to the common term for the explosion of science, philosophy and culture in Western Europe during the 1600s and 1700s, the Age of Enlightenment.
HOW TO BOOK
BOOK ONLINE AT OAE.CO.UK
We issue e-tickets and these are usually emailed from approximately one week before the concert. There are no booking or transaction fees when you book using our website.
DISCOUNTS AND SPECIAL OFFERS
Our Club OAE Season Tickets help you to explore the full range of concerts in our Southbank Centre 2025 / 26 season whilst enjoying up to 20% discount on your tickets.
CLUB OAE SEASON TICKETS
Autumn ticket: from £31.00 (10% off)
Spring ticket: from £98.00 (20% off) The Finale: from £44.25 (15% off)
Full season ticket: from £126 (20% off)
Groups of 10 people or more receive 20% discount on standard price tickets only. To enquire about making a booking please email boxoffice@oae.co.uk
Our 2025 / 26 season concerts are part of the Southbank Centre’s classical music multi-buy offer. For full details and to book using this offer please go to southbankcentre.co.uk/classicalmusic
A £2 restoration levy from the Southbank Centre is charged on all tickets.
Booking fees apply online (£3.50) and over the phone (£4). There are no booking fees for in-person bookings, Southbank Centre Members, Supporters Circles and Patrons.
We also have special offers for: Under 35s: 25% discount
Students: £9 any seat May exclude Premium and some pricing zones.
ON SALE DATES
Events in October and November are on sale now.
Events from February 2026 will go on sale on 28 October. All events are on sale now to Friends & Patrons of the OAE.
For more information, please visit oae.co.uk
FOLLOW US.
Explore the world of period music and our instruments with our musicians on our YouTube channel, catch up on the behind-the-scenes chat with our regular podcast Tea with Netty, and follow our latest content on our blog, website and social media channels.
STAY IN TOUCH.
Get all the latest news and content to your inbox by signing up for our newsletters, including lots of fun Club OAE bonuses. Sign up at oae.co.uk/club
BECOME A FRIEND OR PATRON.
Without the generosity of our Friends and Patrons the OAE would not exist.
By joining the OAE as a Friend or Patron, you position yourself at the very heart of what we do.
Please note that all discounts exclude Life of the Sea, are subject to availability, may be withdrawn without notice and cannot be used in conjunction with any other discount or special offer.
Information is correct at the time of printing. The OAE reserves the right to change artists and programmes. We do not offer refunds or exchanges unless an event is cancelled.
For any questions, please email boxoffice@oae.co.uk
It is no understatement to say that our supporters are the lifeblood of the Orchestra as well as helping our vital education work flourish. From just £50, you can join a like-minded community of people who care about bringing the music of the past into the present day.
Find out more at oae.co.uk/support-us or call our Development team on 020 8159 9317.
“It
was a bit Wild West in the best possible way. To do this you had to be very unusual… and that I found completely heaven.”
