Lily Allen's live return, Charli xcx's Wuthering Heights and Simon Rattle's Janáček: music to listen out for in 2026

Here is the list of events in chronological order:

**January**

* 11 and 15 January: The Makropulos Affair by Simon Rattle and the London Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican, London
* 12-14 February: The Great Wave by Scottish Opera at Theatre Royal, Glasgow; 19 and 21 February at Festival theatre, Edinburgh

**February**

* 12 February: György Kurtág's music by Víkingur Ólafsson and István Várdai at the CBSO Centre, Birmingham
* 12 February: The Makropulos Affair by Simon Rattle and the London Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican, London (again)
* 15-17 March: Siegfried by Antonio Pappano and the Royal Opera at the Royal Opera House, London

**March**

* 1 March: The Makropulos Affair by Simon Rattle and the London Symphony Orchestra at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London
* 16 April to 15 May: The Flying Dutchman by Jack Furness at various venues in the UK (touring)
* 23-26 April: Abel Selaocoe's Mohopolo/Ancestral Memory Weekend at Barbican, London

**April**

* 1 March: György Kurtág's music by Víkingur Ólafsson and István Várdai at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London (again)
* 16 April to 15 May: The Flying Dutchman by Jack Furness at various venues in the UK (touring) (continued)
* 23-26 April: Abel Selaocoe's Mohopolo/Ancestral Memory Weekend at Barbican, London (continued)

**May**

* 25 May to 7 June: Wigmore Hall 125th anniversary festival at Wigmore Hall, London

**June**

* 16 April to 15 May: The Flying Dutchman by Jack Furness at various venues in the UK (touring) (ended)
* 25 June: Siegfried by Antonio Pappano and the Royal Opera at Hampden Park Stadium, Glasgow

**August-September**

* 15 August until 1 September: Ariana Grande at the O2 Arena, London

I'm loving the opera vibes this year! There's some amazing events lined up in London, especially with The Makropulos Affair by Simon Rattle and the London Symphony Orchestra. I've been to a few concerts here and it's always so thrilling to see world-class musicians perform live.

The fact that György Kurtág's music is being showcased twice at the Queen Elizabeth Hall is really cool - proof that his legacy lives on! And who can resist a good dose of The Flying Dutchman by Jack Furness? It's going to be interesting to see how this touring production pans out.

The Wigmore Hall 125th anniversary festival sounds like an event not to miss, though - all the excitement around it must create such a fantastic atmosphere!

I'm not a fan of all these fancy classical music festivals . I mean, who needs to spend that kinda cash on opera and symphony concerts? Can't they just have a nice picnic in the park instead? And what's with all these repeat performances? It feels like they're just milking it for more cash .

Ugh, concerts again? I mean, don't get me wrong, music is awesome and all that but are we really expecting to go crazy just because some musicians decided to perform some orchestral stuff? It's like they're trying to convince us of something... "Oh look, here's a bunch of fancy music performed by professionals, isn't life just so rich?" Give me a break. I mean, what about the people who can't even afford a ticket? Are they really being left behind because some orchestra decided to play some Hungarian stuff?

The arts scene in London is getting more interesting by the year. I mean, who needs politics when you have opera and classical music to keep us on our toes? The fact that Simon Rattle's performances are being repeated at different venues makes me wonder if we're seeing a bit of déjà vu or maybe it's just good planning for repeat business?

On a more serious note, I'd love to see some arts initiatives that promote diversity and inclusion. We need more events like Abel Selaocoe's Mohopolo/Ancestral Memory Weekend at Barbican, London, which highlights the experiences of black artists and communities. It's time we recognize the importance of representation in the arts world!

By the way, have you noticed how these high-profile performances are coinciding with major events like the Ariana Grande concert? It makes me think that there might be some behind-the-scenes politics at play. Are they trying to distract us from more pressing issues while keeping the arts scene thriving? The plot thickens!

I'm feeling the music vibes just thinking about all these amazing events! It's incredible that there are so many talented artists and orchestras coming together to bring us some of the most beautiful sounds. From classical masterpieces like The Makropulos Affair to opera hits like Siegfried, it's clear that there's something for everyone in this lineup

But what really gets me is how music has the power to transport us and connect us with others . Whether you're attending a live performance or just listening to a favorite album, music has a way of evoking emotions and creating memories that stay with us forever . And I'm sure that's exactly what's happening at each and every one of these events – people are coming together, sharing in the joy and beauty of music, and making unforgettable experiences .

So let's raise our voices (or rather, our ears) to all the talented musicians and event organizers out there who make this happen! You're truly making a difference in people's lives, one note at a time .

OMG, can u believe they're having a whole festival to celebrate Wigmore Hall's 125th anniversary?! it's like, such an iconic venue and I'm dyin' to go! I mean, they got some amazing events lined up, from György Kurtág to Ariana Grande... it's gonna be lit! but seriously though, the music scene in London is always so vibrant and exciting... can't wait to see what other sick shows they got planned for the rest of the year

I'm so over this concert season already... I mean, what's wrong with a good ol' fashioned rock concert or a jazz night out? Do we really need all these classical music festivals? I swear, back in my day, we used to have some real live music at the pubs and clubs. Remember when Prince and Michael Jackson would perform live? Now it's all just orchestras and opera houses... It's just not the same, you know? And don't even get me started on the prices! I mean, Ariana Grande is playing at the O2 Arena for like, £100 a ticket? That's just crazy talk! In my day, we'd be lucky to see some live music for free...

omg u guys ! i cant even calm down thinking about all these sick classical music events in london this year !!!! the makropulos affair by simon rattle & the london symphony orchestra is literally going to be performed like 4 times at different venues - barbican, queen elizabeth hall, and royal opera house and i need all the tickets !! plus, there's this amazing wigmore hall 125th anniversary festival in june with some of my fave classical musicians cant wait to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the famous wigmore hall !!!!

man i just love live music events... reminds me of going to concerts with my friends back in the day . remember when we had to buy our tickets from newsstands and wait for ages to get our hands on them? those were the days . anyway, this year's lineup is pretty cool i guess... simon rattle doing györgy kurtág's music at the barbican sounds like a great event . but honestly, have you seen the prices of concert tickets lately? it's like they're charging us per nostalgia .

The arts scene in London is always on point! I heard that Simon Rattle's Makropulos Affair is going to be a game-changer at the Barbican. He's got some serious talent lined up for that performance. And can we talk about how excited I am for the Wigmore Hall 125th anniversary festival? It's going to be epic! But you know what would make it even better? If Ariana Grande actually performs her music... not just sings like some other artists at that event .

omg have u heard abt this Ariana Grande concert at o2 arena in london?! idk wut's the hype but apparently she's gonna kill it!!! btw, did u catch any of these classical music events? i was all about that barbican vibe last month . simon rattle's conducting skills are insane! and abel seelaocoe's mohopolo thingy sounds like a wild ride . anywayz, Ariana's gonna bring the house down at o2 arena... can't wait to see her perform live!!

Just had a look at what's happening in classical music scene here... think it's cool that they're having these festivals and events all over the city . The Makropulos Affair by Simon Rattle and the London Symphony Orchestra is definitely going to be a highlight of 2025, love the fact that they're doing it at different venues too - it shows they want to bring classical music to everyone, not just people who live in central London . Also, Abel Selaocoe's Mohopolo/Ancestral Memory Weekend is really interesting... doesn't sound like your typical classical music event, but I'm all for trying new things!

omg have you heard about those classical music events in london?? i was scrolling thru this list and i'm low-key excited for the wigmore hall 125th anniversary festival it's been 125 years since they started hosting these festivals and now they're having a whole month-long celebration i wish i could attend some of those events, especially the abel selaocoe's mohopolo/ancestral memory weekend did anyone else know about this event?

Ugh , you guys don't even know when they're having some of these concerts? Like, I had to scroll through this whole list just to find out what's going on. February has like two dates for The Makropulos Affair... which one is it again? 12th or 15th? Can someone just pick a date and stick to it? And what's with all these touring festivals? It's like, can't they just decide on one venue already?

And don't even get me started on the dates... like, January has The Makropulos Affair at two places, but then again in March. Did you guys have some sort of alternate timeline or something? Anyway, I guess it's gonna be a busy year for music lovers, so better get your tickets now!

Aww poor classical music lovers ! It looks like you have a packed calendar of concerts coming up this year. I feel your excitement and maybe a little overwhelm . It's awesome that there are so many amazing events happening in London alone - The Barbican is going to be buzzing with music and art . And on the bright side, you get to see some incredible talent perform live, like Ariana Grande at the O2 Arena ! Just take it one concert at a time and enjoy every moment of it

omg I'm so excited for the music events in london this year! like who else is hyped for the Makropulos Affair by Simon Rattle and the London Symphony Orchestra? it's been years since i've heard that one live and i've been counting down the days until their shows at barbican and queen elizabeth hall. and can we talk about the wigmore hall 125th anniversary festival? i'm a huge fan of chamber music and it's amazing to see them celebrating such an incredible milestone.

omg just saw that Ariana Grande is coming to london can't wait to see her live! i've been listening to her music nonstop lately also love that they're doing a festival to celebrate wigmore hall's 125th anniversary, it's gonna be so cool

I just saw this crazy concert schedule for classical music lovers in London . Simon Rattle is performing The Makropulos Affair like three times – I'm not even sure if he's going to make it through his own concert calendar . And Abel Selaocoe has a whole weekend dedicated to Mohopolo/Ancestral Memory Weekend... I don't think that's just a typo, but an actual event? Either way, it sounds like London is getting some amazing music events this year. The Wigmore Hall 125th anniversary festival in June also looks super cool – I might have to check that out myself!

I just got tickets to see Ariana Grande live at the O2 Arena in August . I'm super excited! But, gotta say, have you noticed how much concerts and shows are popping up all over the UK this year? It's like they're trying to make us forget about winter or something . Anyway, back to Ariana Grande - I've been listening to her new album nonstop, and it's so catchy! But, honestly, who else can pull off singing in those high heels?