Alex Jennings Joins the London Philharmonic Orchestra in Schoenberg's GURRELIEDER

Actor Alex Jennings will join the London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) for the opening night of its 2022/23 season on Saturday 24 September when they perform Schoenberg's Gurrelieder at the Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall.

Conducted by the LPO's Principal Conductor, Edward Gardner, Gurrelieder is a Game of Thrones-like musical saga of love, death and the supernatural. A performance of the work is considered a once-in-a-lifetime event due to the huge forces needed: an enlarged orchestra, two choirs, 5 solo singers and a speaker.

Jennings will perform a new English translation by Jeremy Sams of the sprechgesang; a section of the work spoken, rather than sung, to prescribed pitches and rhythms. With the work originally in German, Gardner thought it would be interesting to render this particular section of the work in English, so it hits the ear more directly.

Jennings' credits include playing Edward VIII in the first two series of The Crown, Alan Bennett in the film The Lady in the Van and has just finished a successful run of The Southbury Child at The Bridge Theatre. He will join a cast comprised of Lise Lindstrom as Tove, Karen Cargill as Wood-Dove, David Butt-Philip as Waldemar, Robert Murray as Klaus the Fool, James Creswell as Peasant, the London Philharmonic Choir and members of the London Symphony Chorus.

Gurrelieder is at the Royal Festival Hall on 24 September

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