London’s Purcell Room reopens, mostly for non-classical
NewsHere’s what we’re told by the sinking South Bank Centre:
The Purcell Room is set to transform into London’s destination for contemporary culture with brand new series, Purcell Sessions
Purcell Sessions is a year-long programme of over 100 events, featuring some of the UK’s most creatively adventurous and sought-after artists.
The series is to feature some of next year’s most talked about cultural moments, from audiovisual installations to exclusive album launches, as well as new collaborations, new commissions and cross-genre concepts. Initial line-up includes major names across contemporary culture, including FAUZIA, Coby Sey, Lyra Pramuk, Abyss X, Nabihah Iqbal and Libby Heaney and more.
Long-term artistic partners across contemporary and classical music will also feature, including the Philharmonia Orchestra, London Sinfonietta and Pekka Kuusisto.
Gillian Moore CBE, Director of Music and Performing Arts at the Southbank Centre, said: “The Southbank Centre brings artists and audiences together for unique cultural experiences and we can’t wait to take this one step further with Purcell Sessions, bringing its namesake’s legacy right up to date with some of today’s most daring creative talents. The legacy of the Purcell Room is woven deep into the fabric of this space, from the artists who’ve played to packed out audiences to the composers who’ve challenged with bold new work. As it reopens this September, Purcell Sessions will launch us into our next chapter, as this most intimate space becomes our nexus of creativity and innovation”.
For shame.
Out of all the 50 or so artist images on the Purcell Room’s concert programme, NL had to choose this one! I wonder why?
For shame, indeed.
When the Purcell Room is laid in earth, remember it. And forget its fate.
The name “Purcell Room” should tell what kind of music should be played there.
Moore has been in that post (or ones very much like it) for FAR too long.
Weren’t Southbank losing £25 million a year? As reported at the start of the pandemic. What’s going on with that?
What an awful albino monster… it makes me laugh but it is really awful.
What a disgusting comment. Do you have any knowledge at all of the persecution of people with albinism in some African countries?
Nat Cmiel, stage name Yeule, the London-based artist pictured, is from Singapore, and is not (as far as I know) albino.
Yeule’s work is rather haunting; the Purcell who wrote Dido’s lament might have approved, but not, I suspect, most SD patrons. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYky8WReM10
When they say “across contemporary and classical music”, I hope the Southbank do not mean to insinuate that “contemporary” and “classical” were two mutually exclusive categories (such a dichotomous characterisation has been found in all too much discourse on music). What happened to “contemporary classical music”? Or how about “classical music ancient and modern”? Or even “classical music across all eras” (thereby acknowledging that classical music is a living art form in which the “contemporary” is influenced by and builds upon a centuries-long tradition)?
“… mostly for non-classical”. Classical didn’t exist when Purcell lived – there was just music. Why can’t it be like that now?
Just listening on YT to one of the contemporary artists, Lyra Pramuk. Interesting stuff.
So there is something more ridiculous than David Hurwitz clutching his pearls at the barbarians at the gates, it’s Norman Lebrecht clutching his pearls at the barbarians at the gates.