The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Ryan Wigglesworth with soprano Sophie Bevan, plays Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony with Russian works by Lyadov and Mussorgsky.
The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra are at Usher Hall on Sunday 8 November, with soprano Sophie Bevan joining them for an all-Russian programme. It's part of their 2026/27 season, which runs from September 2026 to May 2027 across Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow, led by Chief Conductor Ryan Wigglesworth in his fifth year with the orchestra.
The night opens with two pieces by Anatoly Lyadov: Baba Yaga and The Enchanted Lake, together about ten minutes of music. Lyadov was Prokofiev's teacher, and Wigglesworth kicks off the evening by telling the stories behind the works, so you'll have the background before the first note. After that comes Mussorgsky's Songs of Dance and Death, around twenty-two minutes of song for soprano and orchestra, with Sophie Bevan taking the lead. The second half is the main event: Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5, which runs for about forty-seven minutes. On the score of the Fifth, Tchaikovsky wrote 'with desire and passion', and that's the mood the whole evening builds towards.
It's a Russian-heavy bill, with Lyadov, Mussorgsky and Tchaikovsky sharing the stage. Bevan handles the vocal parts, and Wigglesworth conducts the whole thing. The concert sits within a wider season that's framed around 'Beethoven 200', a tribute to the composer marking the 200th anniversary of his death, and which also stages a rare revival of Harrison Birtwistle's 1994 opera The Second Mrs Kong.
Every week we pick 🏆 the 5 best 🏆 things to do in Edinburgh and send them to your inbox. Just one weekly email, no spam.
By submitting your email, you accept our Privacy Policy
Usher Hall is on Lothian Road, and it's been the main venue for the Edinburgh International Festival since 1947, well-regarded for its acoustics. The concert is on Sunday 8 November 2026.
