After Dark: Sol Gabetta

Sol Gabetta is playing Queen Elizabeth Hall on Saturday 29 May 2027, as part of the After Dark series at the Southbank Centre. It's a late-night classical concert, starting at 9pm, which puts it well past the usual time for a night at the symphony. The late start is the whole point of the After Dark slot, and it changes the feel of the evening when you're heading into the hall after dark rather than in the afternoon.

Gabetta is the main feature, but she's not playing solo. She'll be joined by an ensemble of cellists, so the night is built around a section of cellos rather than a single soloist. That's a lot of the same instrument on stage at once, which gives the cello's low, singing range a bit more weight and presence than you'd get from a standard chamber group. The Philharmonia Orchestra is the orchestra on hand for the night, providing the full orchestral backing to Gabetta and her fellow cellists.

If you're not already familiar with her, Sol Gabetta is an Argentine cellist who's spent much of her career working across Europe. She's known for her work with some of the biggest orchestras in the world, and this is one of those nights where she's the focus. The After Dark series is designed to bring classical music into a later, more club-like time slot, and having a full orchestra and a group of cellists on stage at 9pm fits that. It's a classical concert, but the timing shifts it away from the matinee or early-evening crowd.

So, it's Sol Gabetta and an ensemble of cellists with the Philharmonia Orchestra at Queen Elizabeth Hall, Saturday 29 May 2027, starting at 9pm.