BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by Carlos Miguel Prieto, plays Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue with Ethan Loch on piano, plus Gabriela Ortiz's TZAM and Falla's The Three-Cornered Hat.
The BBC National Orchestra of Wales are at Brangwyn Hall on Friday 16 April, with Carlos Miguel Prieto conducting. It's part of the BBC NOW 2026-27 season, and the programme is built around dialogue, city energy and sun-drenched dance.
The night opens with TZAM by Gabriela Ortiz. The title means 'dialogue' in Ayapaneco, an endangered language, and the piece is a reflection on human connection, memory and shared space, dedicated to the late composer Mario Lavista. It's the kind of work that invites you to become part of a deep and reflective musical conversation, and it sets a thoughtful tone for the rest of the evening.
From there, the energy shifts. Ethan Loch takes on George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue (the Grofé orchestration), a piece born from the rhythms of the American city and famously conceived on a train journey. It's the big, recognisable name of the night, and it sits right in the middle of the bill. After the interval, the evening closes with Manuel de Falla's full ballet The Three-Cornered Hat, which brings in brilliant Spanish colour, blending folk rhythms with luminous orchestration.
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Between the three, there's a wide stretch to cover: Ortiz's reflective dialogue, Gershwin's city energy, and Falla's Spanish dance. The mezzo-soprano Silvia Tro Santafé is also on the programme, joining the orchestra and the soloists. The concert starts at 19:30 at Brangwyn Hall in Swansea.
