WINTER AT SOUTHBANK CENTRE ANNOUNCE THEIR BUMPER CELEBRATION OF HOLIDAY SEASON EVENTS

From 8 November 2019 to 5 January 2020, Winter at Southbank Centre presents a holiday season packed with free events, Classical, Contemporary and Visual Art and Design events

FREE EVENTS

Caribbean Christmas with Just Vibez present a family-friendly party with traditional music and performances (QEH Foyer, 14 Dec). Drag Syndrome at Christmas sees the world’s first collective of drag kings and queens with Down’s syndrome return for the festive season with lip syncing, dancing and cabaret (QEH Foyer, 15 Dec). Opening Doors London and performance artist XNTHONY join forces at The Legends and Legacies Yuletide Special to celebrate London’s older LGBT+ community in a one-off festive variety show (QEH Foyer, 21 Dec).

Kids Countdown with Ida Barr is a daytime New Year celebration of sing-songs, dancing and Djing with ex-music hall singer turned hip-hop goddess Ida Barr (QEH Foyer, 31 Dec). Other musical treats include Gamelan Winter Chimes ringing in the festive season with beautiful music and dance from Java, Indonesia (QEH Foyer, 18 Dec) and Winter Choirs presenting 30-minute concerts from community choirs (QEH Foyer, 8 – 19 Dec).

For those looking to dance their way through the winter months, both seasoned experts and total beginners can join in the Five Go Jiving dancing extravaganza of jive, jazz, jump, dancing and humour (CBR, 24 Dec). Queer Tango London presents an afternoon of Argentinian tango lessons, social dancing and performances in collaboration with Tango on the Thames and Tango Terra (CBR, 26 Dec). Finally, New Year’s Day Ceilidh with Cut A Shine is a pavement-stomping barn dance and Ceilidh show for all ages (CBR, 1 Jan 2020).

A free Pop-up Cinema provide further entertainment under the showman tents of The Circus Bar featuring films for all the family from Toy Story and The Lion King to Beauty and the Beast and Frozen, all in the comfort of a warm fire and a selection of snacks and refreshments (11 Nov – 29 Dec).

CLASSICAL

Christmas with Alan Titchmarsh sees the household favourite present an evening of musical treats including ‘Silent Night’ and ‘Carol of the Bells’ with the London Philharmonic Choir and the London Concert Orchestra (RFH, 14 Dec). The Philharmonia Orchestra presents a number of special winter concerts including Swan Lake conducted by Santtu-Matias Rouvali (RFH, 3 Nov), Handel’s choral masterpiece Messiah with 350 voices showcasing the power of massed choirs (RFH, 12 Dec), Grand Christmas Classics with The Bach Choir offering a seasonal selection of carols and classics (RFH, 15 Dec), and The Glory of Christmas brings the orchestra together with Trinity Boys Choir and Brighton Festival Chorus (RFH, 15 Dec).

Daytime classical events include the National Children’s Orchestras Winter Concert featuring the works of Mahler and Rimsky-Korsakov (QEH, 8 Dec) and irrepressible showman Jonathan Cohen leads the Christmas Carol Singalong as he’s joined by actress and singer Louise Dearman, the London Concert Chorus and the London Concert Orchestra for a fun-filled jamboree of carols and Christmas hits (RFH, 14 Dec).

CONTEMPORARY

Rufus & Martha Wainwright’s A Not So Silent Night pays tribute to their mother Kate McGarrigle and marks the 10th anniversary of her final show. The siblings return to Royal Festival Hall after their first tribute show to McGarrigle was staged here on 12 June 2010, as part of Richard Thompson’s Meltdown festival (RFH, 6 Dec).

Ian Shaw & Claire Martin’s Early Xmas Cracker promises a sparkling evening of seasonal classics from the jazz-singing duo, performing American standards, show tunes and new takes on the pop and soul canon (PUR, 8 Dec). Ida Barr hosts Organoke: The Alternative Carol Service, an organ-led Karaoke night filled with all the Christmas classics from Slade’s ‘Merry Christmas Everyone’ to ‘Fairytale of New York’ (QEH, 8 Dec). Kate Rusby at Christmas pairs the folk singer-songwriter with a brass quintet for a performance of festive Yorkshire songs and carols from her forthcoming Christmas album (RFH, 10 Dec).

VISUAL ART AND DESIGN

London is Love is a new photographic project celebrating London’s diverse and pioneering communities. With a particular focus on the boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark, photographic artist Liz Johnson Artur celebrates the ordinary, vibrant and subtle nuances of South London life – highlighting family, friendship, love and vulnerability in a striking new commission. The images are to be shown large-scale in a dynamic display across the windows of Royal Festival Hall and Queen Elizabeth Hall including rolling projections across the building facade (7 Nov 2019 – 7 Jan 2020).

Hayward Gallery’s blockbuster Bridget Riley exhibition continues throughout the Winter season. Spanning 70 years from early works to recent paintings, Bridget Riley is the artist’s third solo exhibition at Hayward having previously presented solo shows in 1971 and 1992 (HG, 23 Oct 2019 – 26 Jan 2020).