Albert Roussel and Maurice Ravel paint vivid portraits of the animal kingdom, Benjamin Britten conjures up a savage parade, and Joseph Haydn takes a trip to London for his final symphony.

The Music

Roussel’s Le festin de L’araignée (The Spider’s Feast) weaves a delicate web of sound around a brutal tale of insect carnage. Ravel creates a magical language for an eccentric group of beasts in Histoires naturelles, including a narcissistic peacock and an anxious cricket.

In Britten’s sensuous Les illuminations, the soprano soloist holds the key to a magical world – a ‘savage parade’. Back in London, Haydn’s Symphony No 104 channels the hectic energy of the city, finishing with a riotous folk-like finale.

The Performers

The LSO is joined by the wonderful baritone Stéphane Degout, while the sensational Barbara Hannigan sings and conducts simultaneously in the Britten.