It's Southbank Centre week on Classic FM. Here are 24 iconic photos from its star-studded history
All this coming week, Classic FM is celebrating the work of London’s Southbank Centre. Special shows include a live concert, archive recordings of the centre’s resident orchestras and a look ahead to upcoming music featured in the new season. To celebrate, here are 24 stunning images which trace the amazing history of Southbank Centre and some of the legendary artists who have performed there.
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1. Daniel Barenboim debuts aged 13
Ahead of his Royal Festival Hall debut in January 1956, the 13-year old Daniel Barenboim rehearsed a Mozart concerto. Photo:Getty
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2. Drinking on the terraces
Londoners enjoy a drink on the terraces of the Royal Festival Hall, May 2008. Photo: Getty
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3. The Royal Festival Hall under construction
The Royal Festival Hall was built for the centenary of the Great Exhibition, known as the Festival of Britain. This image from January 1951 shows the interior of the Royal Festival Hall nearing completion. Photo: Getty
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4. Festival Ballet dancers
Cast members of the Festival Ballet, captured mid-leap on London's Southbank, 31 May 1952. Photo: Getty
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5. The Waltons and the Oliviers arrive for a concert
Lady Susana Walton, Sir Lawrence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, and Sir William Walton arrive together at Royal Festival Hall for a performance conducted by Arturo Toscanini, 29 September 1952. Photo: Getty
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6. Construction work continues
Throughout the 1950s, construction work continued on London's Southbank, alongside the completed Royal Festival Hall. Photo: Getty
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7. Vienna comes to the Southbank
A queue snakes outside the Royal Festival Hall, waiting for the opening performance by the Vienna State Opera, June 1954. Photo: Getty Images
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8. Sir Adrian Boult in the audience
The great British conductor Sir Adrian Boult attended an operatic recital by Elisabeth Schwarzkopf at the Royal Festival Hall, January 1958. Photo: Getty
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9. World premiere of Vaughan Williams's 9th symphony
Ralph Vaughan Williams has a word in the ear of conductor Sir Malcolm Sargent at a rehearsal for the world premiere of the 9th Symphony at the Royal Festival Hall, April 1958. Photo: Getty Images
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10. The young Colin Davis
A bright young English conductor called Colin Davis conducted at the Royal Festival Hall, London, April 1960. Photo: Getty Images
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11. Arthur Rubinstein gets ready to go on stage
Polish-born pianist Arthur Rubinstein and his wife Nela get ready before a concert at the Royal Festival Hall, 9 October 1963. Photo: Getty
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12. Stravinsky on the podium
Igor Stravinsky conducted the Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall, London in September 1965. Photo: Getty
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13. Britten at the Royal Festival Hall
Benjamin Britten at the Royal Festival Hall holding the score of his cantata Voices For Today, performed in October 1965. Photo: Getty Images
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14. Jacqueline du Pré at Southbank
In 1968, the brilliant young cellist Jacqueline du Pré played a summer music festival in the Queen Elizabeth Hall and the Purcell Room at London's Southbank. Photo: Getty
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15. Leonard Bernstein about town
In 1970, conductor Leonard Bernstein gave a press conference at the Royal Festival Hall, London on the occasion of his visit to conduct the London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in Verdi's Requiem. Photo: Getty
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16. British debut of Mikhail Baryshnikov
On 23 July 1970, legendary dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov on his first visit to Britain, appeared in 'Coppelia' at the Royal Festival Hall with Alla Sizova. Photo: Getty Images
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17. Farewell to La Divina
Maria Callas gave her farewell concert at the Royal Festival Hall on 27 November 1973. She is pictured here with Italian tenor, Giuseppe di Stefano. Photo: Getty
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18. Pipe Smoking Championships
In January 1972, the Royal Festival Hall was the venue for the Pipe Smoking Championships. Photo: Getty
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19. Dan Flavin's fluorescent art at the Hayward Gallery
One of the most innovative figures in 20th century art, Dan Flavin used fluorescent light in his work. The retrospective exhibition at the Hayward in 2006 presented more than 50 light works from the 1960s to the 1990s.
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20. Fountains of pleasure
A young boy enjoys Jeppe Hein's 'Appearing Rooms' Fountain at Southbank Centre in June 2007. The piece marked the re-opening of Royal Festival Hall. Photo: Getty
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21. Invasion of the pterosaurs
Models of giant pterosaurs hang outside the Royal Festival Hall in June/July 2010 to mark a 10-day Festival of Science and Arts as part of the 350th Anniversary of the Royal Society. Photo: Getty
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22. Psycho buildings
Three men lie on top of an inflatable dome by the artist Thomas Saraceno at the Hayward Gallery in May 2008. The exhibition 'Psycho Buildings, Artists Take on Architecture' marked the Hayward Gallery's 40th anniversary. Photo: Getty
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23. Organ restored
Organ builder Chris Varley looks up at the Royal Festival Hall organ on 30 August 2013, newly unveiled following its restoration and re-installation at a cost of £2.3 million.
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24. Mourning Mandela
Floral tributes were laid at the sculpture of Nelson Mandela next to the Royal Festival Hall on 6 December 2013, following his death at the age of 95. Photo: Getty
