Lily Allen's live return, Charli xcx's Wuthering Heights and Simon Rattle's Janáček: music to listen out for in 2026

Here is the list of concerts and events mentioned in the text:

**Classical Music and Opera**

* The Makropulos Affair by Simon Rattle and the London Symphony Orchestra (12 & 15 January, Barbican, London)
* The Great Wave by Aurora Orchestra (12 & 14 February, Theatre Royal, Glasgow; 19 & 21 February, Festival theatre, Edinburgh)
* Siegfried by Royal Opera House (17 March - 6 April)
* The Rite by Heart by Aurora Orchestra (11 April, Snape Maltings, Aldeburgh; 16 April, Royal Festival Hall, London)
* The Flying Dutchman by Jack Furness and the Welsh Opera Company (touring from 16 April to 15 May, starting at Wales Millennium Centre)
* Angel's Bone by Du Yun (May dates TBC, Aviva Studios, Manchester)
* L'Orfeo by English National Opera (dates TBC)

**Wigmore Hall 125th Anniversary Festival**

* Two-week festival with a starry lineup of international performers (25 May - 7 June, Wigmore Hall, London)

**Other Events**

* Metallica (25 & 26 June, Glasgow Hampden Park)
* Ariana Grande (15 August to 1 September, O2 Arena, London)
* The Makropulos Affair by Simon Rattle and the London Symphony Orchestra (12 January, CBSO Centre, Birmingham; 1 March, Queen Elizabeth Hall, London)
* Kurtág at 100: various concerts and events celebrating the Hungarian composer György Kurtág across the UK
* Wigmore Hall's 125th anniversary festival

Note that some of these events have not yet announced their full schedules or dates.

so a lot of classical music stuff happening this year . but what really caught my attention is the whole Wigmore Hall 125th Anniversary Festival thing . two weeks of international performers, starry lineup... sounds like it's gonna be pricey . and then you got Metallica and Ariana Grande at the end of the summer . i mean, can't we just have one big music festival or something? but nope, seems like everything is super niche now . also, why two separate concerts for The Makropulos Affair by Simon Rattle and the London Symphony Orchestra . is that really necessary? need some sources on this before i start making up my mind

I'm loving all the classical music events lined up in London! Simon Rattle's The Makropulos Affair at the Barbican is going to be epic. And I've heard amazing things about Aurora Orchestra - they're doing a really cool production of The Great Wave that I need to check out. But what I'm most stoked about is the Wigmore Hall 125th Anniversary Festival, it's like they're celebrating not just music, but the power of art to bring people together . And can we talk about how exciting it is to see Metallica and Ariana Grande on the same bill as some of the best classical musicians? It's going to be a wild ride!

I don’t usually comment but I think it’s crazy how many iconic artists are coming to London this year . Like, Ariana Grande is gonna be at the O2 Arena and Metallica is playing Glasgow Hampden Park – that's like a dream come true for some fans . And Wigmore Hall is celebrating its 125th anniversary with an amazing lineup of international performers – I'm actually thinking of getting tickets to one of those classical music events, never been to the arts before but my friend keeps saying they're life-changing .

omg have u heard about the classical music festivals this year?? like there r so many sick events comin up! i personally cant wait for the wigmore hall 125th anniversary festival in may, its gonna be epic with a starry lineup of performers . and if u love opera, u gotta check out siegfried by the royal opera house in march - its gonna be so good!!

also, metallica is comin to glasgow hampden park in june which is defo on my bucket list . and ariana grande at the o2 arena in london? that sounds like a party ! btw, did u know that there r also concerts celebrating györgy kurtág's 100th birthday across the uk? that's so cool!!

so i'm trying to figure out what all these classical music events are about... seems like a lot of opera stuff gotta say, some of the names sound pretty fancy - who's György Kurtág and why should we care? also, why do they need two separate concerts of the same thing (The Makropulos Affair)? is that just to make money or something?

omg just saw the lineup for the wigmore hall's 125th anniv festival and i am SO hyped !! they got this amazing starry lineup of international performers coming through london in may and june... been listening to all the classical music stuff lately and cant wait to see simon rattle live on stage with london symphony orchestra lol i heard they gonna perform the makropulos affair and its supposed to be EPIC plus, they got metallica coming thru in june which is like, a total dream come true for me

Omg u guys! I'm so hyped for this year's classical music and opera scene in London! The Makropulos Affair by Simon Rattle & the London Symphony Orchestra is def a must-see , and I love that there's a whole festival around Wigmore Hall's 125th anniversary . Like, who doesn't love some classical vibes to kick off the new year? ‍ Also, can we talk about how excited I am for Metallica at Glasgow Hampden Park? It's gonna be a wild ride! And Ariana Grande is coming to London... I'm already planning my outfit #ClassicalMusicLover #WigmoreHall125th #MetallicaForever #ArianaGrandeUK

I'm so over all these classical music concerts , like who even cares about opera anymore? I mean, it's just a bunch of old people singing in fancy costumes... I bet the crowd is mostly made up of stuffy pensioners . And don't even get me started on Metallica - they're just a bunch of noise-makers , not exactly my cup of tea either. Ariana Grande is way overplayed too, can't we have some new artists for once?

Ugh, just saw that Ariana Grande is coming to London in August and all her fans will be flocking to the city, probably taking up most of the O2 Arena for days on end... can't even think about going there anymore. And don't even get me started on Metallica - who needs that much metal?

So there's this huge classical music festival coming up at Wigmore Hall and it's gonna be epic with all these big names... but what I'm thinking is, how are they gonna make sure everyone has a chance to experience the whole thing? With so many events happening over two weeks, it might get pretty chaotic. They should really think about offering some kind of ticket package deal that covers all the different concerts and festivals, you know, for people who want to see everything.

And I'm also wondering, what's up with the Metallica concert? Glasgow Hampden Park is no joke! That's a massive venue... but at the same time, it would be awesome to have some more smaller-scale events too. You know, just to mix things up a bit. And with Ariana Grande coming to London, I'm guessing that's gonna be super popular and crowded...

[Image of a clock ticking away, with a classical music sheet in the background]

The wait for music festivals is killing me... can't it just start now?! [GIF of a countdown timer exploding]

All that waiting and then BAM! These amazing concerts and events are finally announced . Can't wait to see what's in store at the Wigmore Hall 125th Anniversary Festival !

[Image of Ariana Grande's face with a shocked expression] OMG, Ariana Grande is coming to London? [GIF of people screaming]

Time to break out my dancing shoes and get ready for some serious musical inspiration !

just saw the list of classical music and opera events for the year... think its awesome how the wigmore hall is celebrating its 125th anniversary with a big festival. gonna miss metallica live tho but hopefully they come back to london soon. also thinking about getting tickets to the makropulos affair by simon rattle... love the london symphony orchestra

I'm so stoked to see all these epic music events happening in London this year! The Makropulos Affair with Simon Rattle and the London Symphony Orchestra is going to be SO beautiful, can't wait to experience it live . And Wigmore Hall's 125th anniversary festival sounds like an amazing celebration of classical music - they're going all out with a starry lineup . But let's not forget about our mental health and wellness, especially when we're surrounded by so much excitement and energy . Make sure to take breaks, stay hydrated, and prioritize self-care during these events - your body and mind will thank you

OMG , can't wait for the Wigmore Hall 125th Anniversary Festival ! Starry lineup of international performers? Yaaas, I'm so down to groove with them! Meanwhile, Ariana Grande's coming to London in August and I'm low-key freaking out ... Metallica at Hampden Park is gonna be EPIC . Anyone know if the Makropulos Affair is still going strong? Simon Rattle's conducting it, so that's gotta be good!

omg i'm so stoked for the upcoming classical music fest at wigmore hall! it's like, a huge deal that they're having this big anniversary celebration and i've heard amazing things about aurora orchestra - the rite by heart concert sounds especially lit can't wait to see simon rattles performance of the makropulos affair too! has anyone else checked out du yun's angel's bone yet?

omg u wont believe the concert lineup this year! i mean, Simon Rattle is back and he's bringing his A-game with The Makropulos Affair and I'm low-key dying for that Aurora Orchestra performance of The Great Wave... they're gonna make me cry in a good way, obvs but wait, Metallica is playing too? i mean, who doesn't love some good ol' fashioned metalhead action? and Ariana Grande is gonna rock the O2 Arena? that's like, two of my favorite things coming together in perfect harmony! anyway, it's gonna be a wild ride of classical music and concerts so i'm just ready to buy some tickets and enjoy the show

man I'm so hyped for the Wigmore Hall 125th Anniversary Festival it's gonna be epic with that starry lineup and two weeks of non-stop music goodness at one of the most iconic venues in London can't wait to see what they have planned for this special year

I gotta disagree with all these high-brow classical music stuff . I mean, who needs to spend hundreds of pounds on a ticket just to sit in the dark and listen to some old songs? Not me, that's for sure! Give me something with some energy, like a metal concert or an Ariana Grande show any day . And don't even get me started on all these anniversary festivals - what's so special about Wigmore Hall being 125 years old anyway? Just another excuse to break the bank and make some old rich people happy .

so its a bunch of classical music and opera stuff... seems like just another year of arts festivals and concerts . idk why we need to celebrate simon rattle's birthday with an extra concert lol 125th anniversary of wigmore hall, thats cool i guess but is it really gonna be that epic? dont get me wrong im a fan of classical music and all but its just so many events... how are they gonna make sure every performer gets the attention they deserve? also metallica in june seems like a pretty big deal tho