John Adams at 80 – London Symphony Orchestra

About this event

This evening is a birthday celebration for John Adams, the American composer who gave Minimalism its driving, cinematic pulse. The London Symphony Orchestra plays four pieces that map his rhythmic world – from the brass-fuelled whirlwind of “Short Ride in a Fast Machine” to the shimmering string textures of “Shaker Loops” and the sly foxtrot “The Chairman Dances”, lifted from his opera Nixon in China. At the centre is the piano concerto “After the Fall”, written for the evening’s soloist, Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson. Ólafsson is known for his crystalline Bach readings as much as for championing new music, and the concerto bridges those loves: it nods to Baroque counterpoint while charging forward with Adams’ trademark motoric energy. You will sit in the golden warmth of the Alte Oper’s main hall, letting the orchestra wrap you in layers of rhythm and colour – a late‑night ride that feels both refined and exhilarating.