Laura van der Heijden returns to the Aldeburgh Festival
Following a brilliant debut with the London Symphony Orchestra on 14 June, cellist Laura van der Heijden returns to the Aldeburgh Festival tomorrow to perform Benjamin Britten’s ‘Cello Symphony’ with Britten Sinfonia under the direction of Gemma New.
With 2026 marking 50 years since the death of Britten, the performance at the very festival he founded is particularly fitting, taking place in the beautiful surroundings of Snape Maltings Concert Hall.
The programme places Britten’s masterwork alongside varied contemporary works, including Steve Stelios Adam’s ‘et døgn’, the UK premiere of Lisa Illean’s ‘Swellsong’, inspired by the medieval songs of Binchois with acclaimed recorder virtuoso Genevieve Lacey, and Brett Dean’s ‘Carlo’.
Ahead of the performance, Laura and Gemma will join audiences for a pre concert talk at 6.30pm in the Peter Pears Recital Room, offering insights into Britten’s remarkable work and the wider programme.
If you can’t make it to Snape, you can tune in live to BBC Radio 3’s ‘In Concert’ from 7.30pm, or listen afterwards on BBC Sounds.