Bedford: Beethoven’s Fifth with Delyana Lazarova

Programme

Our 2026/27 season at the Bedford Corn Exchange gets off to a dramatic start with three dazzling pieces in the canon.

Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is one of the most heartbreakingly famous love stories to have ever been written. And who could better compose equally, achingly beautiful music to the story than Tchaikovsky? From the melancholic opening to the outpouring of passion in the climactic melody, Tchaikovsky’s rip-roaring Fantasy Overture is musical drama at its best.  

At just 25 years old, international prize winner Lukas Sternath is already making a name for himself as an in-demand soloist across the globe. His vibrant virtuosity makes him the perfect soloist for Grieg’s Piano Concerto. From its opening timpani roll and crashing chords to its anthemic final moments, it’s brimful of passion and remains one of the most popular pieces in the orchestral repertoire. 

Closing the concert is Beethoven’s mighty Fifth Symphony. The electrifying opening of the piece is one of the most iconic and instantly recognisable moments in orchestral music, but there’s so much more to the piece than that stop-you-in-your-tracks opening. Whether you’ve heard a dozen different recordings, or never listened to it all the way through, it’s well worth experiencing it live.