A septet of LSO musicians relive the Russian folk tale of a soldier who trades his fiddle for unparalleled economic gain in Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale. A theatrical work ‘to be read, played and danced,’ British stage and television actor Malcolm Sinclair narrates, leading audience members through the soldier’s regretful decision. A student of the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, Sinclair has performed widely, both in Britain and internationally, in theatrical roles that have included Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw. Across his cinematic career, Sinclair has acted in several blockbuster films, including the 2006 James Bond film Casino Royale, and V for Vendetta.

Performed in 2015 as part of the Barbican’s inaugural Sound Unbound festival, The Soldier’s Tale was recorded in the Jerwood Hall of LSO St Luke’s, a vibrant venue which is also home to the Orchestra’s community and music education programme. Directed by violinist Roman Simovic, the ensemble for this project featured veteran principal players from across the LSO, including bassoonist Rachel Gough, clarinetist Andrew Marriner, percussionist Neil Percy and trumpet player Philip Cobb.

‘Suitably Satanic violin whirls’ – The Guardian