Jean-Yves Thibaudet joins the RPO for a spectacular journey through music and the cosmos
- World premiere performance: 5 May 2025, Barbican Hall with pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Robert Ziegler, with London Voices, The City of London Choir, singer Tom Ball and the ALAN team musicians including Matthieu Eymard.
- Digital album release: 2 May, 2025 on Decca Classics.
London, UK – The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) presents the world premiere of Lim Cosmic Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra on 5 May, 2025 at the Barbican Hall, London. The concert programme also includes Gershwin’s I Got Rhythm Variations (arr. Schoenfeld and Rothman) and Holst’s The Planets.
At the intersection of science, technology, and the creative arts, Cosmic Rhapsody uses real-life scientific discoveries and events to show how innovation can address the environmental and societal challenges facing our planet, told through the power of music and animation.
Coinciding with the world premiere, Cosmic Rhapsody will be released digitally on Decca Classics on 2 May, 2025.
A Vision for the Future
Inspired by NASA’s triumphant return to space after a decade-long hiatus, aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, Cosmic Rhapsody follows humanity and artificial intelligence on a journey beyond Earth in search of vital resources to address our planet’s environmental and social challenges. The rhapsody inspires hope for a future where science, innovation, and human resilience come together to build a better world.
At its heart, Cosmic Rhapsody is about our collective search for solutions—both on Earth and beyond. It is a celebration of human resilience, scientific discovery, and the boundless potential of creativity.
An Extraordinary Musical Journey
Created by physician scientists and songwriters Susan Lim and Christina Teenz Tan, with music by the gifted Manu Martin, Cosmic Rhapsody blends orchestral writing with song and animation. A 42-minute orchestral rhapsody, the work unfolds over seven acts, featuring seventeen tracks interwoven with sweeping orchestral interludes, creating a dynamic and immersive listening experience.
A Stellar Collaboration
This ambitious project brings together some of the most respected artists in classical music and film:
- Jean-Yves Thibaudet, one of the world’s most celebrated pianists, brings his signature virtuosity to the solo part.
- Robert Ziegler, renowned for his work across orchestral, film, and contemporary music, conducts the RPO in this premiere.
- London Voices and City of London Choir provide the choral textures, alongside the voice of America’s Got Talent alumnus Tom Ball.
Part of the larger ALAN Trilogy, Cosmic Rhapsody builds on themes introduced in Lim Fantasy of Companionship for Piano and Orchestra, which was recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra and premiered in the UK with the RPO at Cadogan Hall on 5 July, 2023. The accompanying short film Fantasy of Companionship between Human and Inanimate won numerous accolades at global film festivals, including Best Score at the British Short Film Awards, 2021, and Best Family, Children Film at the Annual Cannes World Film Festival 2023.
Lim Cosmic Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra represents the second installment in this trilogy. The animated film began its festival circuit at the start of this year, and has already garnered several accolades, including Best Musical Film, Best Soundtrack, Best Voiceover, and Best Inspirational Film at the NY International Film Awards January 2025.
The third installment, Symphony of the Oceans, will be recorded at Abbey Road Studios in spring 2025, and will explore the devastating issue of space and other debris on our oceans.
The world premiere of Cosmic Rhapsody takes place on 5 May, 2025 at the Barbican Hall, London https://www.rpo.co.uk/whats-on/eventdetail/2509/86/holst-gershwin-and-martin
The album will be released digitally on Decca Classics on 2 May, 2025 https://jean-yvesthibaudet.lnk.to/CosmicRhapsody
The first single, Is Anybody Out There, is available 28 February, 2025 https://jean-yvesthibaudet.lnk.to/IsAnybodyOutThere