Performances in this series:
Carnival: Family Edit. For ages 7–11, Southbank Centre
3:00 pm, Sat 3 May 2025
Carnival, Southbank Centre
7:00 pm, Sat 3 May 2025
Carnival, Snape Maltings
5:00 pm, Sun 11 May 2025
Carnival, Bury St Edmunds
7:45 pm, Fri 23 May 2025
Roll up, roll up to a bold new collaboration of music and movement created with physical theatre experts Frantic Assembly.
Distinguished audience members, friends: welcome to a world of sound and movement, of risk and endeavour, of mystery and beguilement. Meet Dr Frompou, a madcap scientist who’s dedicated his life to taming his Most Magnificent Orchestra.
In this brand-new orchestral theatre production of The Carnival of the Animals, Aurora musicians are pushed to their limits by collaborators Frantic Assembly (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time).
From the virtuosic flight of the flute to the demon speed of the pianists, from the floor-shaking footsteps of the double bass to the soft glides of the cello, the dazzling carnival parade is infused with movement, design, lighting and new text by Kate Wakeling.
But can you always believe your eyes? Specially commissioned for this production, Richard Ayres’ new work Dr Frompou’s Anatomical Study of an Orchestra tells the story of what happens after the carnival is over and the musicians begin to rebel…
An Aurora Orchestra/Southbank Centre co-production developed in collaboration with Frantic Assembly
Carnival is kindly supported by the Vaughan Williams Foundation.
Aurora’s performance at the Queen Elizabeth Hall is kindly supported by Cockayne – Grants for the Arts: a donor advised fund held at The London Community Foundation.


