Over the August bank holiday weekend, Gaia was presented on the stage at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall. Programmed as part of the landmark 75th year celebrations, there were two specially curated evening concerts and a day for the public to have exclusive access to walk freely around the stage and experience Gaia with the soundtrack by Dan Jones.
Gaia x BBC Concert Orchestra: Sounds of the Earth, Friday 28 August 2026
Under the glow of Gaia, the BBC Concert Orchestra performed heavenly works for strings, from Vaughan Williams to Oscar-winning composer and cellist Hildur Guðnadóttir.
Gaia x Eric Whitacre: Eternity in an Hour, Saturday 29 August, 2026
Beneath Gaia, a spellbinding electro-choral concert created a meditative moment to sink into. Composed and conducted by the world-renowned, Grammy Award-winning Eric Whitacre, ‘Eternity in an Hour’ blended the beauty of the choral voices of the Eric Whitacre Singers with cello and electronics to become a spellbinding musical meditation.
Gaia is a stunning sculpture of the Earth that brings us face to face with the beauty and wonder of the planet.
By pairing it with classical music concerts that reflect Gaia’s themes, we invite you to contemplate life on our increasingly
fragile home and to explore new ways for us to experience classical music together.
–Mark Ball, Artistic Director, Southbank Centre