With Pride Month just around the corner, London is gearing up for another incredible summer, jam-packed with fantastic events to commemorate every colour of the rainbow. One of the most unique events, that happens to be closing the capital’s Pride season is Classical Pride, an annual music festival celebrating queer identities in classical music.
From big scales like the London Symphony Orchestra and Nick Grimshaw to RuPaul’s Drag Race royalty, this five-day festival continues to bring unlikely worlds together. This exciting event follows the fabulous success of their inaugural festival last year, which was the first-ever Classical Pride in Europe.
One of the festival’s standout performances will be Classical Drag, an immersive show fusing classical music with the historically underground world of drag, as Kings and Queens take to the stage to showcase their musical talents with live instrumentals, as well as strutting their stuff with fierce flair on the catwalk.
RuPaul’s Drag Race stars Monét X Change, Thorgy Thor, and Vinegar Stokes will be a part of the spectacle, with some of the hottest UK talent also hitting the runway, including London drag legend Jonny Woo.
Witness renowned scores in a way that has never been seen before, from the likes of Carmen, La Boheme, Tosca and The Magic Flute. There will even be an enticing drag competition, a tribute to Philip Glass, and a Violin For Your Life extravaganza.
The evening will be accompanied by a live orchestra made up of exceptional LGBTQ+ talent, and conducted by the acclaimed Oliver Zeffman, who is the Founder & Artistic Director of Classical Pride.
Other notable happenings throughout the festival include a choral concert featuring the world premiere of new works by Isobel Waller-Bridge, a showcase of LGBTQ+ musicians from the London music colleges, as well as its star-studded finale with the London Symphony Orchestra, hosted by Nick Grimshaw.
Classical Pride is happening from Wednesday, July 3 until Sunday, July 7, taking over different venues and locations throughout the festival, specifically Soho’s Outerner (for Classical Drag) and the Barbican. For the full line-up of events and tickets, visit the festival’s website.