Gilbert and George: Sex, Money, Race, Religion is a unique audio-visual event which brings art, music and exclusive documentary footage together in an engrossing one-off concert at Southbank’s Royal Festival Hall on Sunday 5 October 2025.
While Gilbert and George are on record saying that they never listen to music, the programme will be completed with some of their favourite pieces, making it a vibrant hour of music, art and provocation.
In what is one of the opening concerts in the Orchestra’s 80th anniversary season, striking pictures of Gilbert and George’s iconic, provocative and phantasmagorical artworks will be projected on the Royal Festival Hall’s big screen. At the same time, the Philharmonia will perform a programme of symphonic pieces, some of which have been specially selected by the artists, that align with the themes of sex, money, race and religion – topics that have preoccupied the artists for half a century.
Sex is represented by the sensuous, ecstatic music Wagner wrote for his doomed lovers, Tristan and Isolde. The story of Sorcerer Dukas’s greedy apprentice illustrates the danger of our obsession with money. Duke Ellington addresses race in his symphonic fusion of work songs, spirituals and swing. And Bach, a devout Christian, and Xenakis, a committed atheist, both create intricate musical constructions inspired by their opposing approaches to religion.
Gilbert and George: Sex, Money, Race, Religion is preceded by an engaging talk as part of the free Philharmonia debates… series. ‘Music & Identity’ unpacks the themes of the concert and takes inspiration from Gilbert & George’s Hayward Gallery exhibition to ask how artists and audiences forge their own identities through music, and what effect that has on how we listen. Experts from the music world and beyond will bring their valuable insights to robust discussions with the audience.
Gilbert & George: Sex, Money, Race, Religion
Sunday 5 October, 7pm, Royal Festival Hall
From £12 + £3.50 booking fee
More info and tickets here
Philharmonia debates… Music & Identity
Sunday 5 October, 5.15pm, Royal Festival Hall
Free entry
More info and tickets here.
Gilbert and George
Gilbert and George are two gay men who are married and who work together as one artist. George, was born in Devon, England, and Gilbert, was born in the Dolomites, Italy. They met and began practising art together while studying sculpture at St. Martin’s School of Art, London, in 1967. Over the years, they have developed a wholly unique vision: full integration of their daily existence into their artistic philosophy.
All images supplied.
