Guildhall Session Orchestra celebrates 50 years of Bohemian Rhapsody

Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?

Guildhall Session Orchestra, a collective of talented alumni from Guildhall School of Music & Drama, celebrates the 50th anniversary of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody with three special performances on Friday 28 November at Milton Court Concert Hall. 

Exactly 50 years to the day since the release of the album A Night at the Opera, and the eve of this iconic song reaching UK No. 1 in 1975, these concerts present a brand-new orchestral arrangement of the legendary song, alongside other much-loved Queen tracks in a night of reimagined classics.

The set list will include:

Bohemian Rhapsody 
Don't Stop Me Now
Somebody to Love
Love of My Life
We Are The Champions
Killer Queen
I Want to Break Free
Under Pressure
Another One Bites the Dust
Radio Ga Ga
Who Wants to Live Forever
Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Professor Mike Roberts, Director of Guildhall Session Orchestra, says: 

“Since its release in 1975 to a mixed critical reception, Bohemian Rhapsody has continued to captivate audiences, inspire analysis and redefine the boundaries of popular music. Freddie Mercury’s playful description of it as a ‘mock opera’ proved prophetic - the song has become one of the most iconic and enduring works of the century. Its craftsmanship and narrative brilliance have fascinated generations of listeners, and we’re thrilled to bring our own orchestral interpretation of this masterpiece to the stage on this very special anniversary.”

The 50-strong Guildhall Session Orchestra will be joined by guest vocalists and directed by Mike Roberts and Clare Wheeler. Founded in 2019, the Guildhall Session Orchestra has worked with artists such as Aoife O'Donovan, Joyce DiDonato, Corinne Baily Rae, Speakers Corner Quartet, Zbigniew Preisner, Adekunle Gold and Becky Hill, as well as headlining spectacular genre-blurring projects such as OrchestRAM: An Orchestral Journey Into Drum & Bass.

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50 Years of Bohemian Rhapsody is on sale now. Visit gsmd.ac.uk/events to book tickets