Four Last Songs
Four Last Songs
We regret to announce that Lucy Crowe has had to withdraw from this performance due to seasonal illness. We are so grateful that the internationally-renowned soprano Elizabeth Llewellyn is stepping in to sing the same programme.
Wagner Overture to Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, WWV 96
Strauss Oboe Concerto in D major, TrV 292
Wagner Prelude to Act III from ‘Lohengrin’, WWV 75
Strauss Four Last Songs, TrV 296
Elizabeth Llewellyn soprano
Gordon Hunt oboe
Marios Papadopoulos conductor
In 1948, Richard Strauss sensed the end was nigh. Germany lay in ruins, its major opera houses destroyed by war. As his attempts to ignite a cultural rebirth in his homeland proved futile, Strauss turned to music. His final goodbye was a series of four iconic orchestral songs that, in the words of David Bowie, ‘ache with love for a life quietly fading.’ Elizabeth Llewellyn joins the Orchestra for a performance of Strauss’s profoundly moving musical epitaph alongside the Orchestra’s Solo Oboe Gordon Hunt performing Strauss’s tender Oboe Concerto written just a few years earlier.
The Sheldonian Theatre is a unique space to experience live music. To see an interactive map of the theatre click here.
27 Nov 2025
Tickets: £18, £30, £40, £54
(Students from £5)
Duration: 120 min
Venue: Sheldonian Theatre, Broad Street
(Students from £5)
Upcoming events
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Oxfordshire Junior Concerto Festival
07 Feb 2026 – 18:30
Prepare to be astounded by three exceptional young soloists as they join the Oxfordshire County Youth Orchestra to perform a concerto movement of their choice. The players will receive individual feedback from a panel of distinguished adjudicators.
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Piano Masterclass with Marios Papadopoulos
16 Feb 2026 – 11:00
Join Marios Papadopoulos, Founder and Music Director of the Oxford Philharmonic, as he shares his artistry and insight in a piano masterclass.
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Spanish Nights
26 Feb 2026 – 19:30
Guest conductor from Spain Antonio Méndez leads the orchestra with guitarist Plínio Fernandes for company.
Learn More
Oxfordshire Junior Concerto Festival
Feb 07 2026 – 18:30
Prepare to be astounded by three exceptional young soloists as they join the Oxfordshire County Youth Orchestra to perform a concerto movement of their choice. The players will receive individual feedback from a panel of distinguished adjud
Learn More
Piano Masterclass with Marios Papadopoulos
Feb 16 2026 – 11:00
Join Marios Papadopoulos, Founder and Music Director of the Oxford Philharmonic, as he shares his artistry and insight in a piano masterclass.
Learn More
Spanish Nights
Feb 26 2026 – 19:30
Guest conductor from Spain Antonio Méndez leads the orchestra with guitarist Plínio Fernandes for company.
Learn More