Gustavo Dudamel and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela are currently in London for a significant residency, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the "El Sistema" music education program. The residency features a highly anticipated collaboration with Coldplay, which began on August 22, 2025, and runs through September 8, 2025, at Wembley Stadium.
Dudamel expressed his enthusiasm for the London engagement, which includes ten sold-out concerts as part of Coldplay's "Music of the Spheres World Tour." The orchestra is also scheduled to perform at the Royal Festival Hall on August 28, presenting works by Bernstein and Falla. Recording sessions are planned at Abbey Road Studios and the Roundhouse with various artists for an upcoming album.
The new album, titled "Odyssey," was released on August 22, 2025, and features compositions by Gonzalo Grau, Arturo Márquez, and Ricardo Lorenz, celebrating Latin American symphonic traditions. "Odisea," a concerto for Venezuelan Cuatro by Gonzalo Grau, is a prominent piece on the album, narrating a journey across Venezuela.
Coldplay's "Music of the Spheres World Tour" concludes with these London dates. The tour has visited 43 countries, engaging nearly 12 million people, grossing $1.38 billion, and selling 12.3 million tickets, making it the most-attended tour of all time by a band. The Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra, a product of "El Sistema," will showcase its high-energy performances, highlighting the enduring legacy of the program that has provided free music education to over 1.2 million children since its founding in 1975.
The orchestra's performances at the Royal Festival Hall will include Bernstein's "Overture, Candide," and Falla's "Nights in the Gardens of Spain" and "The Three-Cornered Hat, Suite No. 2," alongside Bernstein's "Symphonic Dances from West Side Story."