The Overture Shakespearian roared into existence a little after 6pm on Thursday 28th January 2016. The Southbank Sinfonia, having only come together a week before and comprised of eighteen different nationalities, brought St John’s Church thundering to life in an instant simultaneous movement of bows on string, breath into trumpets, flutes and fingertips on harps. The first notes were a harmonious collection of instruments, each complimenting each other gracefully.

2016 marks the 400th anniversary of the death of Shakespeare and the current festivities include these free Rush Hour concerts every Thursday evening all the way through to the summer. A perfect escape from the overcrowded trains and stuffy evening buses! With only one hour to enjoy the delights a live orchestra brings, it is a worthy one, if not only to listen to the echoes of tragedy that reminds one of Macbeth’s dark soliloquy, the subtle hints of Hamlet and his decent into doom, or even the feeling of suddenly being transported into the magical Midnight Summers Dream.

The most memorable performance of the evening came in form of Tania Passendji, with accompaniment coming from the Choir of St Clement Danes and conducted by Simon Over. Tania truly ignited the legacy of William Shakespeare with her violin, playing a piece reminiscent of the passionate romance of Romeo and Juliet and the unrequited love of Helena for Demetrius. St Johns Church provided the ambiance of a Shakespearean gothic setting, allowing the audience to indulge in the escapism the Southbank Sinfonia provided. It was a wonderfully magical evening inspired by the legacy of William Shakespeare.