2500 people attended the new events.
Portsmouth’s Guildhall Square came to life over the weekend with two epic open-air concerts which culminated in a fireworks finale above one of the city’s most iconic landmarks.
On Friday night, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra performed an evening of the film music of the master, John Williams which featured a host of scores from big screen classics including Star Wars, Jurassic Park, JFK, Jaws, ET, Schindler’s List, Harry Potter and more.
The orchestra returned on Saturday night with a cast of West End singers to perform all the hits of ABBA including Waterloo, Mamma Mia, Gimme, Gimme, Gimme and Dancing Queen to name just a few.
Audiences for each concert attended with their chairs, picnics and dancing shoes to enjoy a glorious evening under the stars at the new events produced by The Guildhall Trust in partnership with Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, which were among the first ticketed events to be held in Guildhall Square.
CEO of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Dougie Scarfe OBE said, ““What an extraordinary feeling it was to share in this great celebration of live music-making, right in the heart of the city, last weekend. Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra was thrilled to present this new series in collaboration with our long-standing partners at The Guildhall Trust. Together, we’ll share even more over the coming months, from symphonic hits to festive favourites. Music has the power to unite all ages like nothing else: we can’t wait to share it with you again.”
Attendees to the outdoor concerts were also full of praise;
“It’s hard to pick a particular highlight as this was an amazing event! The orchestra were perfect (as always). The singers were top class and the fireworks display over the Guildhall at the end was the icing on the cake! Well done to everyone involved in this, it was spectacular.”
“It was my first time seeing a live orchestra and it was really great. Loved it!”
“Brilliant evening, fantastic music, great atmosphere. Loved it, thank you to all involved. Please bring more of these events to the city”
Following the success of the weekend, CEO of The Guildhall Trust Andy Grays said, “These concerts were very special! The team put in a lot of hard work over the last year to make these events happen, and we couldn’t be prouder of our achievement. To see Guildhall Square come to life with so many people coming together to enjoy the space will resonate for a long time to come, and we are already in talks about future events”
The 2025/26 season of Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra classical concerts to be performed inside the Guildhall are on sale now and include monumental symphonies, concertos and the beloved Last Night of the Christmas Proms.
For announcements about future outdoor concert events in Guildhall Square create an account and sign up for e-news or follow Portsmouth Guildhall on Facebook, Instagram and X.