London Symphony Orchestra’s Timothy Jones to play at Mumbai’s Royal Opera House on Oct 31

Jones, principal horn of the London Symphony Orchestra, will perform solo, and alongside soprano Patricia Rozario and pianist Mark Troop

The city’s Royal Opera House is celebrating one year since its reopening with a rather unusual star on the stage — the French horn.

Timothy Jones with a French horn

In what will be the first concert of its kind in the city, Timothy Jones, principal horn of the London Symphony Orchestra, will perform solo, and alongside soprano Patricia Rozario and pianist Mark Troop.

Expect lilting sounds that build up gradually to evoke romance and heartbreak, the beauty of lovers together and the melancholy of unrequited love.

“In a time of largely synthesised music, the natural acoustic sound of the horn is a rare delight,” says Troop. “Its sound has a very creamy, smooth feel to it.”

Think the opening crawl of Star Wars, which was performed, incidentally, by the London Symphony Orchestra.

Jones is performing in Mumbai as part of a three-city tour that will also include Goa and Delhi.

“The horn is traditionally scored for its lyrical qualities,” Jones says.

Its use in Hollywood films has increased its popularity significantly. Jones has worked on a number of these as part of the London Symphony Orchestra, including films from the Star Wars, Harry Potter and Indiana Jones series, and ET. “It is becoming cool to have classical music in popular culture,” says Troop.

The Romance of the Horn will be performed on Tuesday, October 31, and will feature songs, arias and compositions in French, Italian, English and German, from the likes of Franz Schubert, Gaetano Donizetti and Franz Strauss to the songs of WH Auden, and Benjamin Britten’s ‘On this Island’. Tickets are available online.