Nu Civilisation Orchestra will lead Aladdin Sane Live – reimagining David Bowie’s masterpiece Aladdin Sane on the album’s 50th anniversary year, as part ofThe Southbank Centre’s Aladdin Sane: 50 Years.

Coinciding with the release of the album fifty years ago, music artists will pay tribute to Aladdin Sane at the Royal Festival Hall on Friday 21 April. General release tickets go on sale on 1 March.

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Hosted by the Nu Civilisation Orchestra (NCO), Mercury Prize nominee Anna Calvi, Scissor Sisters’ Jake Shears, R&B singer Tawiah, Roxanne Tataei, who has collaborated with the likes of Nitin Sawhney and Shabaka Hutchings, and masked pop maverick Lynks will all perform Bowie’s album in full, which includes hits such as The Jean Genie, Drive in Saturday and Lady Grinning Soul.

Award-winning pianist, composer and musical director Peter Edwards will arrange and lead the diverse, innovative and shapeshifting orchestra, following Nu Civilisation Orchestra’s recent triumphant tours of 50 years of Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On, Joni Mitchell’s Hejira and Charles Mingus, as well as one-off concert Duke Ellington’s The Queen’s Suite, which was performed at Queen Elizabeth Hall, as part of Southbank Centre’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations last year.

Aladdin Sane: 50 Years will see a raft of events at The Southbank Centre celebrating the 50th anniversary of David Bowie’s iconic 1973 album, Aladdin Sane. Featuring a two-month long exhibition (6 April – 28 May) exploring the creation of the album’s iconic artwork, including the legendary lightning flash portrait by photographer Brian Duffy, as well as an amazing line-up of live music and talks inspired by the album. 

Gary Crosby OBE, Nu Civilisation Founder, Tomorrow’s Warriors Co-Founder and Artistic Director, said “We are incredibly honoured and thrilled to have Nu Civilisation Orchestra lead Aladdin Sane Live, for what is shaping up to be an exhilarating show, honouring Bowie’s rock n’ roll masterpiece. Nu Civilisation Orchestra are Tomorrow’s Warriors professional ensemble consisting of generations of diverse, Warrior musicians that have come through our free talent development programme. We are incredibly proud of NCO, going from strength to strength, playing on international stages and performing an exciting array of innovative repertoire.”