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The most beautiful concert halls: reviewed by Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen

Which are the most beautiful concert halls in the world? We thought we’d ask our resident interior design expert to give a verdict on some of the most eye-catching venues from around the globe. Listen to his thoughts on each, below…

We asked Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen to talk us through his thoughts on the interiors of some of the world’s greatest concert halls:

Wigmore Hall, London

One of London’s most famous concert halls, Wigmore Hall, was completed in 1901 and designed by Thomas Edward Collcutt. It's famous for its warm acoustic – but what does Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen think of its decor? Listen below to find out…

Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles

The home of the LA Philharmonic, the Walt Disney Concert Hall is one of the most eye-catching perfoming venues. Here’s Laurence’s verdict on Frank Gehry’s iconic design, completed in 2003:

Romanian Athenaeum, Bucharest

This eye-catching 19th-century concert hall in Romania is one of the main venues for the city’s high-profile George Enescu Festival. But what does Laurence make of its red and gold interior? Find out in the clip below:

Royal Albert Hall, London

This is arguably the most famous concert hall in the UK. It was completed in 1871 and the architect was Francis Fowke – and, it turns out, there’s even some LLB-designed decor in the building. So, what does the man himself have to say about the venue’s aesthetic? Find out here:

Philharmonie de Paris

The French capital’s brand-new concert hall has only just opened its doors, much later than planned and way over budget. But never mind that – what does our presenter think of the look of the thing? Listen to the clip:

Teatro alla Scala, Milan

This opera house, completed in 1778, has seen the premieres of operas including Puccini's Madama Butterfly, Bellini's Norma and Verdi's Otello. It is the grande dame of concert halls – and it sounds like Laurence has a soft spot for this opera house…

Berlin Philharmonic Hall

Acoustically, this is one of the most respected concert halls in the world. It was built in 1963 by Hans Scharoun – but we're not here to talk about acoustics – we want to hear our interior design expert's thoughts on the look of the place. Well, Laurence?