Royal Albert Hall in October: Classic FM Live and Aaron Tveit

With the Proms over for another year, the Royal Albert Hall settles into its autumn rhythm, and the first half of October brings two very different nights a short walk from Knightsbridge. One is a Broadway star's single London concert; the other is a big, bright orchestral evening built around space, complete with lights and fireworks.

Aaron Tveit, Tuesday 6 October

Aaron Tveit is one of the leading men of modern Broadway, with credits that include Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Next to Normal and Chess, alongside a screen career. On 6 October he plays a one-night-only concert at the Hall, a rare chance to hear him live in London.

Details and booking links are on the producers' event page, which directs to the Hall's own box office. With only one date, expect strong demand from musical theatre fans.

Classic FM Live: Out of This World, Monday 12 October

Classic FM's flagship concert returns with a cosmic theme. Dan Walker and Myleene Klass host, Stephen Bell conducts the Philharmonia Orchestra, and the soloists are bass-baritone Willard White, tenor Emmanuel Fonoti-Fuimaono and pianist Junyan Chen. The evening promises classical music with dazzling lights and fireworks inside the auditorium.

The programme highlights announced so far:

• Highlights from Holst's The Planets.
• Strauss's Also sprach Zarathustra, made famous by 2001: A Space Odyssey.
• The finale of Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 3.
• Dukas's The Sorcerer's Apprentice.
• The duet from Bizet's The Pearl Fishers.

Doors open at 6.45pm and the concert starts at 7.30pm. Full details are on Classic FM's event page, with tickets sold through the Royal Albert Hall.

Which to choose

For a first visit to the Hall, or for older children who already know a few famous tunes, Classic FM Live is the easier choice. It is a greatest-hits evening by design, and the space theme pairs neatly with a weekend visit to the Science Museum or the Natural History Museum next door. Aaron Tveit's night is for those who love the stage musical and want to hear a Broadway voice in one of the world's great rooms. Either way, the Hall's sheer scale and sense of occasion make even a familiar programme feel like an occasion, and October is a calmer month to visit than the height of the Proms season.

Before and after

The Hall's own bars and restaurants make pre-show dining simple, but Knightsbridge is close enough for an early dinner on Brompton Road or in South Kensington followed by a walk up Exhibition Road. After the show, the walk back towards Knightsbridge through the South Kensington side streets is a pleasant way to let the music settle, and usually quicker than waiting for a cab on a busy night.

Getting there

South Kensington station is the closest Underground stop, with a straightforward walk up Exhibition Road past the museums. Our Royal Albert Hall guide covers seating, dining and the building's history.

Lead image: Laurence Mackman via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.