Professor Brian Cox’s team commissioned me to document Symphonic Horizons at the Royal Opera House in London, photographing both the performance itself and a series of backstage portraits during the final preparations before the show.

Presented with conductor Daniel Harding and the Britten Sinfonia, Symphonic Horizons brought together orchestral performance and scientific ideas in a production exploring humanity’s place within the universe.

My focus was on the contrast between the scale of the performance and the quieter moments immediately before it: photographing Professor Cox backstage as he prepared to go on stage, alongside documentary images of the concert itself. The resulting work combined character-led portraiture, backstage access and live performance photography within one of London’s most significant cultural venues.

Subject: Professor Brian Cox
Production: Symphonic Horizons
Venue: Royal Opera House, London
Orchestra: Britten Sinfonia
Conductor: Daniel Harding
Photographer: Drew Forsyth