On 5 and 6 September 2025, Ally Pally became the stage for something truly unforgettable as Max Richter’s SLEEP celebrated its 10th anniversary with two rare overnight performances. Our Great Hall was transformed into a dreamscape of over 900 beds, glowing lamps and hushed anticipation — with one audience member describing being in the Hall as “like being on the moon.” For eight hours, Richter and his ensemble carried us through the night with music that many have called healing, moving and profoundly beautiful — a rare chance to experience a “holiday from reality” (Max Richter).
“I don’t know if it was the realisation I had, eventually, slept well and deeply, the community of sharing this undeniably weird moment with so many other people, or the power of the music itself, but those final 15 minutes were dizzyingly euphoric. The music brightens and blazes, mimicking a sunrise. As SLEEP drew to a close at 5.58am, before we were all sent home with a croissant and coffee, I was reminded that sleep is the most mundane yet miraculous of human experiences.” – The Times
Check out pictures of those beautiful nights:
