Friday Night is Music Night hosts an enchanting exploration of the music of sleep, live from Alexandra Palace Theatre. To sleep, perchance to dream – and you don’t even have to close your eyes, as Friday Night is Music Night takes a long day’s journey into night.

Hopes, nightmares, deep relaxation and fantasies beyond the imagination: they’re all part of the cycle of sleep and tonight the BBC Concert Orchestra, conductor Edwin Outwater and Mishka Momen (a dream of a pianist) immerse you in a specially conceived sequence of music inspired by sleep.

Ambient lighting gets you in the mood and magical sounds by Ravel, Mussorgsky, Max Richter and Missy Mazzoli trace our nightly journey, from the moment the eyelids begin to droop, to the joy of sunrise and awakening. And then, like any dream, it’s gone. You might want to set your alarm clock for this one…

This evening has been co-created by BBC Open Music trainees from a range of backgrounds across the UK, with creative Director Ruth Mariner. Along the way, our mysterious Sleep Ushers will guide you through the hidden workings of the sleeping brain, revealing some of the extraordinary processes taking place while we’re blissfully unaware. 

Age recommendation 8+