Royal Albert Hall

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Lore & Background

The Royal Albert Hall was the setting for a one-off show by Dua Lipa on 17 October 2024, which was recorded for a television special and a live album. The concert featured the Heritage Orchestra, a 53-piece ensemble conducted by Ben Foster, along with Lipa's seven-piece band and fourteen choristers. The special included solo performances and a duet with Elton John, who performed "Cold Heart" (2021) with Lipa. The show was part of the promotion for Lipa's third studio album *Radical Optimism* (2024), which was released on 3 May 2024. The hall's stage was transformed with an S-shaped catwalk, and the performance was later released as a live album titled *Dua Lipa Live from the Royal Albert Hall* on 6 December 2024 through Warner Records.

In Their Own Story

On 17 October 2024, Dua Lipa took the stage at the Royal Albert Hall in London, accompanied by the Heritage Orchestra conducted by Ben Foster. The show opened with a performance of "Houdini" (2023), with Lipa wearing a recreated Jean Paul Gaultier corseted cherry-red dress layered in crimson tulle. The special included interviews with Lipa, footage of rehearsals, and a reunion with her childhood music teacher named Ray. Lipa performed a duet with Elton John on "Cold Heart" (2021), and the show ended with a medley of "Dance the Night" (2023) and "Don't Start Now" (2019). The CBS version of the special included additional performances of "These Walls", "Love Again", and "Illusion", along with footage filmed in New York City.

Reader's Guide

The Royal Albert Hall concert was recorded for the television special *An Evening with Dua Lipa*, which aired on ITV1 on 8 December 2024 and on CBS and Paramount+ on 15 December 2024. The show featured a 53-piece orchestra, the Heritage Orchestra, conducted by Ben Foster, along with Lipa's seven-piece band and fourteen choristers. Lipa performed songs from her album *Radical Optimism* (2024), including "Houdini", "Maria", and "Anything for Love", as well as older hits like "Levitating" (2020) and "Don't Start Now" (2019). The special also included a duet with Elton John on "Cold Heart" (2021). The concert was released as a live album, *Dua Lipa Live from the Royal Albert Hall*, on 6 December 2024 through Warner Records. The album received a four-star review from AllMusic, with Neil Z. Yeung praising Lipa's vocals and the arrangement of the songs.

Did You Know?

• The Royal Albert Hall concert featured a 53-piece orchestra, the Heritage Orchestra, conducted by Ben Foster.
• Dua Lipa performed a duet with Elton John on "Cold Heart" (2021) during the special.
• The special was recorded on 17 October 2024 and aired on ITV1 on 8 December 2024.
• Lipa wore two custom outfits: a Jean Paul Gaultier corseted cherry-red dress and a Chanel gown with embroidered pearls.
• The CBS version of the special included additional performances of "These Walls", "Love Again", and "Illusion", with footage filmed in New York City.