Simone Young conducts Gurrelieder
A spectacular romance
Arnold Schoenberg’s Gurrelieder is a musical tapestry of monumental scale, requiring an orchestra of 140 musicians and a chorus of 285. With musical forces of this size a live performance is likely to be a once in a lifetime experience.
Latecomers not being able to enter the Concert Hall until 60 minutes after the performance has commenced.
Duration
The concert will end at approximately 9:15pm.
Pre-Concert
Join us for the pre-concert talk, 45 minutes before the performances in the Northern Foyer, by John Nolan.
Concert Guide
Behind every great piece is a great story. Have a read through the concert guide to get all the details.
Performed in Sydney for the first time to celebrate Schoenberg’s 150th birthday, this huge work is the composer at his most romantic, a vast sound world for a beautifully crafted tale of love and loss.
Adapted from Danish legend, this masterpiece rivals any fantasy epic with its themes of passion, jealousy and the quest for love that transcends life.
As the story unfolds, Gurrelieder’s captivating, hypnotic melodies and vast choral music emerge in waves building to one of the most beautifully realised sunrises in all music.
In a musical landmark, Chief Conductor Simone Young leads the Sydney Symphony in this extraordinary work for the first time in the Orchestra’s history. An all-star cast includes celebrated tenor Simon O’Neill and the extraordinary German soprano Ricarda Merbeth making her long-awaited return to Sydney.
On a Sydney Opera House Concert Hall stage that will almost double in size, the Sydney Symphony will be joined by musicians from the Australian National Academy of Music and a massed choir.
It seems appropriate that the last great Romantic building of the 20th century will house this ravishing work of power, grace and beauty. An unmissable experience.
Program
SCHOENBERG Gurrelieder
Artists
SIMONE YOUNG conductor
SIMON O’NEILL Waldemar
RICARDA MERBETH Tove
DEBORAH HUMBLE Waldtaube
SAVA VEMIĆ Peasant
ANDREW GOODWIN Klaus-Narr
WARWICK FYFE
Speaker
MUSICIANS OF THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC (ANAM)
SYDNEY PHILHARMONIA CHOIRS
MELBOURNE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CHORUS
TASMANIAN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CHORUS
Presenting Partner
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