Latest news with #MelbourneSymphonyOrchestra
Sydney Morning Herald
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Winter might be setting in, but there's still plenty to do
For those who love the great outdoors, winter can be a challenging time. Fortunately in Melbourne there are always plenty of options when it comes to the arts and culture. Scheherazade Hamer Hall, June 2 For a transcendental start to your week like no other, join the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra's 'quick fix at half six' on the first Monday of June – a 75-minute performance that kickstarts with excerpts and insights from the conductor before a work is performed in full. On this night in question, the conductor is Hong Kong-born, internationally renowned conductor Elim Chan and the work is Scheherazade, a symphonic suite composed by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov in 1888 and based on One Thousand and One Nights. First Voices Showcase Iwaki Auditorium, June 4 Celebrate the culmination of one of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra's most exciting artist development programs, the First Voices Composer program, at this showcase event. Hear the premiere of works by Jaadwa composer, producer and sound artist James Howard and Yorta Yorta, Wurundjeri and South Sea Islander multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Nathaniel Andrew, performed by musicians of the MSO, in an evening that celebrates the vital contribution of First Nations artists to the ongoing vitality of the orchestral sector. Noongar violinist, violist, composer and conductor Aaron Wyatt will conduct and present on the night. The Birds Malthouse, until June 7 Forever immortalised on film by master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock, Daphne du Maurier's chilling thriller The Birds has been adapted into a stage production at Malthouse Theatre. Directed by Malthouse's former artistic director Matthew Lutton and brought to life by playwright Louise Fox, the one-woman show stars Paula Arundell – one of Australia's most compelling stage actors – in an unforgettable tour de force. Armed with individual headsets, theatregoers are thrust into an adrenaline-fuelled soundscape of flying feathers and murderous swoops as relentless, supernatural birds attack a coastal town. Chinese Textile Donations from Tyon Gee Museum of Chinese Australian History, June 8 This one-of-a-kind event will unveil a beautiful capsule collection of Chinese garments donated by Tyon Gee, an early Chinese migrant who moved from Guangdong to Sydney in 1939 with her husband and two children. Her story and wardrobe reflect the resilience and cultural heritage of Chinese Australians in the 1930s, highlighting the tension at the time between tradition and assimilation and the preservation of cultural roots. It's a special opportunity to explore history through fabric, fashion, and migrant-led storytelling.
The Age
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
Winter might be setting in, but there's still plenty to do
For those who love the great outdoors, winter can be a challenging time. Fortunately in Melbourne there are always plenty of options when it comes to the arts and culture. Scheherazade Hamer Hall, June 2 For a transcendental start to your week like no other, join the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra's 'quick fix at half six' on the first Monday of June – a 75-minute performance that kickstarts with excerpts and insights from the conductor before a work is performed in full. On this night in question, the conductor is Hong Kong-born, internationally renowned conductor Elim Chan and the work is Scheherazade, a symphonic suite composed by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov in 1888 and based on One Thousand and One Nights. First Voices Showcase Iwaki Auditorium, June 4 Celebrate the culmination of one of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra's most exciting artist development programs, the First Voices Composer program, at this showcase event. Hear the premiere of works by Jaadwa composer, producer and sound artist James Howard and Yorta Yorta, Wurundjeri and South Sea Islander multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Nathaniel Andrew, performed by musicians of the MSO, in an evening that celebrates the vital contribution of First Nations artists to the ongoing vitality of the orchestral sector. Noongar violinist, violist, composer and conductor Aaron Wyatt will conduct and present on the night. The Birds Malthouse, until June 7 Forever immortalised on film by master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock, Daphne du Maurier's chilling thriller The Birds has been adapted into a stage production at Malthouse Theatre. Directed by Malthouse's former artistic director Matthew Lutton and brought to life by playwright Louise Fox, the one-woman show stars Paula Arundell – one of Australia's most compelling stage actors – in an unforgettable tour de force. Armed with individual headsets, theatregoers are thrust into an adrenaline-fuelled soundscape of flying feathers and murderous swoops as relentless, supernatural birds attack a coastal town. Chinese Textile Donations from Tyon Gee Museum of Chinese Australian History, June 8 This one-of-a-kind event will unveil a beautiful capsule collection of Chinese garments donated by Tyon Gee, an early Chinese migrant who moved from Guangdong to Sydney in 1939 with her husband and two children. Her story and wardrobe reflect the resilience and cultural heritage of Chinese Australians in the 1930s, highlighting the tension at the time between tradition and assimilation and the preservation of cultural roots. It's a special opportunity to explore history through fabric, fashion, and migrant-led storytelling.
ABC News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- ABC News
MSO: An Evening of Fairy Tales
Cruel witches, beautiful princesses and gallant princes abound in this overview of fairy tale favourites. The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra offers a curated collection of fairy tale excerpts from Humperdinck, Prokofiev and of course Tchaikovsky, led by young British conductor Alpesh Chauhan. Recorded live in concert at Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne, Narrm/Melbourne, on May 17, 2025 by ABC Classic. Producer Jennifer Mills. Engineer Alex Stinson. Program Engelbert Humperdinck: Prelude from Hansel and Gretel Sergei Prokofiev: Cinderella: At the Ball (Act II highlights) Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Dramatic highlights from Sleeping Beauty Artists Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Alpesh Chauhan (conductor) Find out more Read MSO programs here
The Age
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
Melbourne review wrap: Sigur Ros and the MSO; Paavali by Flinders Quartet;
MUSIC Sigur Rós x MSO ★★★★ Hamer Hall, May 19 The orchestra shuffles onto the stage and members take their seats. The concertmaster plays an A, and the rest of the group tunes. It's like any other Melbourne Symphony Orchestra recital, until five men walk onto the stage to join them, and the hall erupts in rapturous applause. Sigur Rós performs with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, May 19, 2025. Credit: Laura Manariti The strings swell in the opening passages of Blóðberg, and I can't help it: I'm immediately crying. This is the experience of seeing Sigur Rós live with an orchestra – over the two-plus-year tour, reports of audience members weeping have been common worldwide. It's not difficult to understand why – the group's sweeping, grandiose music, sung largely in Icelandic and the invented Hopelandic, is elevated in this setting, reaching what feels like an otherworldly plane. It might sound dramatic, but this is the kind of music that feels like it contains all the truths of the world. The core Sigur Rós trio is expanded with a touring member; the fifth man is British conductor and composer Robert Ames, who rearranged much of the music for this orchestral tour. Ames leads with palpable joy, and the four musicians are positioned in the middle of the orchestra, blending in with their concert blacks. The effect is that they all appear as one unit, rather than the orchestra being an addition. Indeed, in the purely instrumental sections, you'd be forgiven for forgetting this was not simply an orchestral concert. Loading Many of these new arrangements are string-heavy, but other details peep through: a muted trumpet in Starálfur adds texture, and a glockenspiel sprinkles a dash of whimsy and magic throughout the evening. Frontman Jónsi's signature bowed guitar, often harsh and discordant, provides a striking contrast to the orchestral beauty around it. Now 50, Jónsi's high, bell-like voice still sounds gorgeous, even when a rasp creeps in – the occasional cracking might make it all even more emotional. The immersive two-set show focuses on the band's slower, more cinematic tunes, which begin to blend and blur. The spirited kick of Sé Lest , featuring a circus-esque brass section, and the thundering percussion at the climax of Hoppípolla , give much-needed jolts of energy. It feels like a privilege to see this band's music performed in this setting, and it works so well that it's hard to imagine it was ever any other way. No words are spoken throughout, until the very end: 'Thank you,' Jónsi says. Takk to them, too. Reviewed by Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen
Sydney Morning Herald
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
There's a reason these concerts keep moving people to tears
The orchestra shuffles onto the stage and members take their seats. The concertmaster plays an A, and the rest of the group tunes. It's like any other Melbourne Symphony Orchestra recital, until five men walk onto the stage to join them, and the hall erupts in rapturous applause. The strings swell in the opening passages of Blóðberg, and I can't help it: I'm immediately crying. This is the experience of seeing Sigur Rós live with an orchestra – over the two-plus-year tour, reports of audience members weeping have been common worldwide. It's not difficult to understand why – the group's sweeping, grandiose music, sung largely in Icelandic and the invented Hopelandic, is elevated in this setting, reaching what feels like an otherworldly plane. It might sound dramatic, but this is the kind of music that feels like it contains all the truths of the world. The core Sigur Rós trio is expanded with a touring member; the fifth man is British conductor and composer Robert Ames, who rearranged much of the music for this orchestral tour. Ames leads with palpable joy, and the four musicians are positioned in the middle of the orchestra, blending in with their concert blacks. The effect is that they all appear as one unit, rather than the orchestra being an addition. Indeed, in the purely instrumental sections, you'd be forgiven for forgetting this was not simply an orchestral concert. Loading Many of these new arrangements are string-heavy, but other details peep through: a muted trumpet in Starálfur adds texture, and a glockenspiel sprinkles a dash of whimsy and magic throughout the evening. Frontman Jónsi's signature bowed guitar, often harsh and discordant, provides a striking contrast to the orchestral beauty around it. Now 50, Jónsi's high, bell-like voice still sounds gorgeous, even when a rasp creeps in – the occasional cracking might make it all even more emotional. The immersive two-set show focuses on the band's slower, more cinematic tunes, which begin to blend and blur. The spirited kick of Sé Lest, featuring a circus-esque brass section, and the thundering percussion at the climax of Hoppípolla, give much-needed jolts of energy. It feels like a privilege to see this band's music performed in this setting, and it works so well that it's hard to imagine it was ever any other way. No words are spoken throughout, until the very end: 'Thank you,' Jónsi says. Takk to them, too.
