Featuring

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Jaime Martín conductor
Lauren Fagan soprano
Margaret Plummer mezzo-soprano*
Stuart Skelton tenor
Sam Dale Johnson bass
MSO Chorus
Warren Trevelyan-Jones chorus director
Auslan Choir

Program

James MacMillan Concerto for Orchestra**
Beethoven Symphony No.9 Choral

**Commissioned by the London Symphony Orchestra with the support of the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.

About this performance

Join us for the grand finale of our Beethoven Festival – featuring some of Australia’s best opera singers, the MSO Chorus, and a brand new MSO commission – under the baton of Chief Conductor Jaime Martín.

• Known for his exceptional choral music, the title of Sir James MacMillan’s Concerto for Orchestra is something of an enigma, in that a concerto is conventionally written for a solo instrument and orchestra, rather than for orchestra and… orchestra. Join us in cracking the code of this newly commissioned work from one of the UK’s most sought-after composers.
• After eight symphonies, Beethoven took his Ninth to a whole new level by composing the biggest symphony in existence – a beast of a work depicting the triumphant union of all mankind. Almost entirely deaf by this point, this landmark feat for choir and orchestra is best known for its epic finale ­­of Ode to Joy. A star-studded line-up of soloists join the MSO and MSO Chorus for this rousing performance of the great choral symphony.

Duration: approx. 2 hours including interval

*Please note: Michaela Schuster is unable to perform as originally scheduled.