Sydney Philharmonia Choirs' Rachmaninoff's VESPERS

Choral Singing / Choral Music

Rachmaninoff's VESPERS presented by the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs

Date: Saturday 20 July 2024, 7pm 
Venue: Sydney Town Hall

Lie back on a yoga mat in the Sydney Town Hall and immerse yourself in the sumptuous and captivating beauty of Rachmaninoff’s favourite creation, his All-Night Vigil ( his 'Vespers'), with the soaring voices of Sydney Philharmonia Choirs' Symphony Chorus performing a cappella. Seating options include (supplied) yoga mats on the main floor and regular seats in the galleries and on the stage.

 

~ ~ ~ 

 

                                         An Immersive Experience 

 

The sun goes down, the devout gather, a worshipful vigil begins. The atmosphere is austere and contemplative in its simplicity. But the sound! The sound is rich and resonant with ancient chants and choral folksong – the voices of the choir uniting as a living, breathing instrument.

If you know Rachmaninoff – piano virtuoso and the last of the Romantics – you might be surprised to learn that his favourite creation was his All-Night Vigil. This magnificent work combines the sumptuous sonorities of the Russian Orthodox liturgical tradition with Rachmaninoff’s own irresistible Romantic style for a musical experience that’s literally heaven on earth. And in this rare Sydney performance, we’re inviting you to lie back and immerse yourself in this gorgeous music.

Performing a cappella, SPC Symphony Chorus will shine in music that soars heavenward, plunges into the rich bass registers, imitates bells, and reveals to rapturous effect what can be achieved with voices alone.

Join Sydney Philharmonia Choirs for a musical vigil to elevate your spirit.

Seating options for this concert include yoga mats on the main floor of the Sydney Town Hall. Regular seats in the galleries, around the perimeter of the floor and on the stage.   

Saturday 20 July at 7pm
Sydney Town Hall

PROGRAM

Sergei RACHMANINOFF All-Night Vigil

ARTISTS

Brett Weymark conductor

Hannah Fraser mezzo-soprano
Louis Hurley tenor
Symphony Chorus
Nicholas Russoniello saxophone
Sydney Philharmonia String Ensemble

Duration: This performance will run for 1 hour and 10 minutes. No interval.

Reviews: 

Rachmaninoff's Vespers. www.jwire.com.au. July 23, 2024 by Shirley Politzer. Accessed August 11, 2024.

Review: Rachmaninov’s All Night Vigil at the Sydney Town Hall. eastsidefm.org. By Neeson, July 21, 2024. Accessed August 11, 2024.

SYDNEY PHILHARMONIA CHOIRS: RACHMANINOFF’S VESPERS @ SYDNEY TOWN HALL. sydneyartsguide.com. By Paul Nolan. July 22, 2024. Accessed August 11, 2024.

Vespers. By Sergei Rachmaninoff. Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. Director Brett Weymark. Sydney Town Hall. Saturday 20th July, 2024. Stagewhispers.com.au.  Accessed August 11, 2024.

Image  Credit:

Rachmaninoff's VESPERS, Sydney Philharmonia Choirs.

Resources:

Rachmaninoff's VESPERS. Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. Accessed June 26, 2024  (Available at this time)

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs' 2023 Season Catalogue. 

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs Will Perform Rachmaninoff's VESPERS in July.  Broadway World.  By Stephi Wild Jun. 18, 2024. Accessed June 26, 2024.

A limited number of printed program books will be available for $10 each at the concert. 

Download your free digital program book: https://bit.ly/RachVespersProgram

BOOK TICKETS HERE

COVID-19 SAFETY AT SPC CONCERTS

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs regularly update their guidelines based on health directives from NSW Government & the Sydney Opera House. 

 

(c) June 26, 2024. Tel.  Inspired Pen Web.  All rights reserved.

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs' ChorusOz 2024 - The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace

Choral Singing / Choral Music

 

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs Presents

ChorusOz 2024 - THE ARMED MAN: A Mass for Peace

Sunday 9 June 2024, 5 P.M.
Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House 

(LIVE broadcast from ABC Classic!)    

“A hope for mankind.”
 

It's that time of the year in June when hundreds of passionate singers join the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs choristers for the annual ChorusOz weekend of singing, fun and friendship, finishing with a performance on the world-famous Sydney Opera House Concert Hall with a professional orchestra and soloists.

ChorusOz – Sydney Philharmonia Choirs' annual “big sing” – brings together a community of singers from across Australia and around the world for an inspiring weekend. And this time, ChorusOz returns with a complete performance of The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace.

 

Music & artistic director Brett Weymark has chosen The Armed Man: one of the most popular choral works of our time, with thousands of performances and decades in the classical charts. Its starting point is a mediæval earworm (L’Homme armé) but the themes are absolutely contemporary.

Inspired by the tragedy of the Kosovo War, Karl Jenkins combines sacred and secular texts. It’s exhilarating music to perform, with a parade of musical styles, thought-provoking texts and powerful emotions. Equally exhilarating are the choral hymns Finlandia and Jerusalem. And – for the first time the 16-year history of ChorusOz – Sydney Philharmonia Choirs commissioned a new Australian work especially for this event.

Whether you’re in the middle of the choir singing at full voice, or joining in the audience, find harmony singing for peace.

Sunday 9 June at 5pm
Sydney Opera House Concert Hall

This performance will run for 1 hour and 30 minutes. No interval.

PROGRAM

Karl JENKINS The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace
Jean SIBELIUS Finlandia with choral hymn finale
Hubert PARRY Jerusalem
(orchestral accompaniment by Edward Elgar)
Katie NOONAN & Andrew O’CONNOR An Instrument of Peace† (World premiere)

† Sydney Philharmonia Choirs commission

ARTISTS

Brett Weymark conductor
AVÉ (Australian Vocal Ensemble)
   Katie Noonan soprano
   Fiona Campbell mezzo-soprano
   Louis Hurley tenor
   Andrew O’Connor baritone
ChorusOz 2024
Sydney Philharmonia Orchestra

BOOK TICKETS HERE

DOWNLOAD FREE PROGRAM BOOK HERE

ChorusOz for singers takes place on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 June.Visit sydneyphilharmonia.com.au to sign up as a participant - no prior singing experience required.

 

Related Links:

Karl Jenkins: The Armed Man - Concert for Peace. Youtube, uploaded by CMajorEntertainment. Accessed June 1, 2022  

Karl Jenkins: The Armed Man - full concert. Youtube, uploaded by Oscar Fredriks Vocalis. Accessed June 1, 2022.  

The Armed Man - A Mass for Peace - Sir Karl Jenkins. Youtube. uploaded by Jerusalem Oratorio Choir. Accessed June 1, 2022.  

The Armed Man: Seeking Peace for 25 Years and Counting. Composer Sir Karl Jenkins speaks to Limelight about his most popular work and its evolving meaning over more than 3000 performances. Limelight. 5 June, 2024. Accessed same day. Quoted from Limelight:

"Sir Karl Jenkins' pride in the work is tempered by some mixed feelings.He says: “The original brief for the piece was to write something that was hopeful for peace,” he says. “That was back in 1998 and look where we are now. Nothing has changed. Peace is as far away as it ever was.”"

"For the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs concert, conductor Brett Weymark has paired Jenkins’ The Armed Man with two other choral hymns that chime with similar hopes for peace: Hubert Parry’s Jerusalem, Jean Sibelius's Finlandia and a newly commissioned work by Katie Noonan and Andrew O’Connor, An Instrument of Peace, which will premiere at ChorusOz this weekend.  “In planning this year’s program,” says Weymark, “I felt it timely to bring together music from different countries and different times to explore diverse voices on the themes of peace and hope and consider the questions generations of poets and composers have been trying to answer.”"

 

Photo Credit:

ChorusOz The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace. Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. 

Resources:

1. ChorusOz | The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace. Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. Accessed June 1, 2024. (Available at the time of access.) 
2. ChorusOz Online Program. 
3. Sydney Philharmonia Choirs 2024 Season Catalogue. Voice. Energy. JOY.
4. Sydney Philharmonia Choirs ChorusOz 2024, The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace. The Aussie Theatre Com. Accessed June 1, 2024.

 

COVID-19 SAFETY AT OUR CONCERTS

Up-to-date COVID guidelines will be available a few weeks before the concert. Please note that we regularly update our guidelines based on health advice available at the time.

 

(c) June 2024. Tel. Inspired Pen Web. All rights reserved.

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs - Duruflé’s Requiem (2024)

 Choral Singing / Chamber Music

 

Duruflé’s Requiem

 

Friday, 24 May at 7pm
St Philip’s Church, York Street, Wynyard

 

“Exquisite musicianship, exemplary precision and virtuosic control.”

Sydney Arts Guide, 2023

 

Duruflé Requiem, Op. 9, is a 1947 (revised 1961) setting of the Latin Requiem by the French composer Maurice Duruflé for a solo baritone, mezzo-soprano, mixed choir, and organ, or orchestra with organ. The thematic material is mostly taken from the Mass for the Dead in Gregorian chant. The Requiem was first published in 1948 by Durand in an organ version. 

Take a moment to step inside the neo-gothic sandstone church near Wynyard station – St Philip’s on York Street – and be transported to another world. Three short Renaissance religious works by Flemish composer Orlando di Lasso are the perfect entrée for Maurice Duruflé’s Requiem. This work from 1947 is grounded in achingly beautiful chants to which he adds his modern French musical voice, steeped in mysticism and sensual harmonic lines played this time on the St Philip’s organ by the brilliant David Drury. Duruflé did not write a lot – but what we have has been crafted into exquisite perfection.

The intimacy and kaleidoscopic stained glass of St Philip’s on York Street makes an utterly beautiful setting for this short Friday night concert.

Friday 24 May at 7pm
St Philip’s Church, York Street, Wynyard

This performance will run for 90 minutes. No interval.

PROGRAM

Orlando di LASSO
Adoramus te
Ave verum corpus
Timor et tremor
Maurice DURUFLÉ
Requiem

ARTISTS

Brett Weymark conductor
Chamber Singers
David Drury organ

TICKETS

General Admission $39
Concessions and Under 18s $35
A booking fee of $8.95 per transaction applies.

BOOK TICKETS HERE

Review: 

Sydney Philharmonia, certainly not your normal Friday night commute!  classikON. By Pepe Newton | May 25, 2024 | Ambassador thoughts, Chamber Groups, Choirs, Harpsichord & Organ. Accessed May 28, 2024.

“Drury’s interpretation played a crucial role in creating an immersive sonic experience, sometimes producing weirdly harmonic soundscapes, but always perfectly fitting for the work.” – Pepe Newton, 

Trivia: 

Sydney Philharmonia Chamber Singers performed three Renaissance works by Orlando di Lasso and Maurice Duruflé’s Requiem. Sam Allchurch stepped into the breach at the last minute to conduct, to soloists Laura Griffin and Declan Wildes, the Chamber Singers – and last but not least, the brilliant David Drury who did the work of a whole orchestra on the keys of the St Philip’s York Street organ.

Related Links: 

Duruflé - Requiem, Op. 9 by Maurice Duruflé / Remastered (Century's recording). Classical Music /  Reference Recording. Accessed May 9, 2024.

M. Duruflé REQUIEM (Op. 9) - University of King's College Chapel Choir, Paul Halley, Nick Halley. Uploaded by University of King's College Chapel Choir. Accessed April 26, 2024

Photo Credit:

Durufle's Requiem. Sydney Philharmonia Choirs.  Accessed April 26, 2024  

Resources:

Durufle's Requiem.  Sydney Philharmonia Choirs.  (Available at the time of access, April 26, 2024.) 

Requiem. (Durufle). en.wikipedia.org.

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs 2024 Season.

 

(c) April 2024. Updated May 29, 2024. Tel. Inspired Pen Web. All rights reserved. 

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs - Mendelssohn's Oratorio Elijah (2024)

Choral Singing / Oratorio

 

Mendelssohn's Elijah

 

Date:  Saturday 18 May 2024 at 7pm
Venue: Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House 

 

Finally, Mendelssohn's Elijah is happening, presented by the Sydney Philharmonia Festival Chorus. SPC's supporters and followers will remember that due to COVID-19, this concert has had its share of cancellations: first, for its May 9, 2020 at 3pm, for September 11, 2021 at 3pm, and then again, for December 16, 2021 at 7pm.

"The tone and beguiling quality of Rhodes' voice remains untouched. There is a velvet like richness... great resonance... a touching sense of fragility..." 

~ Limelight, 2021~

In Elijah, Mendelssohn combines the majestic tradition of Handel and the worshipful spirit of Bach with his own Romantic style.  

Elijah, Op. 70, MWV A 25, is an oratorio by Felix Mendelssohn depicting events in the life of the Prophet Elijah as told in the books 1 Kings and 2 Kings of the Old Testament. It premiered in 1846 at the Birmingham Festival. When Mendelssohn’s Elijah received its triumphant premiere at this festival there were more than a hundred musicians in the orchestra and several hundred singers in the choir. This is choral music on a grand scale, and the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs will do it justice with the imposing sound of the 400-voice Festival Chorus and the perfect ambience of the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall. 

Mendelssohn’s Elijah is a ‘bigger than Ben Hur’ Biblical drama with a cast of hundreds. And Sydney Philharmonia Choirs is thrilled to bring it with operatic baritone Teddy Tahu Rhodes in the title role and the 400-voice Festival Chorus filling the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall.

If you’re a fan of Handel oratorios, you’re in good company – so was Felix Mendelssohn. Elijah was his response to the English oratorio tradition, with its Old Testament story (earthquake! fire! and the ‘still small voice’) imagined for the concert hall. In its more reflective moments you can hear the worshipful influence of Bach. The result is a thrilling Romantic picture of a ‘grand and mighty prophet…borne on the wings of angels’, but it also conveys a very human drama with tremendous sympathy.

Whether you come for the sheer magnificence of the performance or for the powerful and moving drama, you’ll experience first-hand the triumphant choral masterpiece that inspired a generation.

Sydney Philharmonia has no recorded video of this oratorio. Instead, below, I'm sharing this superb performance of Mendelssohn's Elijah, Op.70, MWV A25 / Part 1 - "Thanks be to God" excerpt performed by the Edinburgh Festival Chorus · Stephen Doughty · Orchestra of The Age of Enlightenment · Paul Daniel. Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group. Accessed April 22, 2024. 



"Thanks be to God!"

Thanks be to God, He laveth the thirsty land. 
The waters gather, they rush along! 
They are lifting their voices! 
The stormy billows are high; their fury is mighty. 
But the Lord is above them, and Almighty!

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs' Bach's Christmas Oratorio (2023)

Choral Singing / Choral Music

Bach's CHRISTMAS Oratorio presented by the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs

Date: Saturday 16 December 2:00pm (2023)
Venue: Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, Sydney

"Shout for joy!" and celebrate Christmas with Bach." 

When JS Bach was at the height of his powers he created a monumental musical work for the Christmas season. Although he called it an oratorio, it was in six parts – one cantata for each of the first six days of Christmas. His listeners would have heard these in church services, with prayers, a sermon and congregational singing. But the genius of the Christmas Oratorio is that the music works brilliantly on a larger scale – tracing the Christmas narrative in satisfying style.

In this concert Sydney Philharmonia Choirs will perform the first three cantatas, beginning with thundering drums, trumpets and the thrilling sound of exultant voices lifted in praise: “Shout for joy!” The sweet pastoral sounds of flutes and oboes colour part two and its tender scenes in the lowly stable. Festive colours return as the shepherds arrive to witness the Lord of Heaven. In Bach’s hands the mystery of the Nativity finds perfect expression in glorious music.

Conducted by Brett Weymark, the finely tuned voices of our Chamber Singers and the Sydney Philharmonia Orchestra find an impeccable balance between baroque expression and epic musical effect in this uplifting Christmas event.

PROGRAM

JS BACH Christmas Oratorio:
Parts 1–3

ARTISTS

Brett Weymark conductor
Penelope Mills soprano
Margaret Plummer mezzo-soprano
Andrew Goodwin tenor
Christopher Richardson bass-baritone
Chamber Singers
Sydney Philharmonia Orchestra

TICKETS

Premium $129 | A $105 | B $85 | C $60 | D $45
Concessions $116 | A $92| B $75 | C $55 | D $41
Under 30 $30
A booking fee of $8.95 per transaction applies.

BOOK TICKETS HERE

A digital program book will be available to download on this page a week prior to the concert. A limited number of printed program books will be available for $10 each at the concert.

PRE-CONCERT TALK

Come to the Northern Foyer from 1pm to hear 2MBS Fine Music presenter Michael Field speak about Bach’s Christmas Oratorio. Grab a drink at the bar and enjoy this free, 30-minute talk, with plenty of time to find your seat for the 2pm concert.

Seating is on the carpeted stairs in the Northern Foyer.
Access the Northern Foyer via the new tunnel from the Southern Foyer.

• Saturday 16 December: 1:15PM-1:45PM
• Concert Hall, Northern Foyer stairs

 

2023 Pre-Concert Talks are made possible with the support of 2MBS Fine Music.

Reviews: 

Bach's Christmas Oratorio (Sydney Philharmonia Choirs). 4.5 Stars.  Limelight Magazine. Reviewed by Steve Moffatt, 16 December 2023. "Brett Weymark and the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs triumph in a high-altitude assault on Bach’s magic mountain." Accessed December 19, 2023.    

SYDNEY PHILHARMONIA CHOIRS: BACH’S CHRISTMAS ORATORIO @CITY RECITAL HALL. 5 Stars. Sydney Arts Guide. Reviewed by Paul Nolan. 18 December 2023. "Bach... would have been as thrilled as the Sydney Opera House audience with the result!" Accessed December 21, 2023. 

 

Video Credit:

Bach's Christmas Oratorio 2023. YouTube, Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. Accessed December 13, 2023.

Resources:

Bach's CHRISTMAS Oratorio. Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. Accessed October 15, 2023  (Available at this time)

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs' 2023 Season Catalogue.

COVID-19 SAFETY AT SPC CONCERTS

Up-to-date COVID guidelines will be available a few weeks before the concert. Please note that we regularly update our guidelines based on health advice available at the time.

 

(c) October 15, 2023. Updated December 21, 2023.  Tel.  Inspired Pen Web.  All rights reserved.

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs' MacMillan's Stabat Mater

Choral Singing / Choral Music

MacMillan's STABAT MATER presented by the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs

Date: Saturday 14 October 4:30pm (2023)
Venue: St Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney

"It's not often that the composer of a new work gets a standing ovation, but then every new work isn't like James MacMillan's Stabat Mater." 

~ The Times ~

 

In this concert Brett Weymark showcases one of the most exquisite combinations in music: the sound of a virtuoso chamber choir with string orchestra. And the program he’s chosen reflects the musical richness of the Christian liturgical tradition and the inspirational vision of faith.

 Australian composers Daniel Brinsmead and Andrew Anderson offer fervent and heartfelt expressions of joy, hope and simple devotion. Arvo Pärt’s signature bell-like style is represented by two of his most popular instrumental meditations – Festina lente and Fratres.

But the heart of this concert is music by James MacMillan, whose sublime anthem “Who Shall Separate Us?” was heard in the funeral service for Her Majesty Elizabeth II. His setting of the Stabat Mater is a fiercely impassioned evocation of Mary’s grief at the foot of the cross, finding soaring moments of extraordinary beauty and consolation in the heart-breaking drama of this most sorrowful of Christian texts. The Stabat Mater might be a 13th-century litany but in MacMillan’s hands it becomes a deeply personal and devastatingly immediate account of a mother’s anguish.

 Saturday 14 October 2023 at 4.30pm
St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney

PROGRAM

ANDERSON I Sing in My Heart*†
PÄRT Festina lente
PÄRT Fratres
BRINSMEAD Cantate Domino*†
MACMILLAN Stabat Mater**

* Concert premiere
† From 100 Minutes of New Australian Music Project
** Australian Premiere

This program will run for approximately 90 minutes, with no interval. 

ARTISTS

Brett Weymark conductor
Chamber Singers
Sydney Philharmonia Chamber Orchestra

TICKETS

General Admission | $75
No Concessions or Youth prices
** Buy this concert with The Little Match Girl Passion for $140**
A booking fee of $8.95 applies.

Reviews: 

MacMillan’s Stabat Mater (Sydney Philharmonia Choirs). (4.5/5 Stars). Limelight Magazine. Reviewed by Steve Moffatt on 16 October, 2023. Accessed 16 October, 2023. Sydney Philharmonia Choirs delivers a powerful and immaculate Australian premiere of one of this century’s greatest works.

Video Credit:

2023 MacMillan Stabat Mater & The Little Match Girl Passion. YouTube, Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. Accessed October 9, 2023.

Image  Credit:

MacMillan's Stabat Mater. Sydney Philharmonia Choirs.

Australian Composers Andrew Anderson (L) and Daniel Brinsmead (R). Sydney Philharmonia Choirs.

Resources:

MacMillan's Stabat Mater. Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. Accessed July 10, 2023  (Available at this time)

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs' 2023 Season Catalogue. 

BOOK TICKETS HERE

COVID-19 SAFETY AT SPC CONCERTS

Up-to-date COVID guidelines will be available a few weeks before the concert. Sydney Philharmonia Choirs regularly update their guidelines based on health directives from NSW Government & the Sydney Opera House. 

 

(c) September 11, 2023. Tel.  Inspired Pen Web.  All rights reserved.

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs' ChorusOz 2023: MAHLER 8

Choral Singing / Choral Music

 

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs Presents

ChorusOz 2023: MAHLER 8

Sunday 11 June 2023, 5 P.M.
Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House 

“Imagine the whole universe beginning to sing and resound. These are no longer human voices, but coursing planets and suns.”
Gustav Mahler

It's again that time of the year in June when hundreds of passionate singers join the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs choristers for the annual ChorusOz weekend of singing, fun and friendship, finishing with a performance on the world-famous Sydney Opera House Concert Hall with a professional orchestra and soloists.

ChorusOz – Sydney Philharmonia Choirs' annual “big sing” – brings together a community of singers from across Australia and around the world for an exhilarating weekend of intensive music-making. And this time, as ChorusOz returns after a three-year hiatus, we’re going bigger and better than ever before with a complete performance of Mahler’s Eighth Symphony, his “Symphony of a Thousand”.

Sydney Philharmonia sets sights on a “symphony of a thousand” – literally! ChorusOz will be joined by eight renowned Australian soloists, a children’s chorus and an orchestra of more than a hundred, and you’re invited to join us as we rehearse and perform Mahler 8 in the inspirational surrounds of the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall.

Mahler’s Eighth Symphony was the first choral symphony to make the voices completely integral to the music – the singing almost never stops. The great composer offered the Eighth as an expression of confidence in the eternal human spirit. This is truly a big sing – universal in scope, a celebration of the Creative Spirit and the redemptive power of love. And whether you’re in the audience or part of the thousand-voice choir on stage, ChorusOz 2023 promises an unforgettable and life changing experience.

Sunday 11 June 2023 at 5pm
Sydney Opera House Concert Hall

PROGRAM

MAHLER Symphony No. 8
“Symphony of a Thousand”

ARTISTS

Brett Weymark conductor
Anna-Louise Cole soprano (Magna peccatrix)
Maija Kovalevska soprano (Una poenitentium)
Celeste Lazarenko soprano (Mater gloriosa)
Sian Sharp mezzo-soprano (Mulier samaritana)
Deborah Humble mezzo-soprano (Maria ægyptiaca)
Diego Torre tenor (Doctor Marianus)
Michael Honeyman baritone (Pater ecstaticus)
Christopher Richardson bass (Pater profundus)
ChorusOz 2023
Children’s Chorus
The Sydney Youth Orchestra
with members of Sydney Philharmonia Orchestra

TICKETS

Premium $85
Concessions $77
A booking fee of $8.95 per transaction applies.

ChorusOz for singers takes place on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 June. Register below to participate – no prior experience required.

 

Related Links:

Gustav Mahler. Inspired Pen Web. 

Mahler Symphony 8. Inspired Pen Web

 

Photo Credit:

Mahler 8 (Ad). Sydney Philharmonia Choirs.

 

Video Credit: 

ChorusOz 2023. Accessed June 2, 2023.  

ChorusOz Mahler 8. Accessed June 2, 2023.

ChorusOz | Mahler 8 . V1. Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. Accessed June 2, 2023

 

Resources:

1. ChorusOz 2023. Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. Accessed June 2, 2023. (Available at the time of access.) 
2. ChorusOz Online Program. 
3. Sydney Philharmonia Choirs 2023 Season Catalogue. Voice. Energy. JOY. 

BOOK TICKETS HERE

DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE PROGRAM HERE

REGISTER FOR CHORUSOZ HERE

COVID-19 SAFETY AT OUR CONCERTS

Up-to-date COVID guidelines will be available a few weeks before the concert. Please note that we regularly update our guidelines based on health advice available at the time.

 

(c) June 2023. Tel. Inspired Pen Web. All rights reserved.

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs: Verdi's Requiem

Choral Singing / Sacred Music: Requiem

VERDI'S REQUIEM presented by the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs

Date: Saturday 20 May 2023 at 2pm
Venue: Sydney Opera House Concert Hall

 

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs lifts the roof of the Sydney Opera House with Verdi’s Requiem – music’s most awesome mass for the dead. Like any of his operas, Verdi offers the full range emotions in his music – from dramatic terror to heart-melting serenity – and gives us a deeply personal expression of grief. In front of the powerful 350-voice Festival Chorus and Sydney Philhamonia Orchestra are four of Australia’s leading opera stars, all conducted by artistic and music director Brett Weymark.

Ten minutes into Verdi’s Requiem, the “Dies irae” (Day of Wrath) thunders through the hall, carrying all who hear it on a wave of terror as Verdi dials the drama up to 11. At the other extreme is the anguish of the weeping “Lacrymosa” and the gleaming serenity of the “Lux aeterna” (Light Eternal). Verdi has given us a musical expression of grief that’s both deeply intimate and supremely spectacular and that combination is what makes his Requiem one of the best-loved choral works in the repertoire.

 

Verdi’s Requiem might be funeral music – a mass for the dead – but its emotional impact, and the sheer drama of the music, is equal to a night at the opera. So if you love his operas (think Rigoletto, La Traviata, Aida…) join us to experience the genius of his Requiem with our biggest choir, the Festival Chorus, stars of the Australian opera stage and the Sydney Philharmonia Orchestra in full force.

PROGRAM

Verdi's Requiem

ARTISTS

Brett Weymark conductor
Maija Kovalevska soprano
Deborah Humble mezzo-soprano
Diego Torre tenor
David Greco bass
Festival Chorus
Sydney Philharmonia Orchestra

 

PRE-CONCERT TALK

Come to the Northern Foyer from 1pm to hear 2MBS Fine Music presenter Ross Hayes speak about Verdi’s Requiem. This talk is made possible with the support of 2MBS Fine Music. Grab a drink at the bar and enjoy this free, 30-minute talk, with plenty of time to find your seat for the 2pm concert.

Seating is on the carpeted stairs in the Northern Foyer.
Access the Northern Foyer via the new tunnel from the Southern Foyer.

• Saturday 20 May: 1:15PM-1:45PM
• Concert Hall, Northern Foyer stairs

 

Reviews: 

Verdi’s Requiem: A concert review by Shirley Politzer. May 24, 2023 by Shirley Politzer.  "Supporting the wonderful soloists is the very capable Sydney Philharmonia Festival Chorus, which filled four boxes around the stage. They were able to use their voices successfully to create the mood required as well as sing in a fugal style or single-line melody. They were also a visual pleasure in how they sat and stood all together and held their folders-something I believe is as important as their singing.  Brett Weymark, artistic and music director of the Sydney Philharmonic Choirs and Orchestra, had full command of the 50 orchestra members, 330 odd choir surrounding him, and the four soloists, leaving nothing to chance." Accessed 25 MAy 2023.

VERDI’S REQUIEM WITH SYDNEY PHILHARMONIA CHOIRS. 5 Stars.  Sydney Arts Guide. Reviewed by Annabelle Drumm, 21 May 2023. "Lead by Artistic Director Brett Weymark, the Sydney Philharmonia Orchestra and combined choirs of 350 voices were out in full force. It’s a work that starkly highlights each area of the orchestra in their moments of magic and the musicians fully embraced each opportunity."  Accessed 22 May 2023.

Related Links:

Requiem (Verdi).  en.wikipedia.org

Verdi's Requiem (Messa de Requiem). Inspired Pen Web.

Video Credit:

2023 Verdi's Requiem 2.  Sydney Philharmonia Choirs.  Experience the drama and emotional power of Verdi’s Requiem, from the sky-shattering terror of the Dies Irae to the sublime, heart melting Lacrymosa. Four of Australia's leading opera stars and the 350+ voices of our Festival Chorus fill the Sydney Opera House Concert in this single matinee performance.  YouTube, accessed April 20, 2023.

 

Photo Credit:

 

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs / Keith Saunders.

Resources:

Verdi's Requiem. Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. Accessed April 6, 2023 

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs' 2023 Season Catalogue. 

 

Tickets:

Premium $129 | A $105 | B $85 | C $60 | D $45
Concessions $116 | A $92| B $75 | C $55 | D $41
Under 30 $30
A booking fee of $8.95 per transaction applies.

BOOK TICKETS HERE

COVID-19 SAFETY AT SPC CONCERTS

Up-to-date COVID guidelines will be available a few weeks before the concert. Sydney Philharmonia Choirs regularly update their guidelines based on health directives from NSW Government & the Sydney Opera House. 

(c) April 20, 2023. Tel.  Inspired Pen Web.  All rights reserved.

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs - Handel's SAMSON

Choral Singing / Musicals

Handel's Samson presented by the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs

Date:  Saturday 8 April 2023, 7pm
Venue: Sydney Opera House, Concert Hall

Raise the roof, bring down the temple - with Handel's mightiest oratorio!

Samson, Judge of Israel, married a Philistine woman, Dalila, who discovered that his supernatural strength derived from his never cutting his hair. Dalila shore his hair while he was sleeping and betrayed him to her people, the Philistines, enemy of the Israelites. The Philistines captured Samson and put his eyes out.

In “Let the Bright Seraphim,” an Israelite woman calls upon heavenly hosts to commemorate Samson's heroic death and triumph over the Philistines. The piece is an example of the archetypal genre of Baroque vocal music, the da capo aria.

"Let the bright Seraphim in
burning row their loud uplifted
angel-trumpets blow.

Let the cherubic host, in tuneful
choir, touch their immortal
harps with golden wire.

Let the bright Seraphim in
burning row their loud uplifted
angel-trumpets blow."

 

Hot on the heels of Messiah, Handel embarked on another masterpiece: a new oratorio on the story of Samson, the Bible’s original muscle man. Samson was composed shortly after Handel's most famous work Messiah and consolidates the German composer's turn from Italian opera to the development of the English oratorio.This is Biblical drama at its very best – vividly imagined music composed with the finest actor-singers in mind, an opera in all but name.

Handel plunges into the action: we meet Samson, already shorn and blinded, living in a “total eclipse”, a broken prisoner of the Philistines. And over three acts, the music traces a psychological drama that ends with the destruction of the temple and the hero’s ultimate redemption. This great but all too rarely performed oratorio shows Handel’s gift for musical characterisation with rousing choruses for devout Israelites and decadent Philistines, and exquisite arias, ranging from Dalila’s alluring music to the rejoicing sounds of “Let the bright Seraphim”, the much-loved highlight.

For Samson, Sydney Philharmonia Choirs' Symphony Chorus, some favourite soloists and a massive orchestra (by baroque standards) will unite under the baton of Maestro Brett Weymark to bring the theatre into the concert hall. 

Saturday 8 April 2023 at 1pm
Sydney Opera House Concert Hall

Running Time: This performance will run for 3 hours including one 20-minute interval.

Image: Conductor Brett Weymark, soloists, Symphony Chorus, and the Sydney Philharmonic Orchestra in this very special Easter weekend matinee concert.  

 

PROGRAM

Deborah Cheetham Fraillon  & Matthew Doyle Tarimi Nulay - Long time living here* 

George Frideric HANDEL Samson 

* Commissioned for SPC's 100 Minutes of New Australian Music project

ARTISTS

Brett Weymark conductor
Alexander Lewis tenor (Samson)
Celeste Lazarenko soprano (Israelite Woman, Dalila)
Russell Harcourt countertenor (Micah)
Christopher Richardson bass‑baritone (Manoa)
Andrew O’Connor bass (Harapha)
Symphony Chorus
Sydney Philharmonia Orchestra

Tickets:

Premium $129 | A $105 | B $85 | C $60 | D $45
Concessions $116 | A $92| B $75 | C $55 | D $41
Under 30 $30
A booking fee of $8.95 per transaction applies.

Reviews: 

Great Praise for Samson. ClassikON. by Daniel Kaan | Apr 9, 2023 | Ambassador thoughts, Choirs, Music Directors & Conductors, Orchestras

Handel’s Samson Sydney Philharmonia Choir. Opera House Concert Hall. April 8, 2023. The Sydney Morning Herald.  Reviewed by Peter  McCallum. ★★★★  Reviewed alongside other performances.

 

Handel’s Samson: A music review by Shirley Politzer. J-Wire. April 10, 2023 by Shirley Politzer

 

Samson (Sydney Philharmonia Choirs).  Sydney Philharmonia Choirs celebrates a significant milestone with blazing performance of Handel's Samson, with soloists and choir on top form.  Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House.  ★★★★★  Reviewed on 8 April, 2023  by Steve Moffatt on 10 April, 2023

Related Links:

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa sings Handel's "Let the Bright Seraphim". YouTube, uploaded byDame Kiri Lover. Accessed March 24, 2023.

Handel Oratorio Samson. Inspired Pen Web.  Accessed March 24, 2023.

Video Credit:

2023 Handel's Samson V1 - YouTube. 2023 Season, Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. Accessed March 24, 2023.

2023 Handel's Samson V2 - YouTube. 2023 Season, Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. Accessed March 24, 2023.

Resources:

Brett Weymark Conducts HANDEL'S SAMSON at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall. Broadway World. Accessed March 24, 2023.

Handel's Samson. Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. Accessed MArch 24, 2023 

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs' 2023 Season Catalogue.

COVID-19 SAFETY AT SPC CONCERTS

Up-to-date COVID guidelines will be available a few weeks before the concert. SPC regularly update their guidelines based on health directives from NSW Government & the Sydney Opera House. 

 

(c) March 24, 2023. Tel.  Inspired Pen Web.  All rights reserved.

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs' 2022 Handel: Messiah

Classical Music / Choral Singing

Handel: Messiah

Thursday 8 December at 8pm
Saturday 10 December at 1pm
Sunday 11 December at 1pm
 

Sydney Opera House Concert Hall

Image credit: Sydney Philharmonia Choirs

The world has entered a “new normal”, so many habits you took for granted have changed. But the tradition of Sydney Philharmonia Choirs' biennial Messiah holds fast – a musical anchor to the concert season.

                        Handel’s Messiah, Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, 2022. 

                                        Photo © Simon Crossley-Meates

Since 1742, when it was premiered in Dublin, Handel’s Messiah has never left the repertoire. Sydney Philharmonia Choirs has been performing it for nearly a hundred years. With its stirring choruses and sublime solos, and its dramatic expression of faith, Handel’s great oratorio stands as a beacon in the concert calendar – an event to look forward to.

And after a season of singing together again, all SPC choirs will be joining forces in December for what is its finest, most definitive, performance of Messiah yet. From VOX and the Chamber Singers to  Symphony Chorus and the community of singers in the annual Christmas Chorus, SPC look forward to singing its favourite Handel oratorio. The energy of Messiah.

Images Credit: Sydney Philharmonia Choirs

ARTISTS

Brett Weymark conductor
Lorina Gore soprano
Ashlyn Tymms mezzo-soprano
Nicholas Jones tenor
Morgan Pearse baritone
Symphony Chorus
Chamber Singers
VOX
Christmas Choir
Sydney Philharmonia Orchestra

PROGRAM

Deborah CHEETHAM & Matthew DOYLE Tarimi Nulay – Long time living here*
George Frideric HANDEL Messiah
* Commissioned for our 100 Minutes of New Australian Music project

A digital program book will be available to download on this page a week prior to the concert. A limited number of printed program books will be available for $5 each at the concert.

TICKETS

Premium $124 | A $101 | B $79 | C $58 | D $45
Concessions $112 | A $90| B $71 | C $52 | D $41
A booking fee of $8.50 per transaction applies

Reviews: 

Handel: Messiah (Sydney Philharmonia Choirs). Conducted by Brett Weymark, "Handel's Messiah shines a fresh light after the dark months of the pandemic."  4.5 STARS!  Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House. Reviewed by Steve Moffatt on 9 Dec, 2022. 

SYDNEY PHILHARMONIA CHOIRS – MESSIAH @ SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE.  Reviewed by Paul Nolan on 11 December, 2022. Sydney Arts Guide.  "Weymark has thrown down an oratorio gauntlet to ensure our entertainment. His dynamic interpretation and harnessing of the 600 plus choir, the orchestra emitting a crisp accompaniment and soloists pitted against all forces from their challenging spot mid stage were breathtaking elements in this version."

Related Articles: 

• Handel Oratorio Messiah 
  
• Sydney Philharmonia Choirs - Handel's Messiah 2019
• Sydney Philharmonia Choirs Handel's Messiah 2017

Resources:    

• Handel Messiah - Sydney Opera House 2022. Accesed November 22, 2022.
• Sydney Philharmonia Choirs  - Handel: Messiah. (Available at the time of posting) Accessed November 22, 2022.

BOOK TICKETS HERE

COVID-19 SAFETY AT OUR CONCERTS

• All SPC singers, musicians and staff are double vaccinated.
• Audiences at the Sydney Opera House are strongly encouraged to wear masks while inside the foyers and Concert Hall, including during the performance. If this changes, we will inform patrons as soon as possible.
• The Sydney Opera House has a well-maintained and effective air-conditioning system to maximise ventilation with fresh air.
• The Sydney Opera House regularly cleans high-traffic and high-touch areas with hospital-grade disinfectant.
• Hand sanitiser stations with aloe vera gel are available in paths of travel, frequently accessed areas and near bathroom facilities.
• Sydney Opera House staff have COVID-19 safety training.
• A digital program book will be available to download on this page a week prior to the concert. A limited number of printed program books will be available for $5 each at the concert.

DETAILS ABOUT OUR COVID SAFE PLAN

 

(c) November 22, 2022. Updated December 11, 2011 Tel.  Inspired Pen Web.  All rights reserved.

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs' Glorious Puccini Messa di Gloria & Opera Highlights

Choral Singing / Classical Music

 

Glorious Puccini: Messa di Gloria & Opera Highlights

Date: Saturday 29 October | 8pm
Venue: Sydney Opera House Concert Hall

Experience the passion and power of Puccini's music sung by Sydney Philharmonia Choirs' 300-voice Festival Chorus choristers, four of Australia's star soloists and the talented musicians of The Sydney Youth Orchestra .

 

Image credit: Sydney Philharmonia Choirs
 

How do we love Puccini? Let us count the ways…

There’s his sense of drama and his concern for human stories and real emotion but, above all, we love the glorious, flowing melodies that stay in your ears long after the curtain comes down. We love the sensuousness of Manon Lescaut, the grand tragedy of Tosca, the heart-rending pathos of Madama Butterfly – guaranteed to bring tears to your eyes – and the mystery of Turandot. This is the Puccini we know and love, and for this gala concert, Brett Weymark has assembled highlights to showcase the 400 voices of the Festival Chorus and our soloists – stars of the operatic stage. We’ll be joined by the Sydney Youth Orchestra in full force – performing Puccini’s colourful orchestrations without compromise.            

But first we’ll be revealing a little-known side of Puccini. He might have decided upon a career as an opera composer at the age of 18 – inspired by Verdi’s Aida – but he came from a long line of church musicians and the culmination of his musical studies was the ambitious Messa di Gloria. This rarely heard mass setting hints at the opera composer to come, with generous melodies and the way he brings drama to the ritual. But, above all, it’s 40 minutes of high-octane choral singing – joyous, dancing and, yes, fun!

 

 Credit: Sydney Philharmonia Choirs

PROGRAM

Deborah CHEETHAM & Matthew DOYLE Tarimi Nulay – Long time living here*
Giacomo PUCCINI Messa di Gloria
Highlights from Puccini operas…
Manon Lescaut: Intermezzo
Tosca: Te Deum (Tre sbirri, una carrozza)
Madama Butterfly: Humming Chorus and other highlights from Act II
Turandot: Nessun dorma and other highlights
* Commissioned for our 100 Minutes of New Australian Music project

A digital program book will be available on this page a week prior to the concert. A limited number of printed program books will be available for $5 each at the concert.

ARTISTS

Brett Weymark conductor
Cheryl Barker soprano
Antoinette Halloran soprano
Bradley Daley tenor
Peter Coleman-Wright baritone
Festival Chorus
Sydney Youth Orchestra

TICKETS

Premium $124 | A $101 | B $79 | C $58 | D $45
Concessions $112 | A $90| B $71 | C $52 | D $41
A booking fee of $8.50 per transaction applies.

Review: 

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs: Glorious Puccini. Sydney Arts Guide, written by Annabelle Drumm, 31 October 2022. Accessed 10 Nov 2022.

Interesting Articles:  

Glorious Puccini: Messa di Gloria and Opera Highlights, Sydney Opera House.  AussieTheatre.com.  20 September 2022. Accessed  9 October 2022.

Puccini's Musical Mastery Glows in a Forgotten Mass. The New York Times / Art. By Raymond Ericson, dated April 8, 1984.

Resources:

2022 Season Together Again. Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. Artistic & Music Director Brett Weymark, OAM

Glorious Puccini: Messa di Gloria & Opera Highlights. Sydney Philharmonia Choirs.  (Available on access, 9 October 2022.)

 

COVID-19 SAFETY

• All SPC singers, musicians and staff are double vaccinated.
• Audiences will be required to wear masks throughout the performance. If this changes we will inform patrons as soon as possible.
• Hand sanitiser will be available.
• A digital program book will be available on this page a week prior to the concert. A limited number of printed program books will be available for $5 each at the concert.

DETAILS ABOUT SPC COVID SAFE PLAN

(c) 9 October 2022.  Tel.  Inspired Pen Web.  All rights reserved.

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs' Grant Us Peace: Music of Vasks

Choral Singing / Chamber Music

SPC Chamber Singers and Sydney Philharmonia String Ensemble present: 

'Grant Us Peace: Music of Vasks'

Saturday 9 July | 2pm
St Andrew’s Cathedral

 

Photo Credit: Sydney Philharmonia Choirs

The past two years have taken their toll – suffering, grief, the isolation of lockdown, the anxiety of opening up.

Now, perhaps more than ever, we need the music of Pēteris Vasks, a composer who believes music shouldn’t “tell how awful things are, how bad the world is, how bad people are” but instead “how beautiful the world is, how beautiful people’s souls are”. Vasks’ music taps into our desire for beauty and for hope – even in its more anguished moments, it remains comforting, speaking to the soul with sounds more powerful than words.

In this concert we perform two musical prayers – the beautiful and moving Pater noster (Our Father) and an ecstatic cry for peace, Dona nobis pacem. These alternate with two Australian works: the optimism of Maria Lopes’ My Life Flows On and Stuart Greenbaum’s thought-provoking collaboration with poet Ross Baglin – juxtaposing a penthouse celebrity function with the burning of a museum in the streets below. And at the heart of the program is Vasks’ majestic setting of the mass – sometimes sombre, sometimes gentle, sometimes animated, as if sung by “happy little angels”.

If you love the music of Arvo Pärt or Henryk Gorecki, then you’ll recognise the spirit of “holy minimalism” in Vasks’ music. At the same time, his radiant style is completely his own – unapologetically tonal and drawing on the choral traditions of his Latvian culture.

Join the Chamber Singers in St Andrew’s Cathedral for two hours of sanctuary in a troubled world.

About the composer: Pēteris Vasks (born 16 April 1946) is a Latvian composer born in Aizpute, Latvia. He trained as a violinist, as a double-bass player with Vitautas Sereikaan, and played in several Latvian orchestras before entering the State Conservatory in Vilnius in the neighboring Lithuania to study composition with Valentin Utkin. He started to become known outside Latvia in the 1990s, when Gidon Kremer started championing his works and now is one of the most influential and praised European contemporary composers.

 

PROGRAM

Deborah CHEETHAM & Matthew DOYLE Tarimi Nulay – Long time living here*
Pēteris VASKS Pater noster (Our Father)
Maria LOPES My Life Flows On*
Stuart GREENBAUM The Night that the Museum Burned**
VASKS Dona nobis pacem (Grant us peace)
VASKS Missa (Mass)

* Commissioned for our 100 Minutes of New Australian Music project
**Premiere

This performance will run for approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes, including one 20-minute interval.

ARTISTS

Brett Weymark conductor
Chamber Singers
VOX
Sydney Philharmonia String Ensemble

 

TICKETS

Premium $70 (Limited number of seats)
General Admission $60
A booking fee of $8.50 per transaction applies.

BOOK TICKETS HERE

 

Reviews: 

“The choir and orchestra were in magnificent form…” – Stephen Moffatt, Limelight Magazine. Accessed July 12, 2022. Grant Us Peace: Music of Vasks (Sydney Philharmonia Choirs). Accessed July 12, 2022.

“Let’s hope there is more of this to come from Brett Weymark and the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs…" – P. Neeson, Eastside 89.7 FM. Sydney Philharmonia Choirs at St. Andrews Cathedral: The Sydney Philharmoania Choirs performs the sacred music of Peteris Vasks. Reviewed by Paul Neeson. posted 10/07/2022. EastSide89.7 FM. Accessed July 11, 2022.

“Such a treat to hear great music in this stunning cathedral.” – Annabelle Drumm, Sydney Arts Guide. SYDNEY PHILHARMONIA CHOIRS : GRANT US PEACE : MUSIC OF VASKS. Accessed July 12, 2022.

Resources:

2022 Season Together Again. Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. Artistic & Music Director Brett Weymark, OAM

Grant Us Peace: Music of Vasks. Sydney Philharmonia Choirs.  (Available on access, 18 June 2022.) 

 

Pēteris Vasks. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pēteris_Vasks. Accessed June 18, 2022.

 

COVID-19 SAFETY

• All SPC singers, musicians and staff are double vaccinated.
• Audiences will be required to wear masks throughout the performance. If this changes we will inform patrons as soon as possible.
• Hand sanitiser will be available.
• A digital program book will be available on this page a week prior to the concert. A limited number of printed program books will be available for $5 each at the concert.

DETAILS ABOUT OUR COVID SAFE PLAN

 

(c) June 2022.  Tel. Inspired Pen Web. All rights reserved.