An afternoon of wondering romance. This symphony performance was one of the most invigorating I have seen yet.
Simone Young, one of the world’s leading opera conductors and celebrated orchestra conductors, is given an uplifting applause welcoming her to the stage along with the spectacular Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
In a three part concert, this symphony perfectly showcases Simone’s awarded talent in opera music.
LEOS JANACEK’s (1854-1928) Sinifionetta (1926) symphony blew me away early. Your ears are following the music as your mind is making up the characters. The entire time a story is unfolding as if you are in the middle of a story book. It brings your awareness to Janacek’s imagination when he created this symphony music and truly highlighted why creating opera music is one of his greatest ardours.
“The art of dramatic writing is to compose a melodic curve that will, as if by magic, reveal immediately a human being in one definite phase of his existence.”
Leoš Janáček
Wonderful special guest, cellist Kian Soltani, introduces us to the second part of the performance, Cello Concerto in B Minor (1894) by ANTONIN DVORAK (1841-1904). Immediately you can feel the emotion from Kian’s expression as he starts with a solo performance centre stage.
Through this entire performance your emotional state is shifted as you start to understand there is a deep story behind this Cello Concerto.
With non stop applause and audience members standing in ovation, Kian offers the Sunday audience a gift, a surprise encore, a love story. Kian has organised with principal cellist, Catherine Hewgill and the cello section, to recite another devoted cello piece by Dvorak Lasst mich allein (German for Leave Me Alone). Wrote as an ode to the secret love of his life after discovering she passed, his wife’s sister.
I speak for myself, however I feel many in the audience felt similar, this piece of music confirmed the undertone of emotion through the previous Cello Concerto our hearts enjoyed.
The symphony finale, Russian Composer Modest Mussorgsky’s (1839-1881) orch. Maurice Ravel (1875-1937), Pictures at an Exhibition (1874, orch. 1922). A symphony with music orchestrated for a series of ten movements inspired by a visit to an art exhibition. How inspiring!
The Sydney Symphony Orchestra is in full flair starting with a trumpet solo in The Promenade. The gorgeous harps, enchanting flutes, proud percussion and brilliant brass sections celebrate the grandness of this symphony alongside the absolutely flawless strings. Conductor Simone Young’s energy is vibrant, as she emulates the passion of the Russian heritage of Mussorgsky’s music.
Symphony music inspired by artwork is an enlightening view of Mussorgsky’s perception of life at the time. With The Ballet of Unhatched Chickens known to be an audience favourite.
Sundays performance highlighted how well the Sydney Symphony Orchestra play as one and how fantastically conductor Simone Young unifies the musicians. The audience simply could not stop applauding until at least three bows were taken.
Feeling as if you are subconsciously between worlds, witnessing historic story telling, you are left with a feeling of wonder and inspiration.
The Symphony Mussorgorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition showed at the Concert Hall of Sydney Opera House, between 31st October to 2nd November 2025.
Production photography by Jay Patal
