One of the most eagerly anticipated announcements for lovers of classical music is the announcement of our Melbourne Symphony Orchestra’s program for the following year. We are accustomed to being thrilled by a program that appeals to a wide range of interests and needs. We see that 2024 is no different.
In addition to major symphonic works by old masters and exciting new composers, we have a line-up of international stars – many of them Australian. An emphasis on commissioned new works by Australian composers is more than welcome (see paragraph in bold below). The following media release by the MSO is not a comprehensive, detailed list of what is on offer, but it is a useful indication of quality and diversity of a program with an emphasis on storytelling. It will have subscribers old and new anxious to secure tickets, and others keen to ensure they have the best seats available for programs of their choice. We recommend a careful perusal of the MSO website for more details and special offers, such as the two-concert series at the Melbourne Recital Centre.
The MSO Launches 2024 Season of Storytelling
“In 2024 the MSO celebrates music’s ability to tell stories that move and inspire us, from evocative soundscapes and epic film scores to the majestic works of the great composers.
“The 2024 program features 12 world premieres, 11 by Australian composers, two premieres of international composers, 17 MSO debuts and 14 artists performing exclusively with the MSO in 2024.
“Program highlights include the Baroque and Beethoven Festivals, Chief Conductor Jaime Martín conducting Elgar’s Cello Concerto and Holst’s The Planets, the spectacular Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, and Beethoven’s Ninth. Lawrence Renes conducts Fauré’s Requiem with Siobhan Stagg, while Principal Conductor in Residence Benjamin Northey conducts Max Richter’s Vivaldi Recomposed and a powerful Holocaust Memorial Concert – Kaddish, presented with the Australian War Memorial.
“The MSO will perform a moving tribute concert Hopelessly Devoted in memory of the late Olivia Newton John, and the Australian premiere screening of Disney’s original film The Lion King with a live score.
“The 2024 line-up features the Australian premieres of MSO Commissions from international artists Tan Dun and James MacMillan, and the world premieres of new work from Deborah Cheetham Fraillon AO, 2024 Composer in Residence Katy Abbott and Cybec Young Composer in Residence Naomi Dodd. A new work from Elena Kats-Chernin and William Barton will also have its world premiere.
“Making their Australian debuts are American conductor and cellist Jonathon Heyward, striking mezzo-soprano Raehann Bryce-Davies, charismatic German conductor Anja Bihlmaier, and internationally acclaimed Chinese soprano Hui He.
“Across the year, Jaime Martín leads the MSO for three breath-taking galas. The Ryman Healthcare Season Opening Gala Jamie Conducts The Planets, features two of the most emotionally stirring works of all time. Alban Gerhardt brings intense musicality to perform Elgar’s ravishing Cello Concerto, and Gustav Holst’s magnificent The Planets, which famously doesn’t include our own planet, acquires a new celestial addition in the world premiere of Earth; an MSO commission from Yorta Yorta composer Deborah Cheetham Fraillon AO.
“The Ryman Healthcare Winter Gala brings together a stellar ensemble of vocal soloists and the extraordinary voices of the MSO Chorus for Carl Orff’s thundering Carmina Burana. The program also features world-renowned yidaki player William Barton performing Peter Sculthorpe’s evocative Earth Cry.
“Martín leads the MSO through the astonishing range of all nine Beethoven symphonies for the Beethoven Festival, culminating in the Ryman Healthcare Spring Gala Beethoven’s Ninth. This spectacular concert will feature some of Australia’s best opera singers and the MSO Chorus, with a program that also includes the Australian premiere of James MacMillan’s Concerto for Orchestra, commissioned by the MSO in partnership with the London Symphony Orchestra.
“Baroque expert and 2024 MSO Artist in Residence Erin Helyard will direct the Baroque Festival, exploring the concertos of Bach and Vivaldi and the arias of Handel and Vivaldi, featuring superstar soprano Samantha Clarke. The week culminates with one of the most in-demand choral conductors of our time, Stephen Layton (UK) making his MSO debut leading a 300th anniversary performance of Bach’s St John Passion.
“Continuing his exploration of the complete symphonies of Gustav Mahler and Antonin Dvořák, Martín’s year begins with Mahler’s epic third symphony featuring the Young Voices of Melbourne, the MSO Chorus, and Raehann Bryce-Davis. Hailed by The New York Times as a “striking mezzo-soprano” and by the San Francisco Chronicle for her “electrifying sense of fearlessness”, Bryce-Davis is making her Australian debut.
“‘Jaime Conducts Romeo and Juliet’ will take the orchestra and audiences into the world of love and passion telling the story of Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers through Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet Overture, as well as Martín’s own suite of Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet. For the first time with the MSO, in the same program, Martín will conduct prodigious violinist Christian Li for Pagnini’s Violin Concerto No.1.
“In a unique collaboration, the Australian War Memorial (AWM) and the MSO mark 80 years since the liberation of the first extermination camps in 1944 with a special performance of mourning and remembrance, Kaddish: A Holocaust Memorial Concert. AWM’s first musical Artist in Residence, Christopher Latham OAM, curates a program that includes Leonard Bernstein’s Kaddish Symphony, a new work by Elena Kats-Chernin and William Barton, and works by Jewish composers, musicians and artists, led by Benjamin Northey.
“Northey conducts seminal works from American composers Bernstein and Gershwin, which are brought to life in two programs of American Stories. Australian composer Joe Chindamo’s Ligeia Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra features trombone soloist Jonathon Ramsay – currently Principal Trombone at Berlin Philharmonic.
“Ground-breaking composer Max Richter’s innovative take on Vivaldi’s ubiquitous work, Four Seasons, topped the classical charts in 22 countries in 2012. Northey will conduct Richter’s novel reimagining at Metropolis: Vivaldi Recomposed / Hidden Thoughts III, which features vocalist Sunny Kim and narrator Pamela Rabe in the final of MSO Composer in Residence Katy Abbott’s Hidden Thoughts Series.
“Hidden Thoughts is presented throughout 2024 as part of the MSO’s new music series Metropolis. Each work includes text sourced from the public, elevating the perceived ‘ordinary and mundane’ into powerful and meaningful statements of grace and kindness.
“As part of the East Meets West program, the MSO is thrilled to present the Australian premiere of MSO commission, Tan Dun’s Nine: Choral Concerto, written in response to Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, as well as Tan’s Violin Concerto Rhapsody and Fantasia, featuring Lu Siqing on violin. The MSO welcomes the Year of Dragon at the annual Chinese New Year concert conducted by Xu Zhong with the Australian debut of superstar Chinese soprano Hui He.
“Shostakovich’s First Cello Concerto sees the return of acclaimed Japanese conductor Nodoka Okisawa and legendary English cellist Stephen Isserlis to Melbourne for an exhilarating program anchored by Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto and Prokofiev’s shimmering final symphony. Led by Lawrence Renes, Fauré’s Requiem features works by Elena Kats-Chernin and Sibelius, culminating in Fauré’s divine Requiem, with the MSO Chorus and much-loved soloists Siobhan Stagg and Roderick Williams.
“Special events include the Australian premiere of Disney’s The Lion King in Concert to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the film’s release, John Williams’ epic score for Star Wars: Return of the Jedi in Concert and a celebration of the late Olivia Newton-John’s legacy, with Hopelessly Devoted: A Tribute to Olivia Newton-John.
“The MSO continues its support of emerging artists through the Cybec 21st Century Australian Composers and First Voices Composer programs, which will present new works from two indigenous composers.
“The Cybec 21st Century Australian Composers’ Program will showcase new MSO commissions by Martin Cheney, Katia Geha, Klearhos Murphy and Christine Pan who have been mentored by leading Australian composers and composed a 10-minute piece for the premiere.
“In 2024, the MSO continues its strong Schools and Families engagement programs and will again tour to Regional Victoria including five concerts in Geelong and two in Bendigo. The program for the 2024 Sidney Myer Music Bowl free concerts will be released later in the year.”
Photo credit Samantha Meuleman.
