Showcasing the rising stars of Australian classical music, the Sydney Opera House, Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) and Pacific Opera will present a number of concerts featuring young classical musicians and opera singers.
From April to December 2017, aspiring young artists will perform in the intimate surrounds of the Utzon Room, a venue that has hosted the world’s finest musicians, to help launch the next stage of their professional careers. Across nine concerts, up-and-coming artists from ANAM and Pacific Opera will perform enduring masterpieces and champion the modern repertoire that keeps this vital genre alive.
“As we continue to explore ways to foster young artistic talent, we are delighted to be able to provide a public performance platform for these outstanding young Australian musicians,” said Sydney Opera House Director of Performing Arts, Tim Calnin. “It’s wonderful to work with institutions like the Australian National Academy of Music and Pacific Opera who are championing some of Australia’s most promising classical music stars.”
Under the artistic direction of Simon Kenway, Pacific Opera will debut Richard Thomas’ Race for the Sky, a song cycle commemorating September 11 2001, before crossing time and space to explore Schubert’s masterpiece Winterreise and a selection of French and Italian arias.
“Pacific Opera is thrilled to accept these opportunities for our Young Artists to perform in the incredible acoustic space that is the Utzon Room,” said Pacific Opera Artistic Director, Simon Kenway. “What greater development opportunity could there be than singing in this iconic venue? The Sydney Opera House was built for song, and Pacific Opera is proud to be showcasing the vocal stars of the future in emotionally engaging and exhilarating programs.”
Esteemed alumni and international musicians will collaborate with the country’s most outstanding young instrumentalists including Stefan Dohr, Principal Horn for Berlin Philharmonic in Serenade, and master oboist and ANAM Artistic Director Nick Deutsch leading the Gran Partita.
ANAM artists are recipients of major national and international prizes and awards who go on to occupy leading positions in ensembles and orchestras. Pacific Opera cultivates the next generation of opera singers through a program of education and performance.
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to bring Australia’s finest young instrumentalists and their professional mentors to the Sydney Opera House, and the two ANAM Artist performances represent the launching pad for what we predict will be stellar performing careers,” said ANAM Artistic Director, Nick Deutsch.
ANAM and Pacific Opera – Complete Program
Pacific Opera – Race for the Sky – 24 American Songs and Arias
Sunday 9 April – 3.00pm
ANAM – Mendelssohn & Brahms – Hero Works for Strings
Sunday 7 May – 7.00pm
ANAM – Stefan Dohr, Serenade
Sunday 4 June – 3.00pm
Pacific Opera – Winter Words
Sunday 25 June – 3.00pm
ANAM Artists – Strauss Sonata for Violin & Piano
Sunday 16 July – 3.00pm
ANAM – Gran Partita
Sunday 10 September – 3.00pm
ANAM Artists – An Afternoon with Brahms
Sunday 24 September – 3.00pm
ANAM – Piano Four Hands
Sunday 3 December – 3.00pm
Pacific Opera – Arias and Barcarolles
Sunday 17 December – 3.00pm
Image: courtesy of Sydney Opera House