Zoltán Szabó

The tried and proven order of the traditional symphonic concert program dictates a short introductory piece, followed by a well-known concerto featuring a well-known soloist; then, after interval, a symphony to showcase both the orchestra’s and the conductor’s abilities. This palatable menu was, however, presented with a twist at this week’s concerts of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. The inv ... (read more)

It is not every day that Sydney audiences witness the première of a composition by a major twentieth-century composer, yet this is what happened on 30 June in the Opera House: one of Igor Stravinsky’s earliest works, the Funeral Song, op.5, received its first performance on Australian soil. As has been widely reported in the media, this short work was written in memory of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsak ... (read more)

As one of the jewels in this year’s program by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Claude Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande, rarely performed in Australia, has finally returned to the Sydney Opera House. This is not the first time that the SSO has ventured into opera. Judiciously, though, it never competes directly with the national company, selecting repertoire neglected by OA. In 2014, it performe ... (read more)