LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA IN SYDNEY
1 – 7 May 2023
Nearly 60 years ago, the London Symphony Orchestra was the first visiting orchestra to rehearse in the Sydney Opera House. It was 1966, the building was unfinished, the acoustic was – no surprise – ‘terrible’. Now, in 2023, the London Symphony Orchestra will make its third visit to this iconic building as the first international orchestra to perform in the newly renovated Concert Hall.
The LSO’s return to the Sydney Opera House on its final tour with outgoing music director Sir Simon Rattle will be a highlight in our 50th anniversary celebrations, headlining our extraordinary 7-day festival Inside/Out at the House. Back in 1966, the LSO was the ‘best orchestra yet to be heard in Australia’ – ‘a true ensemble … amazingly accurate and brilliant’. And nothing’s changed. If anything, the LSO has gone from strength to strength.
Sir Simon’s LSO legacy ranges from the ravishing colour and transparency that he brings to French music, to the energy, insight and sheer love that emerges in his interpretations of Bruckner and Mahler. And it will all be on show in three programs: Mahler’s Seventh Symphony; American John Adams and two 20th-century French masterpieces in a scintillating combination; and in a Sydney exclusive: Bruckner’s Seventh Symphony and a fascinating and beautiful new work by Daniel Kidane.
Sir Simon says it feels ‘almost like science fiction, the idea of even getting on a plane, let alone coming to the other side of the world’. In the shadow of a global pandemic, the thought of travelling to hear an orchestra or of an orchestra travelling to perform for us has seemed impossible. But it’s happening!
Join us for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hear the LSO and Sir Simon Rattle perform — inside or outside the House.
In the Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre | Live broadcast to the Forecourt
Join us under the sails or the stars for this extraordinary festival
Celebrating 50 years of the Sydney Opera House, Inside/Out at the House features world-class performances from London Symphony Orchestra, The Australian Ballet, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Philharmonia Choirs and Australian Chamber Orchestra.
Take your seat inside our renewed Concert Hall or Joan Sutherland Theatre, or outside on the Forecourt watching the performance on the big screen, where all tickets are just $10 and include transport.
LSO’s Sir Simon Rattle conducts three exceptional programmes, including his favourite Bruckner symphony. The Australian Ballet sparkles with Balanchine’s bejeweled masterpiece. Sydney Symphony Orchestra delves into 50-years of magnificent music-making. Sydney Philharmonia Choirs takes you back to the Golden Age of Broadway. And the ACO celebrate icons of music, with special guests Jimmy Barnes and William Barton.
Inside or out, choose your own adventure and join the celebrations!
