"A miniature Italian opera, with two faintly unlikely impersonators of the soprano and tenor – a pair of double basses."

‘How he bewildered us’, wrote a listener. Giovanni Bottesini played ‘as though he had a hundred nightingales caged in his double-bass!’

Double bass soloists were rare then as...

Watch Ben Folds and musicians from the Sydney Symphony in this inspiring and spontaneous collaboration.

Using lyrics submitted by poetry competition winner Matthew Galer as their inspiration, Ben Folds and the musicians worked together for 25 minutes to create and perform the final result.

As ...

Considered one of the pieces that brought Brahms back out of retirement, the Clarinet Quintet is a lush masterpiece filled with colour.

In 1891, while attending a festival in the small town of Meiningen, Brahms heard the Principal Clarinettist of the local orchestra performing and was so awestru...

Impassioned and soulful. Led by our Concertmaster Andrew Haveron and featuring Sydney Symphony’s former Principal Harp Louise Johnson, this performance includes gorgeous music by Elgar, Debussy and Tchaikovsky.

In Elgar’s Introduction and Allegro a string quartet of soloists are supported by a s...

Uplifting and jubilant. These masterpieces of German Baroque music explore the popular stylised dances of the era, brimming with energy and character.

J.S. Bach was a master of musical invention, and in his First Orchestral Suite his creativity is on full display. Each movement invokes the chara...

Colourful and surprising. This music by Dvořák and Bartók showcases the immense diversity of sound and expression that the instruments of the Orchestra have to offer.

Dvořák’s Serenade for Winds creates a rich and full sound with only a small ensemble of musicians. This loving tribute to the Cze...

Lively and energetic. Uplifting music by Mozart and Beethoven.

Graceful, vivacious, energetic.

Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.19 combines all the qualities that makes his music such a joy to listen to, and our soloist Simon Tedeschi brings a delicate touch and crystal clarity to this performance. B...

A free showcase of short highlights from the ACO’s StudioCasts film season, featuring spectacular performances from the Australian Chamber Orchestra. The films in the series are now available to watch on Stream - search ACO StudioCast Collection.

This highlights showcase opens with the glorious ...

Presented in association with Sydney Symphony Orchestra

In Brahms’ First String Sextet his best qualities shine through – gorgeous melodies and a rich romantic sound. The sextet adds an extra viola and cello to the conventional string quartet, and Brahms makes full use of the additional lower vo...

A man meets a woman by chance. They share a fleeting moment of connection. A brief fleeting moment. She then leaves and goes on with her life. He does not... Sydney Chamber Opera perform Janáček's hauntingly beautiful song cycle, 'Diary of One Who Disappeared', exclusive to our Digital Season.

T...

Filmed in the Joan Sutherland Theatre as part of the Opera House’s 2020 From Our House To Yours digital season, witness the risk taking and virtuosic instrumentalists of Ensemble Offspring perform an intimate and eclectic program of progressive and innovative music of our time. The ensemble is le...

ACO Principal Double Bass Maxime Bibeau performing Pēteris Vasks’ ‘Bass Trip’ in the Sydney Opera House for the ACO's Homecast series. Says Max: "This piece has always resonated with me. It’s a journey that builds and builds, and is filled with raw expression mixed with beauty and warmth (while a...

Members of the Australian Chamber Orchestra Liisa Pallandi and Timo-Veikko Valve perform two baroque masterpieces by Jacquet de La Guerre and Bach in the exquisite cathedral-like surrounds of Bennelong.

PROGRAMME
0:00​ Introduction
0:23​ Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre — Sonata in D
6:50​ Johann...

Commissioned in 2019 for Omega Ensemble​, Gordon Kerry’s Clarinet Quintet was to receive its world premiere in June 2020. This performance, exclusive to Sydney Opera House's digital season, represents the digital world premiere of the work.

PROGRAM
Gordon Kerry Clarinet Quintet (World Premiere)
...

New Australian Classical brings together three exceptional local musicians to explore new Australian repertoire.

In this piano trio program, we explore the haunting, ethereal melancholy in The Aching Bones by the Australian composer Andrew Howes, followed by the intricate, playful and sometimes ...

Sydney Opera House and Sydney Philharmonia Choirs invite you to a virtual PopUp Sing! workshop recorded live in the Joan Sutherland Theatre.

In this special event, you will learn to sing the 'Ode to Joy' chorus from Beethoven's famous Symphony No 9. The workshop will be led by world-renowned cho...

In this specially-commissioned performance for Sydney Opera House's 2015 GRAPHIC, Icelandic multi-instrumentalist Ólafur Arnalds leads the Sydney Chamber Orchestra on an exclusive journey through his back catalogue, with visuals by Máni M. Sigfússon.

WARNING: This video may potentially trigger s...

In celebration of the album's 10th anniversary, Sigur Rós vocalist Jónsi and his partner, musician Alex Somers, performed 'Riceboy Sleeps' at Vivid LIVE 2019 in the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House with the Sydney International Orchestra and Choir. Watch highlights from the performance incl...

An exclusive broadcast of Piano Day 2020 featuring Jon Hopkins, Joep Beving, Margaret Leng Tan, Nils Frahm and more. First broadcast on 28 March 2020.

Founded by Nils Frahm in 2015, the 88th day of the year was declared Piano Day - a nod to the 88 keys on a modern piano.

Piano Day 2020 feature...

Mohammad Reza Mortazavi is widely recognised as one of the world's best players of the tombak and the daf, two instruments central to Persian percussive music. Relying upon nothing more than a drum and his own dexterity, Mortazavi creates trance-like polyrhythmic soundscapes, complete with melod...

George is going to meet an orchestra for the first time!
He wants to learn an instrument – but which one?

Follow George as he chats with players of the Sydney Youth Orchestra and learns all about the four families of the orchestra – strings, brass, woodwind and percussion. A perfect introducti...

Curious kids step through the giant doors of the scenery lift at the Sydney Opera House and meet some amazing people from the stage and behind the scenes.

In this episode, Emma, Xavier and Bartram meet an opera singer and see who can hit the highest note!

Curious kids step through the giant doors of the scenery lift at the Sydney Opera House and meet some amazing people from the stage and behind the scenes.

Who’s in the lift? Lea, Henry and Emma meet conductor Vanessa and learn how she keeps the orchestra on track with her gestures and baton!