Mahler’s Fourth Symphony
Heavenly Voices
Experience the might and magnificence of Gustav Mahler. Not one for half-measures, the composer believed a symphony should be like the world, “it must contain everything.”
In his Fourth Symphony, he takes us to the heavens themselves as we travel through the gates of paradise and into angelic realms.
Mahler chose to do something no composer had ever done before by ending his symphony with a song for solo voice. Titled, ‘The Heavenly Life’, the song’s air of bright innocence captures the symphony’s overall sense of gemütlichkeit – an untranslatable German word that suggests both belonging and cosiness. Settle in as conductor Umberto Clerici leads us to paradise.
Concert Update: 22 March 2021
Donald Runnicles, who was to conduct this concert, is no longer able to come to Australia. We are excited to announce regular guest conductor Umberto Clerici as his replacement.
Program
MARK HOLDSWORTH Excelsior*
SCHUBERT Lieder selections
MAHLER Symphony No.4
*Mark Holdsworth's Excelsior was made possible through the Sydney Symphony Orchestra's 50 Fanfares Project and was commissioned by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, supported by Peter Howard.
Artists
UMBERTO CLERICI conductor
JACQUELINE PORTER soprano
SAFETY IS OUR PRIORITY
The Sydney Symphony will continue to apply NSW Public Health Orders as they relate to ticketing and seating arrangements. As these Orders can change at very short notice, we will be allocating seats closer in time to concert dates than we have in previous seasons. This will allow us to maintain a COVID-19 safe environment.