Mozart’s Tempestuous Skies
The Australian Romantic and Classical Orchestra performs some of Mozart’s most sublime, dramatic and passionate music including Jupiter Symphony, Piano Concerto in A major, Overture to Don Giovanni and sparkling Serenata directed by violinist Rachael Beesley.
Mozart’s Jupiter Symphony is one of the greatest pieces ever written. His final symphony, it is a grand statement from a visionary composer, and even if the nickname wasn’t Wolfgang’s own, the wonder, awe and complexity of the work perfectly bears the name of the king of Roman gods.
Completed in 1788, Mozart’s 41st symphony followed hard on the heels of his greatest operas: The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, and Così fan tutte. The Overture to Don Giovanni bristles with passion and intrigue, foreshadowing the dramatic tale to come – extraordinary, considering Mozart wrote it the night before its premiere!
Around the same time, Mozart penned his Piano Concerto No.23. Audiences around the country will be delighted to have internationally renowned Australian fortepiano soloist and Historically Informed Performance doyen Neal Peres Da Costa perform this beloved staple of the piano repertoire – in a very specific and fascinating version. Neal recently had a new fortepiano built and it makes its debut tour with the orchestra!
The opening work of the program dates from a decade before the others, and we get a glimpse of a very different Mozart. At barely 20 years of age and the musical star of the Salzburg court, he composed the Serenata Notturna as a piece for evenings, possibly to be performed outside, among all the other stars of the firmament.
As part of the Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra’s new emerging artists program, Tempestuous Skies will also feature three selected young musicians from the Young Mannheim Symphonists youth orchestra who will perform alongside the professional musicians.
Young Mannheim Symphonists is designed to provide opportunities for young musicians to experience the magic of historically informed performance, inspiring the next generation of research and performancebased inquiry.
For more details about the Tempestuous Skies tour and the entire 2022 Concert Season – repertoire, dates, venues – or to book tickets visit: www.arco.org.au/tempestuous-skies
When: Tuesday 16 August at 6.30pm
Venue: RJ Phipps Performing Arts Centre The Hills Grammar School 43 Kenthurst Rd, Kenthurst (NSW)
