Cover story- Wonder Women- The Australian Ballet performs Sylvia in a new production by Stanton Welch for which the lead ballerinas are learning to sword-fight. Centring on a fierce nymph who falls for a mortal man, the playful, mythological ballet features a gorgeous score by Leo Delibes, which Tchaikovsky praised over his own Swan Lake.
Feature- Asher Fisch first conducted the West Australian Symphony Orchestra 20 years ago. This month in Perth he conducts a Gala Event starring German soprano Gun-Brit Barkmin and takes to the piano for the Schumann Piano Concerto. We talk to him about music and life.
Articles- Mark Wigglesworth discusses Shostakovich's dynamic Symphony No 4, which he conducts with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and Eivind Aadland, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra's Chief Conductor and Artistic Director Designate, explores Sibelius's sublime Fifth Symphony.
Interviews- Dutch soprano Eva-Maria Westbroek on starring with Jonas Kaufmann in Opera Australia's concert version of Andrea Chenier set during the French Revolution; Australian playwright Joanna Murray-Smith on making her directorial debut with her latest, whip-smart comedy L'Appartement for Queensland Theatre.
Reviews- Jayson Gillham's performance of Beethoven's Piano Concertos with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra; the Australian Chamber Orchestra's Szymanowski to Sufjan Stevens concert; Opera Australia's Anna Bolena starring Ermonela Jaho, Wake in Fright at Melbourne's Malthouse Theatre.
What's on- live performance and radio highlights for August 2019.
