A middle aged man in a black jacket standing in dark studio lighting.

Lionheart

9 December 2023

In the Utzon Room

Classical Music

Shostakovich’s profound Piano Quintet leads a program of courage and colour from three musical mavericks featuring John Adams’ String Quartet No.1 and a world premiere by Australian trailblazer Holly Harrison.

Australia’s chamber music all starts

Limelight Magazine

Quartets, quintets, and sextets… oh my!

Shostakovich’s profound Piano Quintet represents a period of writing where the young composer, who was then 34, was his most purely musical. The resulting work is an unusual yet unapologetic neo-classical piece that has since become the jewel in the crown of the 20th-century chamber music repertory.  

Showcasing the sincerity of three musical mavericks, Shostakovich’s monumental Piano Quintet is presented alongside John Adam’s rambunctious String Quartet No.1 and a world premiere by Australia’s own trailblazer Holly Harrison, commissioned by the Ensemble.

Program

John Adams String Quartet No. 1
Holly Harrison New Commission [World Premiere]
Dimitri Shostakovich Piano Quintet

Presented by Omega Ensemble

A middle aged man in a black jacket standing in dark studio lighting.

Other information

You may also like

Stephen Layton conducts Bach, Mozart & Handel

21 & 23 Aug 2025

Stephen Layton is one of the world's greatest choral conductors, an expert in vocal music from the Renaissance to the modern day. In this concert Stephen Layton conducts Baroque and Classical masterpieces by Bach, Handel, Mozart and Haydn, featuring guest soloist Sara Macliver.

  • Classical Music
  • Sydney Symphony Orchestra
Stephen Layton conducts an Orchestra with arms outstretched

The Tallis Scholars

12 Oct 2025

Award-winning British vocal ensemble, The Tallis Scholars return to the Sydney Opera House for the first time in over two decades with an unmissable program inspired by the timeless beauty of Gregorian chant. Award-winning British vocal ensemble, The Tallis Scholars are renowned for their stunning cappella performances and exquisite recordings of sacred vocal music. The choir first sang at the Sydney Opera House in 1985, 40 years ago, and has returned five times since.

  • Classical Music

The Royal Organist

29 Jul 2025

The former organist and master of choristers at Westminster Abbey for over 20 years, James O’Donnell performs a recital of organ masterpieces on the Sydney Opera House’s magnificent Grand Organ.

  • Classical Music

Checking availability