Utzon Music 2023 Season
Get up close and classical with a curated collection of the finest ensembles and soloists for Utzon Music 2023. This much-loved chamber music program continues from March to October in the intimate Utzon Room – the only performance venue in the Opera House entirely designed by architect Jørn Utzon.
Take a musical journey with Malian guitarist and "Hendrix of the Sahara” Vieux Farka Touré. Discover a treasure trove of music from a Golden Age with The Gesualdo Six. Witness the iconic Brodsky Quartet in a mini-marathon of Bach, Britten and Schubert. Feel energised as Quatuor Van Kuijk bring a program that’s guaranteed to make you smile. Be enchanted by German baritone Benjamin Appl. Find musical connections from Basel to Beethoven with James Morley and Friends. Traverse a Romantic music landscape from darkness to light with the Alma Moodie Quartet. And finally, explore the emotional range of the piano with Andrea Lam.
Find your seat in the exquisite Utzon Room and lose yourself in the music.
Utzon Music Education 2023
Drawing on the unique and exceptional artistry in the community, and from artists around the world, Utzon Music Education 2023 will connect local musicians – including tertiary, youth and not-for-profit music education groups – with internationally-renowned string and choral ensembles, Brodsky Quartet, The Gesualdo Six and Quatuor Van Kuijk. The masterclasses are open to everyone to observe, in the intimate and exquisite Utzon Room.
Program
Vieux Farka Touré
Malian singer-guitarist Vieux Farka Touré makes his Sydney Opera House debut with two signature genre-crossing shows including songs from his recent album Les Racines.
The Gesualdo Six
Experience the sound of the Tudors with one of the UK’s finest all-male vocal ensembles in a concert featuring music by Thomas Tallis and William Byrd.
Brodsky Quartet
The Brodsky Quartet returns to the Utzon Room with a trio of programs featuring Britten and Schubert string quartets and new arrangements of Bach.
Quatuor Van Kuijk
This acclaimed Parisian string quartet makes a highly anticipated Sydney debut with Mozart, Mendelssohn and Debussy – music showcasing their youthful energy and joyous music-making.
Benjamin Appl
German-British baritone Benjamin Appl makes his Sydney debut, showcasing the German Lieder tradition and its legacy in Nocturne: a poetic journey from twilight to sunrise.
James Morley & Friends
Cellist James Morley returns home from Switzerland – introducing a new Australian work with soprano Jane Sheldon, and performing Beethoven’s most popular cello sonata with fortepianist Erin Helyard.
Alma Moodie Quartet
The Alma Moodie Quartet – an exciting young Australian ensemble – traverses a Romantic musical landscape, from darkly aloof miniatures to Beethoven in an optimistic mood.
Andrea Lam
One of Australia’s favourite pianists finds Romantic inspiration and contemporary connection in this gorgeous recital inspired by a 19th-century love triangle and the journey of life.
Education
Choral Masterclass Led by The Gesualdo Six
Discover tips and tricks to improve your singing from a world-class vocal ensemble in a special Sunday morning masterclass.
String Quartet Masterclass
Be a fly on the wall as Quatuor Van Kuijk works with members of the Sydney Youth Orchestra in a special string quartet masterclass.
String Octet Showcase
The Brodsky Quartet shares half a century of chamber music experience and musical insights with four young string players from Ensemble Apex in an octet collaboration.
A note from the curator
"It's been a delight to work with all the outstanding Utzon Music 2023 artists to assemble this inspiring program, designed for our loyal and new audiences alike. It delivers on my core beliefs – that you need a minimum of three exceptional string quartets a year to sample a few drops of the oceans of breathtaking quartet repertoire that exist, and that Australia is home to the finest emerging classical artists creating sensational original work.
I’m excited for audiences to delve into this program, performed with the mesmerising backdrop of the Utzon Room. I don’t have favourites… but have to say that powerhouse Malian guitarist Vieux Farka Touré is a total superstar."
Casey Green, Utzon Music Curator
Sydney Arts Guide[Utzon Music] is fast becoming a favourite for those who love high-quality chamber music as a matinée… The experience cannot be better than this anywhere in the world.
Love List: Sunny Afternoon Classical
Sit back, relax and unwind to the melodic warmth of classical and chamber music in this uplifting Love List from Utzon Music Curator, Casey Green – best enjoyed with blue skies and sunshine.