A white flower with a dark background.

Duruflé’s Requiem & Poulenc’s Gloria

  • Classical Music
  • Sydney Philharmonia Choirs
  • Concert Hall
  • Run time: 80 minutes, 1 interval Subject to change
  • Seating map

Duruflé and Poulenc make the perfect pairing.  These two French composers are the musical equivalents of ‘mid-century moderns’ with their clean lines, elegance and directness, and their inventive ways of giving fresh life to old traditions.

Duruflé’s Requiem is a true choral classic, but mostly it’s performed with organ alone.  In this concert, hear the original 1947 version, with a 60-piece orchestra and organ accompanying the 450 voice Festival Chorus and our mezzo-soprano and baritone soloists.  It’s a rare chance to hear Duruflé’s exquisite orchestration in this transcendent setting of the Requiem mass, underpinned by the fluid lines of ancient Gregorian chant.  

Francis Poulenc also looks to the past – you can hear the spirit of Vivaldi in his Gloria – but what really stands out is the irrepressible joy and candour of his music, the aural equivalent of brilliant stained glass in clear primary colours.

Between these two French classics, we’re giving the first performance of an epic new choral work, Time’s Fell Hand, inspired by Shakespeare’s Sonnet 64, specially commissioned from Australian composer Carl Vine. 

Presented by Sydney Philharmonia Choirs

Event details

impressive display of power plus subtlety

Sydney Arts Guide

Program

Maurice DURUFLÉ Requiem
Carl VINE Time’s Fell Hand† premiere
Francis POULENC Gloria

† SPC commission

Artists

Elizabeth Scott conductor
Meechot Marrero soprano
Helen Sherman mezzo-soprano
Samuel Dale Johnson baritone
David Drury organ

Festival Chorus
Sydney Philharmonia Orchestra

You may also like

TwoSet Violin

9 & 10 Jun 2026

  • Classical Music
Two Asian men in their 30s face each other, both holding violins. One wears a black suit, the other a white suit.

Sunny Kim’s Ensemble Ochaye

7 Jun 2026

  • Contemporary Music
Five female musicians in black attire stand confidently against a gray backdrop. They hold various instruments, including a bass clarinet, global string instruments, and cello.

Haydn’s Creation

4 Jul 2026

  • Classical Music
  • Sydney Philharmonia Choirs
The sun shines through green leaves.

Attending this event

Plan your visit

Address

Sydney Opera House
Bennelong Point
Sydney NSW 2000
Australia

Getting to the venue

The Opera House is a 7-10 minute walk from Circular Quay, and is easily accessible by car, train, ferry, lightrail, bus, bike and on foot.

Location and access

Concert Hall

The Concert Hall is located beneath the largest of Sydney Opera House’s roof sails, filling the upper levels of the west side of the building. Best accessed through the covered concourse. 

All Sydney Opera House foyers are accessible, with lifts to the main and western foyers. The public lift to all foyers is accessible from the corridor near the escalators on the Lower Concourse and also in the Western Foyer via the corridor on the Ground Level (at the top of the escalators).

Checking availability