Anja Bihlmaier conducts.

Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony With Schumann’s Cello Concerto

  • Classical Music
  • Sydney Symphony Orchestra
  • Concert Hall
  • Run time: 90 minutes, 1 interval Subject to change
  • Seating map

You know the opening. But the real thrill of Beethoven’s Fifth comes from the unrelenting momentum that follows

It begins with the four most famous notes in music. The legendary motif propels the entire first movement of Beethoven’s Fifth.   

The power of this symphony never relents, from those iconic opening moments to the bright light of the finale. The end of the third movement is electric, strings hovering in suspense before erupting into one of the most triumphant transitions in classical music, from tension to pure release.   

Returning after a triumphant Sydney debut in 2024 ‘that brought the house down’ (Limelight), conductor Anja Bihlmaier brings clarity and fire to this rich, century-spanning program. 

Australian composer Melody Eötvös’ The Saqqara Bird will fill the Concert Hall with its atmospheric mystery. Inspired by an ancient Egyptian artefact, this is music rich in shifting shapes and shades. 

Schumann’s Cello Concerto is an introspective and lyrical gem. The opening movement floats between hope and melancholy, followed by a gentle, whispered second movement and a skipping finale. Rising soloist Ivan Karizna, ‘a breathtaking and special musician' (Süddeutsche Zeitung), brings a freshness to this beautifully compact concerto.   

From quiet revelation to enduring power, this program serves as a reminder that music can always lift us into the light. 

Presented by Sydney Symphony Orchestra

Event details

Program

MELODY EÖTVÖS The Saqqara Bird 
SCHUMANN Cello Concerto 
BEETHOVEN Symphony No.5 

Artists

ANJA BIHLMAIER conductor 
IVAN KARIZNA cello 

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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).

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