PROGRAM

FAURÉ - Entr'acte & Finale from Shylock
BERLIOZ - Les nuits d’été
SIBELIUS - Symphony 3

Conductor - Madeleine Easton
Mezzo-soprano - Sarah Alder

Experience the power of longing, love, and desire in YEARNINGS, a program that delves into the depths of human emotion. The Woollahra Philharmonic Orchestra is delighted to welcome back the celebrated artist, Madeleine Easton to conduct this concert which opens with two excerpts form Fauré’s Shylock Suite; the Entr'acte & Finale. This work captures the wistful beauty of romantic yearning. With its gentle melodies and warm orchestration, Fauré’s suite is like a sigh of longing, inviting listeners to reflect on the tenderness and melancholy of unfulfilled desires.

In the centre of the program, mezzo-soprano Sarah Alder brings to life Berlioz’s Les nuits d’été. This exquisite song cycle captures the depth of human emotion, weaving through themes of love, longing, and sorrow. Alder’s performance will illuminate Berlioz’s poetic settings, her voice delicately balancing the beauty and melancholy that define this masterpiece. Whether tenderly intimate or dramatically intense, Les nuits d’été is a timeless exploration of the heart, brought to life by Alder's artistry.

The concert closes with Sibelius’s Symphony No. 3, a work that reflects the composer’s own yearning for simplicity and peace. Known for its stoic beauty and profound restraint, this symphony captures a sense of longing for a world untouched by the chaos of modernity.

With its powerful harmonies and introspective themes, YEARNINGS is a moving exploration of the human heart, speaking to the universal desire for connection, peace, and understanding.

This concert will run for approximately 90 minutes including interval.