Promo Code
Unlock special discounts or presale tickets.Dates
Thursday 19 March 2026
7:30pm at Hamer Hall
Saturday 21 March 2026
7:30pm at Hamer Hall
Duration
Approx. 1 hour and 45 minutes including a 20-minute interval
Accessibility
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Wheelchair, walker and scooter accessible
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Assistive listening devices available
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Service animals allowed
Program
Ravel Pavane pour une infante défunte
Joe Chindamo^ Are there any questions?*
Stravinsky The Rite of Spring
^2026 Composer in Residence
*World Premiere of an MSO Commission, with generous support from Michael Aquilina
About this performance
Prepare to use your imagination in weird and wonderful ways. When French composer Maurice Ravel wrote his ethereal Pavane pour une infante défunte, he’d been dreaming of the long-lost melodies that may once have inspired a young Spanish princess to dance. Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring shares a French connection as it premiered shortly after in a Parisian theatre, but the story of this ballet music is much darker. It culminates with the raw and frenetic rhythms of a sacrificial dance, sounding wild enough to send audiences into an uproar at the first performance.
The musical tales on this program are centred around Are there any questions? – an Australian composition from our 2026 Composer in Residence Joe Chindamo. It takes its name from the final line of Margaret Atwood’s chilling dystopic novel The Handmaid’s Tale. Hear Chindamo’s piece for the first time on this narrative-fuelled program. It’s music to leave you thinking deeply about the world you live in – and the worlds that live inside you.
Featuring
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Benjamin Northey conductor
Jessica Aszodi mezzo-soprano
MSO Chorus
Warren Trevelyan-Jones chorus director
In this conversation hosted by conductor Benjamin Northey and featuring soprano Jessica Aszodi, Joe speaks about the inspiration for this work and the process of composing a large-scale work for orchestra, chorus and soprano.
Learn more about The Rite of Spring with Cybec Assistant Conductor Daniel Corvaia
Enhance your experience
Want to learn more about the music being performed? Arrive early for an informative and entertaining pre-concert talk with ABC Classic presenter Megan Burslem and MSO Composer in Residence Joe Chindamo.
19 March at 6:45pm
21 March at 6:45pm
Hamer Hall Stalls Foyer
Purchase a printed program
Pre-order now for expedited pick-up when you arrive at the performance.
