Presented by Australian Chamber Orchestra
Strauss' Four Last Songs
Soprano Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha brings her magnificent voice to Strauss’ exploration of what it means to be human.
The Australian Chamber Orchestra is thrilled to present the Australian debut of Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha. Winner of the Song Prize at the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition and the prestigious Salzburg Festival’s Herbert von Karajan prize, Rangwanasha is one of the most exciting sopranos singing today. Combining sumptuous tone and tenderness with sheer vocal power, she will perform with an expanded Australian Chamber Orchestra featuring winds, piano and percussion, directed by Richard Tognetti.
Strauss’ Four Last Songs is a wistful farewell, an intoxicating combination of beauty and darkness that comes together in transcendent lyricism. He wrote them at 84, looking back on the life that was, and forward to eternal rest. Dedicated with love to his wife of six decades, Strauss meditates on our inevitable mortality without ever giving in to despair, a profoundly thankful last musical gift.
The concert opens with Arvo Pärt’s haunting Cantus, written in memory of Benjamin Britten. Britten’s Second String Quartet, his beautiful ode to his musical hero Henry Purcell, follows, before the premiere of a new commission from award-winning Australian composer Jack Symonds, whose captivating music marries innovation and imagination.
This final concert in the Australian Chamber Orchestra’s 2027 Season is a celebration of the resilience of the human spirit and the power of reinvention and renewal. This is music that reminds us of why we gather in concert halls, to bear witness and to revel in collective wonder.
'[Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha] is the real deal: a singer with a voice of sumptuous, indecent beauty, and serious musicality.' – The Guardian
About Australian Chamber Orchestra
The Australian Chamber Orchestra is one of the most acclaimed chamber orchestras in the world. Led by their pioneering Artistic Director Richard Tognetti, the Orchestra is defined by its exceptional virtuosity and an irrepressible sense of adventure and curiosity.
Duration: 2 hours (incl. interval) Please note, running times are approximate and subject to change.
Information for Families: This concert is recommended for children ages eight and above, or for younger children who can happily sit through a two-hour concert.
Single tickets on general sale 11am Friday 9 October
Standard
Premium $180
A Reserve $165
B Reserve $142
C Reserve $113
D Reserve $59
Concession
A Reserve $153
B Reserve $132
C Reserve $103
D Reserve $59
Student / Under 35
B - D Reserve $35
Subscriptions On Sale Now
Subscriptions are on sale now via the ACO website.
A Transaction Fee between $4 and $8.50 applies to orders made online and by phone. Delivery Fees may also apply. A ticket limit of six is in place online to ensure fair ticket access for all. Want to bring a bigger party? Call our Box Office during business hours on (03) 9699 3333 to book.
Artists
Richard Tognetti Director & Violin
Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha Soprano
Maxime Bibeau Double Bass
Australian Chamber Orchestra
Program
Arvo Pärt
Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten
Jack Symonds
New Work* (World Premiere)
Benjamin Britten (arr. strings)
String Quartet No.2 in C, Op.36
Witold Lutosławski (arr. Richard Tognetti)
Partita
Richard Strauss (arr. James Ledger)
Four Last Songs, Op. posth.
Strauss’ Four Last Songs is supported by Marion Pender in loving memory of John Gerrit Pender.
*Commissioned by the Australian Chamber Orchestra
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