Artistic Director Eugene Ughetti’s 2026 program is deeply rooted in place, from site-specific bell works at Parliament House and the National Carillon to chamber and choral premieres.
Anna-Louise Cole sings Wagner Lieder and Strauss’s Four Last Songs, the Australian String Quartet surveys British music from Purcell to Britten and Rebecca Clarke, and Switzerland’s Ensemble Contrechamps delivers a meditative performance of Jürg Frey’s Récit des sensations fragiles at Snow Concert Hall. Luminescence Chamber Singers unveils a program built around a bespoke vocal-processing system, while The Rite of Spring closes the festival in Stravinsky’s own arrangement for two pianos and percussion

Limelight Editor’s Choice

Récit des sensations fragiles (tales of fragile sensations), forms part of Jürg Frey’s intense and luminous late-period oeuvre, which has brought him growing international recognition in recent years. The New Yorker has described him as ‘one of the most distinct voices in contemporary music.’

This new, nearly hour-long work, written for 18 instruments, once again evokes the vast, tranquil soundscapes that are the hallmark of Frey’s style. It invites listeners into a space of quiet contemplation, a sound world that one reviewer described as “the most ravishing place on the planet during its placid unfolding.”

Ensemble Contrechamps will present this concert in an environment that enhances the meditative atmosphere. Don’t miss your chance to experience Jürg Frey’s music in this pristine acoustic with a stellar line-up of Festival artists, one that is sure to deeply enrich and expand your musical experience.