Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor Asher Fisch conducts Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5, written after a period of self-doubt and personal turmoil. Its 1888 premiere in St Petersburg was poorly received, and Tchaikovsky initially considered the work a failure. Nevertheless, it went on to become one of his most enduring works, its recurring fate motif carrying through the four movements towards a hard-won, triumphant finale. It is paired with the Intermezzo from Puccini’s opera Manon Lescaut.

Limelight Editor’s Choice

Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony is one of his most powerful works, charting an emotional journey from brooding darkness to triumphant brilliance. Infused with fate and struggle, its soaring melodies and sweeping climaxes embrace the breadth of human emotion and resilience. Puccini’s Manon Lescaut offers a poignant contrast that’s lyrical and tender and Lachlan Skipworth’s Flute Concerto is a colourful and virtuosic showcase that was written especially for WASO’s Principal Flute, Andrew Nicholson.