Drawn from centuries-old folk melodies from the Auvergne region of France and sung in a local dialect, these 27 songs seem to emerge from the land itself, telling stories of shepherds, rivers and the slow rhythm of rural life, ‘rich with nostalgia and summer light’ (ABC Classic).

Following her acclaimed Sydney Symphony debut with Sir Donald Runnicles in 2024, Chinese soprano Ying Fang returns with her ‘remarkable voice of polished delicacy, sweetness and strength without forcefulness’ (Sydney Morning Herald) – the ideal instrument to bring these exquisite pastoral scenes to life.

Runnicles, our Principal Guest Conductor, then leads the Orchestra in Brahms’ Fourth and final Symphony, a work of intricate design and raw emotion. Milhaud’s Le Boeuf sur le Toit opens the concert with a jolt of mischief, dancing through the cabarets of Paris with hints of early jazz.