Last week heralded an unprecedented event in Australian classical music. For the first time in our history, two world-class Australian symphony orchestras performed at the Sydney Opera House on the same day.

The Sydney Symphony Orchestra, under its Chief Conductor, Simone Young, performed an all-Strauss matinee. Three hours later, the Australian World Orchestra, under my direction, took to the same stage and performed an all-Mahler program – his 4th and 5th Symphonies – never before performed together in Australia.

On the same night, Opera Australia’s La bohème was also playing next door in the Joan Sutherland Theatre.

Alexander Briger conducts the Australian World Orchestra in Mahler 4 & 5. Photo © Daniel Boud.

Why is this such a cause for celebration? Because all three performances were total sell-outs. Indeed, AWO had standing room only with the choir stalls and organ gallery also filled. Long standing ovations, five-star reviews from every critic, three major classical music events on one day and night, in one place – with every seat taken.

Was this the first real test of whether Sydney can support multiple major classical music concerts in a single day? If so, the answer is a resounding YES. And there were no overseas ‘superstar’ orchestras or ‘celebrity’ conductors, just Australia’s own, world-class musicians, ensembles and companies. There is no reason that the other state capital cities would not respond in the same way.

The fear that multiple concerts on the same day, in the same place, means unmanageable competition, over-supplied audiences and under-subscribed concerts, is simply wrong. Last Thursday, the SSO, AWO and OA all sold out — proof that the more world-class performances of great music we can present, the more our audiences will come. Far from cannibalising one another, we proved we all build momentum together.

Another myth is that certain composers “don’t sell”. Thursday’s musical smorgasbord puts that myth to rest. Audiences want to be challenged. They want to hear things that they love, in formats they have not heard before.

That afternoon, Sydney embraced Richard Strauss, including some of his lesser-known works; that evening, Sydney turned up for two and half hours of Mahler. No dumbing down, no gimmicks. Just wonderful music, wonderfully performed. 

The Australian World Orchestra in Mahler 4 & 5. Photo © Daniel Boud

Last Thursday’s Sydney sell-outs show us why it is so vital that we support our major orchestras and opera and ballet companies. Australians are telling us they want to hear Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, Brahms, Mahler, Strauss, Wagner and so much more — played by their own musicians, on their own stages.

Yes, we love our pop and rock concerts, but we are equally passionate about classical music. And last Thursday’s performances at the Sydney Opera House proved it: Australians love classical music, they love to see their homegrown talent  – and they want more of it.