With the announcement of its 11th season in 2023, the Australian Haydn Ensemble steps into the light. Five concerts across Sydney, Canberra and regional NSW will orbit around the “dazzlingly brilliant rays of the 18th-century sun”, said Artistic Director and violinist Skye McIntosh.

“In the 18th century, the presence of light in abstract, artistic and scientific imagination was strong; igniting the minds of thinkers and artists of all kinds, particularly poets, composers and musicians. Following our illuminating 10-year anniversary season in 2022, we are delighted to present you with a new season, one that steps boldly forward into our second decade.”

The Australian Haydn Ensemble. Photo © Helen White

The season opens in February with Haydn’s Sun & Mendelssohn’s Stars, a program spanning the spectrum of light and dark, and featuring the Ensemble’s String Quartet. Haydn’s Sun Quartets were named for the image of a sun on the cover of its first publication. The program begins with the last of his Sun Quartets, No...