Leading Dutch maestro, and incoming Music Director of the NY Phil, brings Mahler and Mozart to Sydney and Melbourne.

There has been a dearth of full-scale international symphony orchestras travelling to Australia of late, ever since the Sydney Opera House quietly dropped its World Orchestras Series following the London Symphony Orchestra’s tour back in 2014. But now in a turn up for the books the Hong Kong Philharmonic has announced an ambitious international tour for 2017 under the baton of their respected Music Director Jaap van Zweden.

The tour, the first time the orchestra will have played in Australia, is part of the celebrations of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the territory set up following the transfer of sovereign power from Great Britain to the People’s Republic of China back in in 1997.

“For the first time, Australian audiences will be able to enjoy our internationally recognised musicians when they perform at The Arts Centre, Melbourne and the Sydney Opera House,” said HK Phil Chief Executive Michael MacLeod. “The tour is an historic move and a great opportunity to showcase the brilliance of our orchestra to an entirely new audience.”

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