As audiences have come to expect under Chief Conductor Simone Young‘s leadership of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Mahler opens the season. However, next year’s program includes not one but two of the composer’s symphonies, with the SSO also performing Mahler’s Fourth in September under Principal Guest Conductor Sir Donald Runnicles.

“That was one we promised Donald a while back,” Young tells Limelight. “He missed out on it because of the pandemic, so it’s great that he is doing that. It’s going to be a good year for Mahler lovers.”

Joining Runnicles and the SSO will be soprano Ying Fang, whom Young describes as “absolutely fabulous”.

“She’s a big star in the Metropolitan Opera and I met her very briefly when I was there doing Der Rosenkavalier this year. It will be magical.”

SSO Chief Conductor Simone Young. Photo supplied

For the season’s inaugural concert Young has settled on Mahler’s Fifth, a choice she says was influenced by Camille Pépin’s accompanying Violin Concerto, Le Sommeil a pris ton empreinte. It will be performed...