The city of Paris is only beginning to wake up as Simone Young talks to Limelight about the Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s 2023 season – her second as its Chief Conductor. Young is rehearsing Salome at the Opéra national de Paris with soprano Elza van den Heever, who will sing Leonore in Fidelio for the SSO this November.

SSO Chief Conductor Simone Young. Photo supplied

Even at this early hour, Young’s enthusiasm is palpable as she discusses her program of eight concerts that focus on the power of music in storytelling. The season features several firsts for Young, making the 2023 season as fresh and exciting for her as it will be for the audience.

One of these takes place on 11–12 August, when Principal Oboe Diana Doherty takes centre stage to perform Bird Spirit Dreaming – the oboe concerto Ross Edwards wrote for her.  The program also features a 50 Fanfares Commission titled Arachne by Peggy Polias, and Vaughan Williams’ Symphony No 8.

“It’s a new one for me,” says Young,...