Concert Program
Thursday 24 Jul 2025 6pm
Federation Concert Hall, Nipaluna / Hobart
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The emotions are big, the
stories are intense, the host is
hilarious.
The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra acknowledges the traditional owners and continuing custodians of Lutruwita / Tasmania. We pay respect to the Aboriginal community today, and to its Elders past and present. We recognise a history of truth, which acknowledges the impacts of colonisation upon Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and stand for a future that profoundly respects their stories, culture, language and history.
About the concert
Works
Rebel Excerpts from Les Éléments (12 mins)
4 movements
- Les Chaos
- Chaconne
- Loure
- Tambourin
Vivaldi Gelido in ogni vena, from Farnace (5 mins)
Handel Ah! stigie larve, from Orlando (8 mins)
Chindamo Variations on Dido’s Lament: for string orchestra (6 mins)
Rameau Suite from Zoroastre (10 mins)
Handel Sta nell’ircana pietrose tana, from Alcina (6 mins)
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Longer pieces of music are often broken up into bite-size pieces called ‘movements’. It makes it easier to perform and provides contrast within the work. Find out more here.
George Frideric Handel.
Uncover the stories behind the works.
Chaos becomes order.
Excerpts from Les Éléments
- Les Chaos
- Chaconne
- Loure
- Tambourin
Composed by Jean-Féry Rebel (1666 – 1747)
12 minutes
Jean-Féry Rebel was a French composer and violinist who lived during the Baroque period. He was known for his creativity and flair for the dramatic. Les Éléments is a perfect example of both.
Composed in 1737, Les Éléments is Rebel’s musical picture of the creation of the world, inspired by the ancient idea that everything is made from four basic elements: earth, air, fire and water. Rebel imagined what it might sound like if these elements were all swirling together in chaos and then gradually separated into harmony.
The piece begins with a startling movement called Le Chaos – one of the boldest openings in all Baroque music. Rebel starts by playing all the notes of the scale at once, creating a giant musical clash. It’s loud, surprising and completely unlike anything written at the time. This “chaos chord” represents the confusion of nature before the elements find their place.
As the music continues, you’ll hear each element come to life: the flickering of fire, the flowing of water, the stability of earth, and the lightness of air. Rebel uses different instruments and rhythms to bring each one into focus. Sometimes they interact peacefully; other times they seem to battle.
Even though it’s over 280 years old, Les Éléments feels vivid and fresh, with colourful music and imaginative storytelling. Rebel didn’t write many pieces like this – Les Éléments was his final composition – but its energy and inventiveness still capture listeners’ imaginations today.
As you listen, picture the natural world taking shape: chaos giving way to order, and music helping to tell the story of how everything began.
Grief freezes everything.
Gelido in ogni vena, from Farnace
Composed by by Antonio Vivaldi (1678 – 1741)
5 minutes
Vivaldi’s opera Farnace is full of intense emotion, and the aria “Gelido in ogni vena” is one of its most heartbreaking moments. The story follows King Farnace, who, when faced with military defeat and the threat of Roman capture, believes all is lost. In desperation and with a warped sense of honour, he commands his wife, Tamiri, to kill their son and then herself to prevent them from falling into enemy hands. Overcome with grief, he sings this aria, expressing his profound sorrow and shock.
The aria’s title translates as “Icy in every vein” and that’s exactly how Farnace feels – frozen with pain. Vivaldi’s music brings this feeling to life. The slow, haunting melody and the soft, trembling strings make it feel as though time has stopped. The music seems to shiver, just like Farnace’s voice. It’s a simple aria, but full of emotion.
Farnace sings:
Gelido in ogni vena scorrer mi sento il sangue. L’ombre del figlio esangue più non mi fanno respirar.
Translation:
I feel icy blood flowing through every vein. The image of my lifeless son leaves me unable to breathe.
This aria is a powerful example of how music can express grief without needing many words. Farnace doesn’t shout or rage. Instead, he’s stunned and broken, and Vivaldi captures that stillness and despair in the music. The repetition of short phrases, the slow pace, and the gentle orchestration all add to the feeling of numbness.
“Gelido in ogni vena” is one of Vivaldi’s most moving arias. Even if you don’t know the full story of the opera, you can feel the weight of Farnace’s sorrow. It’s a moment where music and emotion are perfectly matched. And it reminds us how timeless the power of opera can be.
Madness takes hold.
Ah! stigie larve, from Orlando
Composed by George Frederic Handel (1685 – 1759).
8 minutes
Handel literally invents the soap opera with Orlando – a story centred around four star-crossed lovers. Noble knight Orlando has decided the love of his life is Angelica, but she only has eyes for Medoro (who fancies her back). Orlando is enraged when he discovers Angelica is not that into him, and begins pursuing the two lovers, only to be hindered time and again by a random sorcerer Zoroastro, who suggests (among other things) that perhaps a career in the military might be a more productive use of his time.
This aria comes at a point in the action where Orlando’s jealousy is literally sending him mad.
Orlando sings:
Ah! stigie larve! ah! rabbia! Orlando è tradito, è ingannato. Vendetta! vendetta! il cor mi brucia! Orrendi spettri, venite! L’alma a tormenti più fieri rendete! Piacere è del mio cor la cruda pace.
Translation:
Ah! Spirits of the underworld! Ah! Rage! Orlando is betrayed, deceived. Revenge! Revenge! My heart burns! Horrid spectres, come! Bring my soul to fiercer torments! Cruel peace is the pleasure of my heart.
This is not a beautiful love song – it’s a raw outburst of crazed emotion. Handel’s music makes us feel Orlando’s confusion and fury. At the time, this kind of dramatic scene was rare in opera, but Handel wasn’t afraid to push musical boundaries to tell the story.
“Ah! stigie larve” shows how powerful opera can be – when music, words and drama come together to express something deeply human.
Everything old is new again.
Variations on Dido’s lament: for string orchestra
Composed by Joe Chindamo (b.1961)
6 minutes
Dido’s Lament is a moving aria from Henry Purcell’s opera Dido and Aeneas, written in the late 1600s. In the piece, Queen Dido sings a sorrowful farewell as she prepares to die, heartbroken after being abandoned by her lover, Aeneas.
Legendary Australian jazz pianist and celebrated composer, Joe Chindamo OAM, has reimagined Purcell’s aria for string orchestra.
From the composer:
My variations on Dido’s lament began life as a reimagining of the famous aria for violin and piano. This was in 2012 as I was then becoming aware of composers like Alfred Schnittke, who unashamedly combined old and new ideas within the one piece.
This is quite the opposite to the historically informed approach, which seeks to preserve. My feeling about baroque is that rather than endeavour to preserve it – like capturing a beautiful butterfly, sticking a pin in it, and framing it, so that one can admire it from afar – is that it can still be regarded as an evolving genre. The great composers of the baroque era, were themselves, not very interested in preserving music, but rather transforming it. They were Progressives, and it is in this spirit that I approached this work.
A few years after producing the reimagining, I orchestrated it for string orchestra. The orchestration contains material that doesn’t exist in the duo version, so, strictly speaking, it constitutes far more than an orchestration. And speaking of new material, there is far too much of it in the piece to consider it a reimagining or arrangement too. The work contains a newly composed variation for solo violin, accompanied by the orchestra, which, while based on the original harmonic framework, it can be regarded as an improvisation – that was written down. Whilst the aesthetic is very much Baroque, the harmonic and melodic language of this “improvisation” takes its cue from the angularity of 20th century classical music.
Given that audiences’ reaction to music must have changed over the last 300 years, what was considered harmonically daring, is no longer so. Therefore, it is my hope that whilst honouring the character of Purcell’s beautiful Aria, that this work can perhaps provide for modern audiences, the kind of "shock of the new" element and excruciating beauty that the original work might have granted the audiences of its day.
Elegant. Dramatic. Sparkling.
Suite from Zoroastre
Composed by Jean-Phillipe Rameau (1683 – 1764)
10 minutes
Jean-Philippe Rameau was one of the leading French composers of the 18th century, known for his colourful, dramatic music and his important contributions to opera and music theory. His opera Zoroastre, first performed in 1749 and revised in 1756, tells the story of the ancient Persian prophet Zoroastre and his struggle between light and darkness, wisdom and ignorance.
Although the full opera is rarely performed today, the music from Zoroastre remains vivid and exciting. The suite brings together some of the opera’s most energetic and expressive dances and instrumental moments, offering a window into Rameau’s rich musical world. Expect lively rhythms, elegant melodies, and a bright, stylish sound that showcases the grace and grandeur of French Baroque music.
Rameau was a master of orchestral colour and rhythm. He used the instruments of his time to create dramatic contrasts and intricate textures, and he often drew on dance forms to shape his music. In this suite, you’ll hear dances that vary from lively Tamborins to graceful Airs (both French baroque dances), to stamping songs that depict infernal spirits. Even without singers or stage action, the music has a strong sense of character and storytelling.
In his day, Rameau’s music was sometimes considered daring or too modern – full of unexpected harmonies and bold ideas. But today, those same qualities make his work stand out. The Zoroastre suite is a brilliant example of his ability to combine clarity with complexity, and elegance with excitement.
Whether you’re new to Baroque music or already a fan, this suite is a chance to experience the dramatic flair and inventive spirit of one of France’s greatest musical minds. It’s proof that, as the saying goes, everything old is new again.
Bold, fiery and triumphant.
Sta nell’ircana pietrose tana, from Alcina
Composed by George Frederic Handel (1685 – 1759)
6 minutes
Handel’s opera Alcina, first performed in 1735, is a magical tale of love, deception, and transformation. Set on an enchanted island ruled by the sorceress Alcina, the story follows a group of heroes trying to break free from her spells. Like many of Handel’s operas, Alcina is full of rich characters and emotional depth, all brought to life through powerful music.
“Sta nell’ircana pietrosa tana” is one of the most thrilling arias in the opera. It’s sung by the heroic character Ruggiero, who has finally broken free from Alcina’s enchantment and is preparing to fight to return to his beloved, Bradamante. The aria compares Ruggiero to a tiger emerging from its rocky cave: fierce, determined, and ready to battle.
He sings:
Sta nell’ircana pietrosa tana furente belva che aspetta il cibo. Tal si destò dall’ozio vano il tuo guerriero, terribil, fiero.
Già minaccioso, ruggendo va, e a tutti mostra la sua virtù. Rugge, combatte, già minaccioso, e a tutti mostra la sua virtù.
Translation:
In the rocky den of Hyrcania a raging beast waits for its prey. So has your warrior awakened from idle slumber – terrible and proud.
Now, threatening, he roars as he goes, showing his strength to all. He roars, he battles, now fearsome, and shows his power to all.
Musically, this aria is energetic and bold. The fast pace, dramatic rhythms, and bright orchestral writing make it feel like a burst of raw power. Handel includes horns in the accompaniment, which add a sense of hunting, danger, and nobility – a perfect match for Ruggiero’s warrior spirit. It’s a showcase of vocal agility and strength, with the singer leaping between notes and tackling complex runs and flourishes.
In the world of Baroque opera, arias like this were written to dazzle. They gave singers a chance to show off their technical skill and emotional range. But Handel never writes just for show; his music always serves the drama and helps tell the story.
“Sta nell’ircana pietrosa tana” is more than just a virtuosic display. It’s a portrait of courage and transformation. Ruggiero has gone from being enchanted and confused to clear-minded and brave, and the music captures that shift with fire and flair. It’s one of Alcina’s many unforgettable moments.
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Musicians
Benjamin Bayl
Conductor
Born and raised in Sydney, Benjamin Bayl has earned a reputation as an internationally respected conductor equally busy in the realms of the orchestral and operatic fields. This unique musical heritage began when Bayl became the first Australian Organ Scholar of King’s College Cambridge after which he studied conducting at London’s Royal Academy of Music.
After working alongside Ivan Fischer with the Budapest Festival Orchestra and Paul McCreesh and the Gabrieli Consort, Benjamin's career has grown and he is in demand across the globe with prestigious opera houses and orchestras. On the opera podium, Benjamin has led productions at the Wiener Staatsoper,Dutch National Opera, Staatsoper Berlin, Royal Danish Opera, Den Norske Opera, Theater an der Wien,Opera Vlaanderen, Opera de Oviedo, Budapest State Opera, Polish National Opera, Deutsche Oper am Rhein,Opera Zuid, Norrlands Operan, Theater Aachen, Opera Queensland, Victorian Opera and Opera Australia.
Symphonic work includes engagements with the Melbourne, Sydney and Queensland Symphony Orchestras, Iceland Symphony Orchestra,Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, Mahler Chamber Orchestra,Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Taipei Symphony Orchestra,Bochumer Symphoniker, Bremer Philharmoniker, Sinfonieorchester Aachen and Britten Sinfonia amongst many others. Benjamin enjoys conducting a broad range of repertoire from the great Viennese classics, historically informed Baroque and Romantic music,and world premieres of new commissions.
Caitlin Hulcup
Mezzo-soprano
Australian born mezzo soprano Caitlin Hulcup founded her career singing major Strauss, Rossini, Mozart and Handel mezzo soprano roles at prominent opera houses internationally.
Recent highlights include Idamante/ Idomeneo for Opera Australia and Verdi's Requiem at the Adelaide Festival with Johannes Fritzsch, Fricka/ Das Rheingold and Die Walküre in Singapore, Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in Hong Kong with Jaap van Zweden, Mahler's Kindertotenlieder with Hartmut Haenchen and Das Lied von der Erde with the Nord Nederlands Orkest, Mahler's Symphony No. 2 at Vienna's Musikverein, St Matthew Passion with Orchestre Symphonique Montreal under Paul McCreesh, and Gluck's Orfeo at Musiikkitalo Helsinki with Fabio Biondi.
Past highlights have included Octavian / Der Rosenkavalier for Maggio Musicale Fiorentino with Zubin Mehta, the title role in Handel’s Ariodante at houses including Teatro Real Madrid and Bayerische Staatsoper Munich, Penelope/ The Return of Ulysses for The Royal Opera, Piacere / Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno at the Royal Danish Opera, Romeo/ I Capuletti e i Montecchi with Victorian Opera and Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 and Ravel, Mallarme songs with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
Tonight’s orchestra
Violin
Emma McGrath Concertmaster
Ji Won Kim Associate Concertmaster
Jennifer Owen Principal Second
Rohana O'Malley Principal First
Miranda Carson
Yue-Hong Cha
Tobias Chisnall
Michael Johnston
Elinor Lea
Susanna Low
Christopher Nicholas
Hayato Simpson
Viola
Caleb Wright Principal
Douglas Coghill
Sandra Ionescu
Anna Larsen Roach
Susanna Low
William Newbery
Cello
Jonathan Békés Principal
Ivan James
Nicholas McManus
Sophie Radke
Double Bass
Stuart Thomson Principal
Matthew McGrath
Flute
Lily Bryant Guest Principal
Braden Simm
Lloyd Hudson Principal Piccolo
Oboe
Rachel Bullen Guest Principal
Dinah Woods Principal Cor Anglais
Clarinet
Andrew Seymour Principal
Eloise Fisher Principal Bass Clarinet
Bassoon
Tahnee van Herk Principal
Melissa Woodroffe Principal Contrabassoon
Horn
Greg Stephens Principal First
Julian Leslie
Percussion
Gary Wain Principal
Harpsichord
Nathan Cox Guest Principal
Theorbo
Simon Martyn-Ellis Guest Principal
*Correct at time of publishing
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In 2020, major acoustical enhancements were made to the hall, amplifying the venue's, and the TSO's, reputation as world-class.
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Coming up
Fairy Tales
When the clock strikes 6pm, we’ll drop you right in the middle of a fantasy. Beasts, princesses and Ancient Greek wasps - oh my!
Ravel Mother Goose Suite – cinq pièces enfantine
Richard Mills Fantastic Bestiary (Double Bass Concerto) *World premiere
Vaughn Williams The Wasps, Overture
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