Boo! Suspense filters through the air as nostalgic heartbeats race to the music we remember from the thriller & horror movies scenes of Jaws, Romeo & Juliet or The Witches of Eastwick.
A night of spooky classics performed by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra; conducted by James Judd and presented by ABC’s Vanessa Hughes.
James fits the theme of the night with his naturally eccentric style and thrilling energy, conducting the first dramatic piece of the night by MUSSORGSKY (1839-1881) Night on Bald Mountain. Most famous for being featured in Walt Disney’s Fantasia. The ultimate suspense is created for the evening to come.
Presenter, Vanessa, enters the stage reminding us to listen out for the “xylophone’s rattling bones” and extinguishes any fears we have about moving around or making noises (that go bump) in the night. This is a fun summer concert, she ensures.
As the audience cling to the edge of their seats, there is a surprising delicacy to witness as the strings are bowing in sync to create the teeth gritting fearful screech in The Murder by Bernard HERRMANN (1911-1975) as part of the symphony piece, Psycho: A short Suite for String Orchestra.
Fine tuning the strings to sound scarily off beat, we hear further spooky classics from SAINT-SAENS (1835-1921), Paul DUKAS (1865-1935), Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750), Sergi PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) and Hector BERLIOZ (1803-1869).
The theatrical movements from the orchestra are visually entertaining as they match the story and energy of the vigorous Jean SIBELIUS with Valse Triste (sad waltz).
The audience, so delighted with fright, they clapped twice! An encore made certain a great end to the Friday 13th Spooky performance.
An electrifying summer concert of live music and dark old tales in a historic building for those that dared to listen.
Spooky Classics, presented by The Sydney Symphony Orchestra showed as part of The City of Sydney’s Summer Concerts at Town Hall on Friday the 13th of Februa
