Queensland Performing Arts Centre Announces Upcoming Hamburg Season Events

Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) has announced the formation of a Brisbane choir that will play a key role in The Hamburg Season. The Hamburg Season is the 2012 offering within the QPAC International Series to be presented this month by QPAC and Events Queensland.

On 24 August 2012, two of the three Hamburg companies performing exclusively in Brisbane for The Hamburg Season, the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra with soloists from the Hamburg State Opera, will present Mahler’s powerful Symphony No.2, Resurrection in QPAC’s Concert Hall.

QPAC Chief Executive John Kotzas said that a range of choristers from across South-East Queensland have been selected to perform in the last movement of the Resurrection Symphony.

“The Hamburg Season is a highlight of QPAC’s 2012 program and the Mahler performance on 24 August will be a special occasion for some very talented Queenslanders,” Mr Kotzas said.

“The choir, named the Brisbane Mahler Chorus, has been formed by QPAC over the last few months with Emily Cox appointed as Chorus Master. Cox is a notable figure in Australian choral music and has been the Music Director of the Brisbane Chorale since 2003. The Brisbane Chorale will provide the core of the choir with around 90 of its members taking part in the performance.

“QPAC also conducted a number of auditions to secure a total of around 130 voices required for the chorus. The auditions have resulted in members from 14 South-East Queensland choirs being represented in the Brisbane Mahler Chorus.

“Members of the Brisbane Mahler Chorus are now in rehearsals and awaiting their big moment; the hand over to internationally awarded conductor, Simone Young, just days prior to their performance,” Mr Kotzas said.

“The unique opportunity available to local artists to work closely with leading international arts companies is a desired outcome for QPAC’s International Series.”

Simone Young is the Australian-born conductor who has continued to make her musical mark as the General Manager and Music Director of the Hamburg State Opera and Music Director of the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra. Young is recognised as a leading conductor of her generation and is the first female to conduct the complete Ring Cycle of Richard Wagner. Young has said the role this local chorus plays in this performance is significant.

”The chorus is one of the most powerful moments in a musical work. It is immensely moving and powerful and provides a conclusion to this massive symphony which is at once both physically impressive in its size and deeply emotional in its impact," Young said.

The fourteen choirs represented in the Brisbane Mahler Chorus are:

Brisbane Chorale, Brisbane Concert Choir, Canticum Chamber Choir, Cathedral Singers, Lucian Singers, Opera Queensland Chorus, Pro Musica Singers, QPAC Choir, Queensland Conservatorium Chamber Singers, Queensland University Musical Society, St. John’s Cathedral Choir, The Queensland Choir, UQ Chamber Choir and UQ Chorale.

The QPAC International Series is supported by Events Queensland as part of a continuing partnership with the Queensland Performing Arts Centre.

Simone Young is presented with the support of Griffith University.

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