Jess Gillam may only be 25, but the British saxophonist is already a star.
With her natural energy, infectious personality and talent to spare, she was the first saxophonist to reach the finals of BBC Young Musician and the youngest-ever soloist to perform at the Last Night of the Proms. An extraordinary talent, she has already been awarded honours for services to music.
And can she play.
Her natural effervescence makes her the perfect choice for Michael Nyman's Where the Bee Dances. This marriage of saxophone and orchestra launches with expressive, driving rhythms and an irresistible arrangement. Gillam brings her vivid and bright playing to the piece, losing herself in its swirling drive. Don't miss this exuberant and entirely original performer.
Rachmaninov's Symphonic Dances forms the ideal companion work.
Run time
The Symphony Hour performance on Thursday 18 July will run for approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes.
The Tea & Symphony performance on Friday 19 July will run for approximately 1 hour.
Programme
RAVEL La Valse*
MICHAEL NYMAN: Where the Bee Dances
RACHMANINOV: Symphonic Dances
Thursday 18 July performance only
Concert Hall
One of the world’s most sought after venues, the Concert Hall is a performance space like no other. With its cathedral like ambience and unrivalled majesty, standing on this very special stage will see you deliver a performance to remember.
In July 2022, the Opera House completed extensive upgrades to the Concert Hall. The multi-million-dollar project delivered extensive improvements to the venue, including: better acoustics for artists and audiences, enhanced access for people with mobility needs, new state-of-the-art theatre machinery and staging systems, and a more flexible and safer working environment for staff behind-the-scenes.
Our foyers will be open 90 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and two hours pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Refreshments will be available for purchase from our theatre bars. Please remember to maintain physical distancing whilst consuming drinks in our foyers.
All Sydney Opera House foyers are pram accessible, with lifts to the main and western foyers. The public lift to all foyers is accessible from the corridor near the escalators on the Lower Concourse and also in the Western Foyer via the corridor on the Ground Level (at the top of the escalators). Pram parking will be available outside the theatres in the Western Foyer consistent with COVID-safe rules.