Saturday 26 September & 27 September 2026 at Strathfield Town Hall

Every year, Sada gets to choose a big symphony. This year it is Shostakovich 5! Introduced by Bernstein’s Candide Overture, followed by Sibelius Violin Concerto, this is one not to miss.

Program Highlights:

• Bernstein – Overture to Candide: glittering, high-energy curtain-raiser for his comic operetta. Combining his trademark bravura jazz rhythms with classical flair, it whirls through several memorable melodies from the show, delivering a breathless, theatrical dash of witty optimism and chaos.
• Sibelius – Violin Concerto: unique for its symphonic scope and deep Nordic melancholy. The solo violin spins a haunting, virtuosic melody against the orchestra, notably featuring a massive cadenza within the dramatic first movement. Its finale is often called a “polonaise for polar bears.”
• Shostakvich – Symphony No.5: famously subtitled “A Soviet artist’s practical creative reply to just criticism.” Written during Stalin’s purges, its tragic first movement and profound Largo give way to a finale of highly ambiguous triumph, expressing both public conformity and private despair.

Program:

Bernstein – Overture to Candide
Sibelius – Violin Concerto
Shostakvich – Symphony No.5