What A Beautiful Idea

I received this release from the Sydney Festival Media Unit today. If you missed the beautiful Dawn Chorus performances during the festival, then this is the perfect way to catch one of the highlights of January.


And you can help out the victims of the bushfire tragedy in Victoria all at the same time.

MEDIA RELEASE

February 11 2009

Victorian Bushfires Fundraising Event

Sydney Festival, Sydney Philharmonia Choirs and Sydney Opera House present a special performance of

Dawn Chorus

The Monumental Stairs, Sydney Opera House

Sunday February 15, 2009 at 6.00am

Conductor Brett Weymark

Performed by Sydney Philharmonia Choirs

The loss of life and massive destruction in the ongoing bushfires in Victoria are devastating. In support of the Red Cross Victorian Bushfire Appeal, Sydney Festival, Sydney Philharmonia Choirs and Sydney Opera House will present a special fundraising performance of Dawn Chorus on Sunday 15 February on The Monumental Stairs of Sydney Opera House.

Dawn Chorus was part of the 2009 Sydney Festival program. Performed at a different beach each Saturday throughout January, the event featured new and existing choral works, performed by the 120 voices of Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. The response was overwhelming, with a total of more than 13,500 people attending.

In support of the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal, Sydney Festival, Sydney Philharmonia Choirs and Sydney Opera House are coming together to present a special encore of Dawn Chorus. Festival volunteers will be on hand to collect donations. All donations will go to the Red Cross Victorian Bushfire Appeal.

The choir will sing a selection of a Capella works. No staging, no sound amplification, no artificial lighting – just the simplicity of the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs in one of the Australia’s most iconic settings.

The power of Dawn Chorus lies not only in the music, but in the hour of both reflection and quiet hope.

Directed by Brett Weymark, Dawn Chorus features works by Hildegard, Lauridsen, Gorecki and Tavener as well as specially commissioned works by contemporary Australian composers Iain Grandage, Raffaele Marcellino, John Peterson and Dan Walker.

Where The Monumental Stairs, Sydney Opera House
When Sunday February 15 at 6.00am
Duration 45–60 mins, no interval

Price BY DONATION

Information Sydney Festival volunteers will be collecting donations for Red Cross
The Sydney Opera House Wilson Car Park will be open at 5.00am

www.sydneyfestival.org.au