Did you know WA had a Richard Wagner Society??
The society is helping celebrate Wagner’s 200th birthday with a concert at St George’s College (Nedlands) on Sunday 19th May. The concert starts at 4pm and includes drinks, birthday cake and performances by Fiona McAndrew, Robert Hofmann, Alexandra Leonzini, Mark Coughlan, Paul Wright, James Ledger and Alessandro Pittorino.

Also on Sunday the St Paul’s Chapel Choir (John Septimus Roe School) are performing Vierne’s Messe Solennelle for choir and two organs at St Patrick’s Basilica.

Voyces are a new and exciting choral group with lots of contemporary and Australian music in their repertoire. I am keen to check them out. They are singing at Trinity College on Saturday 25th, 7:30pm.

Stravinsky is also having a birthday – at least, his Rite of Spring is turning 100. I think this piece of music is exciting enough without the birthday bling marketing. But that is publicity for you! On Sunday 26th the UWA School of Music are putting together a 170-strong orchestra to perform Rite of Spring and they will also collaborate with UWA Choral Society for Rachmaninov’s exuberant The Bells.

We don’t get enough opera in Perth so if you are a fan you will appreciate that WAAPA is performing Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas and Ricci’s La Serva e l’Ussero. The season opens on Wednesday 29th of May and will sell out so be quick with tickets.

The Australian String Quartet are in town again on Thursday 30th for their tour with cellist Timo-Veikko. On the program is Haydn’s ‘Lark’ Quartet, Bartok’s 3rd Quartet and Schubert’s Quintet in C.

Happy musicking!