The second concert in The Metropolitan Orchestra’s 2026 Met Concert Season, Flare, promises an evening of fire and elegance, bringing together three vivid, emotionally charged works and a dazzling world premiere.

Under the baton of Founder, Artistic Director and Chief Conductor Sarah-Grace Williams, this dynamic program showcases the orchestra’s remarkable versatility, from shimmering delicacy to blazing intensity, all within the exceptional acoustic setting of Verbrugghen Hall at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

Artistic Director and Chief Conductor Sarah-Grace Williams said, “This is one of those programs that completely sweeps you away. It’s vibrant, dramatic and full of incredible orchestral colour, with music that moves from absolute stillness to moments of breathtaking intensity. Audiences are going to love this journey.”

Program: Graeme Brown – Endangered Species *World Premiere*,

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov Capriccio Espagnol

Maurice Ravel – Pavane pour une infante défunte

Igor Stravinsky – The Firebird Suite (1919)

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio Espagnol bursts with energy and virtuosic brilliance, inspired by Spanish folk melodies and alive with dazzling instrumental interplay. In contrast, Maurice Ravel’s Pavane pour une infante défunte (Pavane for a dead princess) offers a moment of stillness, unfolding with luminous beauty and quiet restraint. The program culminates in the electrifying power of Igor Stravinsky’s The Firebird Suite, a masterwork of colour and rhythm that builds to one of the most triumphant finales in orchestral music.

Complementing these iconic works is the World Premiere of Endangered Species by Australian composer Graeme Brown, an evocative contemporary work reflecting on the fragility of the natural world. Together, the program moves seamlessly between intimacy and spectacle, offering audiences a richly textured musical journey that is both immediate and deeply engaging.

Graeme Brown said, ‘After a lifetime working across so many musical worlds, it’s incredibly meaningful to hear my own voice realised on this scale with The Metropolitan Orchestra, and I can’t wait to share that moment with the audience.’

From the shimmering nuance of strings to the resonant power of brass and percussion, Flare is an immersive live experience that speaks directly to the senses. Whether a seasoned concertgoer or new to orchestral music, audiences will find a program designed to captivate, excite and leave a lasting impression.

Who: Sarah-Grace Williams

What: The Metropolitan Orchestra

Where: Verbrugghen Hall, Sydney Conservatorium of Music,
1 Conservatorium Road, Sydney NSW 2000

When: Saturday 6 June 2026, 7:00 pm

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