Matt Hewson
The Geelong Symphony Orchestra (GSO) welcomes back acclaimed conductor Dr Mario Dobernig for its second concert of the season, Shall We Dance, at Costa Hall this month.
Austrian-born Dr Dobernig will lead the GSO through a program containing some of the best-loved themes of all time, including Debussy’s Prelude to the Afternoon of the Faun, Saint-Saëns’ Danse Macabre, a flute fantasy on Bizet’s Carmen and Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake Ballet Suite.
The performance will also feature young flautist Lily Bryant, winner of the 2022 Australian Youth Classical Music Competition, as soloist on the Carmen Fantasy.
GSO president, Wendy Galloway OAM, said she was looking forward to a day of charming music.
“The program for Shall We Dance is very appealing, and I would love to see families come along because it’s very beautiful, tuneful stuff,” she said.
“One of the reasons we have the Geelong Symphony Orchestra is to make it accessible for families to experience the wonders of symphonic music.
“Because a symphony orchestra is a miracle, you know; you get all these people on stage working away, doing their thing, and it all comes together as a marvellous whole.”
Mrs Galloway said the orchestra was looking forward to working with both Dr Dobernig and Ms Bryant.
“Dr Mario Dobernig is a very distinguished musician from Vienna who’s taken Australian nationality and does a lot of work with orchestras in Melbourne, interstate and internationally,” she said.
“He likes working with us and we love working with him, he’s very charming and charismatic.
“Lily, the soloist, is a young flute player from Melbourne who won the Geelong (Australian Youth) Classical Music Competition last year, and as well as winning that $20,000 travelling scholarship she’s picked up a mentorship with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
“She’s really, really on the way, and I think she is probably one of Australia’s great flute players. So she’ll be wonderful and the Carmen Fantasy is a very spectacular piece, I’m looking forward to it myself.”
The GSO presents Shall We Dance at 3pm Saturday, May 13 at Costa Hall. Tickets are available at geelongartscentre.org.au or at the box office.
