Symphonic Cinema: The Planets - Rebecca Lagos Performs Westlake

Symphonic Cinema: The Planets – Rebecca Lagos Performs Westlake Dive into an unforgettable cinematic experience where Gustav Holst’s timeless masterpiece meets contemporary film and virtuoso performance. In this world‑premier presentation, the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall transforms into a shared space of wonder and reflection as Emma Thompson and Greg Wise guide a silent film by Dutch director Lucas van Woerkum through the vastness of the cosmos and the intimacy of human experience. Van Woerkum serves as a cinema soloist, synchronizing his moving images in real‑time with the orchestra’s swell, turning each frame into a dreamlike, luminous tableau. The program is elevated by Australian composer Nigel Westlake, a seasoned film music maestro noted for award‑winning scores on *Babe*, *Paper Planes*, and *Ali’s Wedding*. His percussion concerto, *When the Clock Strikes Me…*, written for the Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s Principal Percussionist Rebecca Lagos, opens the journey with a vibrant exploration of space and time. Conductor in Residence Benjamin Northey leads the orchestra through this compelling blend of music and motion, while Westlake’s 2025 revision of the concerto adds fresh depth to the performance, supported by Geoff Stearn. Join us for an extraordinary fusion of orchestral grandeur and cinematic storytelling—an occasion that promises to be as mysterious, luminous, and unforgettable as the planets themselves.