Acacia Quartet’s Italian Serenade

Acacia Quartet

The Acacia Quartet takes you on a romantic musical trip to Southern Europe in a Sunday afternoon program featuring the work of Wolf, Puccini, Peterson, Verdi and Turina.

The thrice ARIA Award-nominated ensemble performs Hugo Wolf’s Italian Serenade, Giacomo Puccini’s Crysantemi, John Peterson’s String Quartet No. 3, Giuseppe Verdi’s String Quartet and Joaquín Turina’s La Oración del Torero.

Hugo Wolf’s Italian Serenade was inspired when setting music to poems by Joseph Eichendorff, while Giacomo Puccini’s Crysantemi was written in one night after hearing about the death of his friend, the Duke of Savoy. John Peterson’s String Quartet No. 3 is a newly written,  ‘groovy’ contemporary Australian piece!

The only surviving chamber music work of the master of Romantic opera, Giuseppe Verdi, is his String Quartet. It was premiered during a production of Aida at an informal recital at Verdi’s hotel. Finally, in Spain, Joaquín Turina’s La Oración del Torero (The Toreador’s Prayer) is a dreamy reflection of longing and hope.

In just seven years Acacia Quartet – comprising violinists Lisa Stewart and Myee Clohessy, violist Stefan Duwe and cellist Anna Martin-Scrase – have won great respect for their versatile and inventive programs which couple established repertoire with the unorthodox. They have recorded six albums, three of which earned nominations for an ARIA Award for ‘Best Classical Album’ and an APRA-AMCOS Art Music ‘Award for Excellence’. Acacia is passionate about supporting Australian composers and working with young musicians. Their performances feature regularly on ABC Classic FM and Fine Music 102.5. Acacia Quartet has performed nationally in Australia, in Canada and in Germany, where they recently recorded a CD of string quartets by Günter Raphael.

The programme: Hugo Wolf – Italian Serenade | Giacomo Puccini – Crisantemi | John Peterson – String Quartet No. 3
Giuseppe Verdi – String Quartet | Joaquin Turina – La Oracion Del Torero, Op. 34

Tickets $50 | $35 conc | $25 under 30 | $20 child under 12  (includes light refreshments at interval)

Bookings: www.theindependent.org.au  or call (02) 9955 3000