When French composer Maurice Ravel wrote his ethereal Pavane pour une infante défunte, he’d been dreaming of the long-lost melodies that may once have inspired a young Spanish princess to dance. Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring shares a French connection as it premiered shortly after in a Parisian theatre, but the story of this ballet music is much darker. It culminates with the raw and frenetic rhythms of a sacrificial dance, sounding wild enough to send audiences into an uproar at the first performance.

The musical tales on this program are centred around Are there any questions? – an Australian composition from our 2026 Composer in Residence Joe Chindamo. It takes its name from the final line of Margaret Atwood’s chilling dystopic novel The Handmaid’s Tale. Hear Chindamo’s piece for the first time on this narrative-fuelled program. It’s music to leave you thinking deeply about the world you live in – and the worlds that live inside you.