The Mahler Players open our 2024/25 season with Bruckner’s Fourth Symphony in September, continue our exploration of Wagner with two concert performances of the third Act from his opera Parsifal in November and in May 2025 we will present Mahler’s Third Symphony.
The November and May programmes will be performed in the atmospheric surroundings of Inverness Cathedral and Strathpeffer Pavilion, with the September programme a one-off performance in Inverness Cathedral to celebrate this year’s double anniversary: Bruckner 200 and Inverness Cathedral 150.
Mozart Overture to The Magic Flute
Bruckner Symphony No. 4 Romantic
Sunday 8th September – 4pm at Inverness Cathedral
(one performance only)
The Mahler Players
Conductor Tomas Leakey
Wagner
Prelude to Act 1 and the complete Act 3 from Parsifal
Saturday 2nd November – 8pm at Inverness Cathedral
Sunday 3rd November – 3pm at Strathpeffer Pavilion
Gurnemanz Sir John Tomlinson
Parsifal Julian Hubbard (replaces Peter Wedd)
Amfortas Paul Carey Jones
Kundry Barbara Scott
Conducted by Tomas Leakey (2nd November) and Anthony Negus (3rd November)
Version for chamber orchestra prepared by Matthew King
Mahler
Symphony No. 3
Saturday 31st May 2025 – 8pm at Inverness Cathedral
Sunday 1st June 2025 – 3pm at Strathpeffer Pavilion
The Mahler Players
Tomas Leakey Conductor
Laura Margaret Smith Mezzo-soprano
Version for chamber orchestra prepared by Rob Farmer
We open our 2024/25 season on 8th September with Bruckner’s Fourth Symphony, sometimes nicknamed the “Romantic”. This will be a one-off concert to celebrate two anniversaries this year: the 150th anniversary of the consecration of Inverness Cathedral and the 200th anniversary of Bruckner’s birth. For this special performance we will be presenting a full-size symphony orchestra.
In November we continue with Act 3 from Wagner’s opera Parsifal in concert. We are delighted to welcome back three extraordinary artists: Sir John Tomlinson, Peter Wedd and Paul Carey Jones. This is a chance to hear Wagnerian singing of the most extraordinary power and expression in the intimacy of our small venues. Parsifal, Wagner’s final opera, contains some of his most hauntingly beautiful music and this is sure to be an unforgettable occasion. The first performance will be conducted by Mahler Players Music Director Tomas Leakey and the second by noted Wagnerian Anthony Negus, Music Director of Longborough Festival Opera.
In May 2025 we invite you to join us as we continue our 12-year exploration of Mahler’s music, this time with the Third Symphony. Mahler famously said that a symphony “must be like the world, it must embrace everything” and in this gigantic work he fulfills that pronouncement perhaps more than in any other. This will be its first performance in the Highlands, in the new version for chamber orchestra by Rob Farmer. For Nietzsche’s “O Mensch! Gib Acht!” we will be joined by the mezzo-soprano Laura Margaret Smith.
We look forward to seeing you at some or all of our concerts.
Our venues
Inverness Cathedral and Strathpeffer Pavilion are both fully accessible. Wheelchair and companion seats can be reserved on request – please send us a message and we will be delighted to arrange this.
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What audiences say about the Mahler Players
“An orchestra and performance quality that is equal to any comparable professional organisation in this country and internationally.”
“The friends who were with me had never been to a Mahler Players concert before and they were bowled over by it.”
“I was astonished to hear the Mahler Players for the first time and hear just how good they were.“
“Last night was the first time we went to a live orchestral performance and it was wonderful. Thank you for the incredible show.“
“What an incredible standard we witnessed here in the Highlands with an excellent mix of the cream of our local musicians and World class performers. The seats are so comfortable and acoustics were excellent.“
“I found it very moving. I felt it was a real privilege that I could have the experience of music of such quality, in a relatively intimate environment and without having to travel to London or Edinburgh.“
“This is my 4th time seeing the Mahler Players. They never fail to impress with their mastery of the works they perform. Tonight was no exception and it was absolutely brilliant. Thank you!“
Our 2024/25 season is generously supported by the McDonald’s in the Community Foundation, Inverness Common Good Fund, Tony Shoults, HRI-Munro Architecture, The Wagner Society of Scotland and the members of The Mahler Circle.
