Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra: First Light

A clarinet melody, rising like the sun from shimmering strings. Five of Australia's most brilliant musicians. Works beloved and new from an age of discovery, emotion and light.

ARCO's First Light takes in a sweep of classical quartets, including the buoyant Mozart K.157, the melancholy Cavatina from Beethoven's Op.130, and a brilliant new ocean-inspired work by Brisbane composer Nicole Murphy. At the pinnacle is Haydn's Sunrise quartet in a sparkling 18th-century clarinet arrangement by Vincenzo Gambaro, an Italian clarinettist and entrepreneur who arranged pieces by his friends Beethoven, Haydn and Mozart to highlight the clarinet's lush tones. 

First Light brings five principals from the Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra into the intimacy of chamber music, including co-artistic directors and long-time musical friends Rachael Beesley (violin) and Nicole van Bruggen (clarinet). They're joined by Alison Rayner (violin), Stephen King (viola) and Natasha Kraemer (cello) – all nationally and internationally acclaimed experts in historically informed performance.

Repertoire/Program

Vincenzo GAMBARO (1772–1828)
Clarinet Quartet No. 1 in B-flat major
arranged from string quartets by Joseph Haydn

Franz SCHUBERT (1797–1828)
String Quartet No. 7 in D major, D.94 (1811)

Interval (20 mins)

Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756–1791)
String Quartet No. 4 in C major, K.157 (1772)

Nicole MURPHY (b. 1984) Wavelength
for historical basset clarinet and string quartet (2024)

Part of Glasshouse SELECT 2026 Theatre Program