Every half decade the West Australian Symphony Orchestra celebrates their relationship with guest conductor laureate Vladimir Verbitsky with a gala concert. And why not? It’s a partnership of deep mutual respect and Verbitsky’s passionate conducting is much-beloved by audiences.

Since becoming guest conductor in 1987 Verbitsky has conducted the jewels of the Russian repertoire, introduced countless Russian soloists and witnessed many changes at WASO including the tenures of four chief conductors. There has also been a huge growth in musicianship. For the 25th anniversary celebrations in 2012 Verbitsky described the orchestra as a “really fantastic orchestra, professional on the world stage.” In a recent interview he went one step further and declared them to be “the best orchestra in Australia at the moment.”

For the 30th anniversary gala concert Verbitsky programmed two large-scale Russians works: Rachmaninov’s The Bells and Tchaikovsky’s Manfred Symphony. Both programmatic works were inspired by 19th-century poetry and quote the Dies irae from the Catholic mass for the dead. The Bells also provided an opportunity to profile the WASO chorus who are currently in top form.

Tchaikovsky’s Manfred Symphony depicts Byron’s tortured, guilt-stricken hero Manfred and is one of the great programme symphonies of the 19th century. Verbitsky established...