The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra has announced its 2018 season, with a Shakespearean theme weaving across the year – the orchestra’s 70th anniversary – culminating in two concerts inspired by Romeo and Juliet. “In October we will be giving a concert performance of Gounod’s Romeo et Juliette,” said TSO Chief Conductor and Artistic Director Marko Letonja. “This builds on the success of our operas-in-concert of recent years, Tristan und Isolde and Carmen.”

The star-studded cast of the concert performance – presented in association with Victorian Opera – will feature Slovak soprano Adriana Kučerová and Slovak tenor Pavol Breslik (highly praised in Opera Australia’s Pearlfishers) in the title roles, alongside a cast of Australian singers including David Parkin, Samuel Dundas, Sally-Anne Russell, James Eggleston, Roxane Hislop, Michael Lampard, Nathan Lay and Brenton Spiteri.

Slovak soprano Adriana Kučerová

“A week or so before Roméo et Juliette we will be performing Romeo Retold, a concert of magnificent works inspired by Shakespeare’s immortal tragedy. Romeo Retold is a special stand-alone concert to commemorate the TSO’s 70th anniversary,” said Letonja. “Yes, the TSO will enter its...