Pinchgut Opera - Rediscovered and Reimagined.

Goldberg
Variations

J.S.Bach
Performed by Erin Helyard

March 1–2, 2025
City Recital Hall, Sydney

Goldberg Variations

by Johann Sebastian Bach

Performed by Erin Helyard

Venue

City Recital Hall, Sydney

Duration

70 minutes, no interval

To preserve the integrity of this immersive performance, a strict lock-out policy will be in place. Latecomers will not be admitted into the auditorium, and re-entry will not be permitted once the performance has begun. Please ensure you arrive with plenty of time to find your seats before the start time.

"Goldbergs is a universe of all the elements of Baroque music."

Step into a world of intricate beauty and sublime artistry as Erin Helyard performs Bach’s Goldberg Variations.

This monumental work, composed to soothe and enchant, offers a meditative journey through thirty variations on a single, elegant aria. It remains a testament to Bach’s musical genius and continues to enthrall audiences with its profound creativity.

Pinchgut’s first event in the 2025 season was a rare opportunity to hear Bach’s beloved music on the harpsichord, the instrument it was originally composed for, performed by Australia’s preeminent harpsichord specialist, Pinchgut’s celebrated Artistic Director, Erin Helyard.

The audience experienced the virtuosity and emotional depth of Bach’s music as Erin brought each variation to life with his exceptional skill and comprehensive understanding of Baroque performance.

This was an intimate encounter with one of classical music’s most cherished compositions. Let the Goldberg Variations envelop you in serenity and uplifting beauty.

"Pinchgut’s 2025 season begins with one of the most famous arias in music: and yet there are no words, and no voice. It is the opening aria of the Goldberg Variations, or, in its original formulation, an ‘aria with diverse variations for a harpsichord with two manuals’. Although the Goldbergs are heard sporadically in Australia on the piano, it is a rare occasion indeed to hear them on a harpsichord, the instrument Bach intended. This is one of the greatest monuments of Western art, and a towering testament to the genius and virtuosity of Bach. Constructed artfully as a series of alternating canons and hand-crossing gymnastics of increasing complexity and beauty, it combines virtuosity and expression with a compositional finesse that was really only equalled by Beethoven’s Diabelli Variations. I’m excited to present the Goldbergs in public in the glorious acoustic of the City Recital Hall on a beautiful two-manual harpsichord handcrafted by Australian master-builder Carey Beebe."

Artists

Erin Helyard

Artistic Director / Conductor

Damien Cooper

Lighting Designer

Often heard on piano, this is a chance to experience the iconic masterpiece in all its original brilliance, played on a two-manual harpsichord, just as Bach intended. The instrument’s rich textures and tones reveal intricate layers of sound, offering a uniquely immersive sonic experience.