The Tempest by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra - Review

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Sat 03 May 2025

On the evening of May 3rd, the Concert Hall at QPAC was transformed into Shakespeare’s mythical island, where storms rage, spirits sing, and magic courses through every breeze. In The Tempest, the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, under the precise and impassioned direction of Umberto Clerici, offered more than a concert - it was a rich tapestry of storytelling and sound, artfully narrated by one of Australia’s theatrical treasures, John Bell.

From the moment Honegger’s Prelude to The Tempest opened the evening, the audience was plunged into the chaos and energy of a storm-tossed sea. Honegger’s bold brass and tense strings conjured a tempest as vivid as Shakespeare's own, setting the tone for a night where drama and music danced in perfect partnership.


John Bell, as narrator, was nothing short of spellbinding. His voice - seasoned, resonant, and nuanced - wove Shakespeare’s language into the orchestral fabric with astonishing ease. More than a narrator, Bell became Prospero himself: commanding, reflective, and profoundly human. His presence grounded the concert, bridging the centuries between Shakespeare’s pen and the modern concert hall with deep reverence and clarity.

The selection of Sibelius’ incidental music, drawn from his Tempest suites, provided a vast emotional range - from the innocence of Miranda to the grotesque plotting of Caliban. Particularly affecting was the Intermezzo, a mournful string and harp dialogue that floated like sea mist, delicate yet profound. The Chorus of the Winds, with its shimmering harp and subtle turbulence, was a quiet marvel, balancing Ariel’s ethereal presence with the lingering threat of nature.

Purcell’s brief but stately Overture offered a historical counterpoint, reminding the audience of how Shakespeare’s works were adapted into early musical theatre in the 17th century. It served as a moment of ceremonial reflection before the centre-piece of the program: Tchaikovsky’s The Tempest Fantasy-Overture.

This final work was a tour de force. Clerici drew lush, sweeping dynamics from the orchestra, capturing the narrative arc of Prospero’s journey with cinematic grandeur. The love theme for Miranda and Ferdinand bloomed with balletic grace, while the storm passages were tempestuous yet controlled, anchored by powerful brass and surging strings. Tchaikovsky’s music, richly emotional and structurally symmetrical, gave the audience a full-circle experience, beginning and ending with the sea, as if we too had weathered Shakespeare’s storm.



Throughout the performance, Clerici conducted with a storyteller’s instinct, highlighting not only the musical phrasing but the emotional heartbeat of each piece. His rapport with the orchestra was evident; this was a deeply collaborative performance, shaped by trust and shared vision.

In combining Shakespeare’s poetry, Bell’s masterful narration, and orchestral works that spanned centuries, The Tempest was more than a concert - it was a meditation on power, forgiveness, and transformation.

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