In 2010, 4MBS staged the first performance in 30 years of the mammoth Gothic Symphony.
Written by British composer Havergal Brian, it is said to be the world’s largest, longest, and most technically difficult symphony.
It was such a highly anticipated event that ABC TV commissioned a documentary on the performance. A film crew followed the behind-the-scenes activity for seven years and filmed the performance in the QPAC Concert Hall. In 2012, the documentary screened nationally on ABC TV. The Curse of the Gothic Symphony told the story of our epic journey to stage this extraordinary work for the first time outside of the UK. The feature-length documentary screened to great acclaim at the Melbourne and Brisbane International Film Festivals.
Bill McGlaughlin, WFMT, Chicago“The Gothic Symphony was the most exciting event in classical music in 2010 and it was produced by Classic Arts in Brisbane Australia”
Jim Schembri, Sydney Morning Herald“A great documentary about persistence, artistic temperament and the inestimable value of facing adversity with humour.”
