The Sydney Symphony Orchestra has announced its 2019 season, which features new appointments, blockbuster concerts and big-name guest artists. Next year’s season is both Emma Dunch’s first as CEO and David Robertson’s final season as Chief Conductor and Artistic Director – and the maestro is going out with a bang, the season’s highlights including the return of Chinese superstar pianist Lang Lang and a concert performance of Benjamin Britten’s Peter Grimes starring Stuart Skelton and Nicole Car. The season will also see the SSO gearing up for 2020, during which the Sydney Opera House’s Renewal project will mean the orchestra won’t be able to perform in the Opera House’s Concert Hall.

With 2019 being Robertson’s final year, no new Artistic Director announced, and the disruption ahead as a result of the Sydney Opera House Renewal, the SSO has announced a series of new multi-year appointments. “This is a transition year in certain ways so that was one of the things we thought about,” Robertson told Limelight. “How does the SSO move to the next chapter?”

For his part, Robertson has committed to returning to perform programs with the SSO in both 2020 and...