Profound and nostalgic, The Summer Portraits is a lush full-band album inspired by a series of oil paintings displayed in a holiday villa. Arguably his most personal yet, the album captures the essence of carefree days filled with freedom, discovery and unforgettable moments. It also has a special Sydney connection. Einaudi composed the opening track, Rose Bay, shortly before his most recent performance at the Opera House. The piece was inspired by his maternal grandfather, Waldo Aldrovandi, a prestigious opera conductor who emigrated in the 1930s in protest at Italy’s fascist government.
Einaudi’s career spans multi-million-selling albums, critically acclaimed film and television scores including the Oscar and Golden Globe winning films The Intouchables, Nomadland and The Father– a haunting performance from atop an iceberg in the Arctic Ocean for Greenpeace. He’s the world’s most streamed classical artist – with nine billion streams a year – and more recently became a TikTok phenomenon, clocking up more than 15 billion views and seven million video creations for his track Experience.
Sydney Opera House Head of Contemporary Music, Ben Marshall said, “Ludovico Einaudi’s profound connection to Sydney audiences began with his rapturously received Australian debut performance at Sydney Opera House in 2013 and has grown into this monumental, record-breaking Concert Hall residency over six summer evenings. The maestro’s mesmerising live performances encompass intricate emotional universes from his new album and classics from across his lauded career, transporting audiences as only Einaudi can. It also closes a creative loop that began when Einaudi last played the Concert Hall and began work on the opening track of The Summer Portraits – a uniquely Sydney story by an especially loved artist.”
EVENT DETAILS
WHO: Ludovico Einaudi
WHEN: Friday 23 – Thurs 29 January 2026, 8pm
WHERE: Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House
TICKETS: From $139.90 + booking fee // sydneyoperahouse.com
