Ghost stories, haunted houses and horror films have long been part of Halloween traditions. This October, there’s another way to mark the season: surrounded by thousands of flickering candles while a string quartet plays some of the most chilling music ever written.
Candlelight’s A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics brings its signature candlelit concert format to St Peter’s Cathedral for one atmospheric evening. The programme weaves together classical works and popular culture favourites, all reimagined for string quartet and performed in the glow of candlelight.
The programme
The setlist spans centuries of spine-tingling composition. From the classical repertoire, expect Saint-Saëns’ Danse Macabre and Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain, both pieces that have defined the sound of the supernatural for generations of listeners.
The film and television selections are equally evocative: Michael Jackson’s Thriller, Bernard Herrmann’s score from Psycho, the synth-inspired theme from Stranger Things, and selections from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. Heard stripped back to strings and surrounded by candlelight, these familiar melodies take on new dimensions.
The setting
St Peter’s Cathedral provides exactly the kind of setting these works deserve. The Gothic Revival architecture, with its soaring ceilings and stone walls, creates natural acoustics that suit chamber music beautifully. Add thousands of candles and a programme designed around the uncanny, and you have an evening that sits somewhere between concert and ritual.
Candlelight concerts have become known internationally for transforming spaces with their signature aesthetic. The format works particularly well for seasonal events, where the atmosphere becomes part of the experience.
Details
Candlelight: Halloween Classics
Date: Friday 30 October 2026, 8.30pm
Venue: St Peter’s Cathedral, Adelaide
Tickets: feverup.com/m/700731
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