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Director Cameron Menzies

by Deborah Humble 28th April, 2014
by Deborah Humble 28th April, 2014
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Multi-talented Melbourne director Cameron Menzies has recently been very much in demand and it is not surprising that he is  in London directing a new production of Don Giovanni for Britain’s foremost chamber opera company DivaOpera. Deborah Humble interviewed Menzies just before the opera’s opening in London on April 30 and talks about the director’s recent achievements.

Since 2009 Cameron Menzies has been artistic director of opera for the City of Stonnington, managing to take the annual event from a “best of the pops” focus to a concert of original language opera that this summer drew a crowd of more than 6000 in the Victoria Gardens, Armadale.

He directed and was executive producer for the closing event of the Melbourne Indigenous Arts Festival in February this year, a piece entitled William and Mary telling the story of an interracial marriage in the 1940s between Aboriginal William and wealthy Scots woman Mary Onus.

He created the script for STATUS, a play about people living with, and affected by HIV/AIDS which will be the premiere event at AIDS 2014 Melbourne with over 14,000 international delegates expected to attend. Last but not least he recently received his second consecutive nomination for Best Director for the Green Room Awards for a new operatic version of Norman Lindsay’s The Magic Pudding.

With all this success under his belt it is not surprising that Cameron was chosen to direct Don Giovanni. After its London opening the production will tour around the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and France.

I caught up with Cameron in London and asked him to share his thoughts on directing opera.

Q: What do you think are the necessary skills required to be a good opera director?

A: There are SO many facets that make up a good director. Being a good director is about making sure you have as much clarity in your communication as in your vision. If you are clear then people know how to engage with what you are doing and asking them to do.

I really do believe that to be a good director of opera you need to have a degree of musical training. It is very handy as a young director to be able to musically, as well as dramatically justify why you want to do a certain thing or why a certain conceptual idea is important.  It always helps to win over a conductor when musically you can hold your own in a room. Understanding the text that has inspired the music is also important. I start with the text then I look at the music.

Aside from pure artistic understanding, good time management and being able to work and collaborate with your cast and artistic team is vital. It is important to have an understanding of how each department works and to gather up language or jargon from the different areas. If you can speak to wardrobe in a way they appreciate and understand then you are going to be more clearly understood yourself and the same goes for the production side of things.

Q: How do you help singers get the best out of their on-stage work? How much input do you give them? How much freedom?

A: I see each character on stage as kind of like a page in a book all feeding back into the central spine of a work. In order for my production to work each member of the cast needs to know how they exist within the story telling.

As a director I always like to know what a singer is thinking about their character and how he/she sees the character in relation to the others and where they fit into the scheme of things. But I also like to ask singers why their character exists in the opera. This gives me an insight into how similarly or differently we may see the same thing. Ultimately it is the singer who has to make a character very real for the audience so I am keen to get their input. This is not to say, however, that they have free reign.

In the rehearsal process I initially allow singers a lot of freedom; they try different things to see if they work. Even though I always have a strong concept in mind it is sometimes in these moments of exploration that something even better than the original idea is discovered. Coming to idea together means you have joint ownership and in my experience this always serves to consolidate a performance.

I encourage open dialogue but eventually definitive decisions need to be made about each moment and sometimes you have to impose yourself upon the process for the clarity of story telling. I never want to bully a singer into doing something particular, but as my mentor Hayes Gordon OAM would always say, “Theatre is not a democracy, it’s an emphatic, autocratic world.”

Q: Is there a difference in your perspective between directing an opera and directing a theatre piece?

A: Whilst there are a lot of differences between a play and an opera, directing them is not so far apart. Obviously they are not the same beast by any means, but with a play you still have to find the understanding and clarity of each moment as well as it’s own tempo and pitch. Working on a piece by someone like Tennessee Williams you find it has quite a strict tempo. Just as in opera a Verdi tempo and pitch is different to a Mozart tempo and pitch; each piece I take on be it a play, opera, music theatre,cabaret or film you have to find the specifics of each story you are telling.

I do approach actors and singers quite differently however, as their training is so completely different. Actors and singers come to the stage with their own set of tools and my job is to bring out the different skill sets.

Q: How does a small budget impact a big opera?

A: Budget always has an impact. Even if I know I have a limited budget I start with the multi million idea in my head and then keep distilling down to what I can afford in terms of set.  I think you have to decide what are the one or two things you cannot compromise on to create your production and stick to your guns regarding those. You need to think in terms of theatre practice; the idea of suggestion. Spaces can be created physically with actors. That being said, most of the time we would rather work with a bigger, rather than a smaller budget!

Q: You were awarded the 2008 Bayreuth Opera Award and the Deutscher  Akademischer Austausch Dienst as well as the 2011 Berlin new Music Award. What did your time in Germany teach you about foreign opera productions as compared to those in Australia?

A: In 2008 I spent 3 months working on a new production of Wagner’s Tannhauser directed by Kirsten Harms  and in 2011 I studied and worked on music composed in Germany after 1945 as well as how Jewish music has been performed in Germany since world War II.

Both experiences taught me that a strong directorial voice was what was going to allow me to forge my own career as a director and not as an assistant or as a resident director of a company. I also noted that the Germans conceptualise to a very German understanding, and this got me thinking about opera in Australia.

Are we conceptualizing productions enough to Australian sensibilities? I am not saying that everything need to be set around the BBQ, or, God forbid the football field, but I do see myself out there in those characters. This sounds far fetched, but, scientifically, light travels faster than sound, and therefore it stands to reason that if the visual impact of a work holds my attention I am more likely to listen for longer until my ears catch up.

I will most likely always be a director who is rooted in the narrative. And a director who feels it is his duty to pull the story off the page and not to impose myself across it. The regie theatre that has been so popular in Germany was great to see and be a part of, but my direction will, I imagine, always be inspired and challenged firstly by the narrative.

Q: Any future Australian projects you can discuss?

A: Once I leave London I will return to Australia to direct Pecan Summer which is Australia’s first indigenous opera composed by Deborah Cheetham. The cast consist of both indigenous and non-indigenous singers trained through Short Black Opera Company. I directed the Perth premiere back in 2012 and will be directing the Adelaide premiere season.

I am also doing an operatic reworking of Alice in Wonderland for children in collaboration with the Melbourne Recital Centre. It ill be an immersive experience through a maze-like space where the children will be lead into each room by the white rabbit. It will finish with all the children sitting around the Mad Hatter’s tea party.

 

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Deborah Humble

Mezzo-Soprano Deborah Humble is one of Australia’s best-known and most successful opera singers, and your guide to the 2016 Wagner Ring Cycle in Melbourne.

After gaining a Bachelor of Music from the University of Adelaide and a Masters Degree from the University of Melbourne Deborah was a member of the Victoria State Opera Young Artist Programme. Having been a Principal Artist for both Opera Australia and The State Opera of Hamburg she has embarked upon a freelance career which takes her all over the world.

Recognised internationally for her performances of Verdi and Wagner, Deborah’s recent engagements include Erda in Das Rheingold with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, Brangaene in Tristan and Isolde with the Mexico City Symphony, Amneris in Aida for Opera Australia, Alisa in Lucia di Lamermoor for the Theatro Mario del Monaco in Treviso, Erda in Siegfried for the Boston Symphony, Verdi’s Requiem at the Sage Concert Hall in the UK, Mahler’s Symphony No 8 at the Esplanade Theatre in Singapore, Elgar’s The Kingdom for the Melbourne Bach Choir and Ring Cycles in Hamburg, Halle, Bari, Ludwigshafen and Melbourne.

Future engagements include Mary in The Flying Dutchman with Opera Lille, Erda in Siegfried with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, recorded for Naxos, Venus in Tannhauser in Edinburgh and concert engagements in Auckland and Perth.

Her recordings include Clarissa in The Love for Three Oranges with Opera Australia for Chandos, a complete Der Ring des Nibelungen with the Hamburg State Opera released on the Oehms label, Offenbach’s La Belle Helene with the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris for Deutsche Gramophone and Mozart’s Il Sogno di Scipione for EMI.

Deborah was a recipient of Australia’s prestigious Dame Joan Sutherland Scholarship, a finalist in the 2008 International Wagner Competition in Seattle, and was recently included in the Who’s Who of Australian Women. This year Deborah returned to Australia to act as a mentor in The Dame Nellie Melba Trust Programme for young opera singers and to adjudicate The City of Sydney Eisteddfod Opera Aria Scholarship.

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Events Calendar

42 events found.
  • June 2025

Calendar of Events

M Mon

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2 events, 26

2025-05-20

FOOTLOOSE: THE MUSICAL

FOOTLOOSE: THE MUSICAL

Event Series
May 20 @ 7:00 pm - June 1 @ 9:00 pm Event Series

FOOTLOOSE: THE MUSICAL

Get ready to cut loose!

The 80s phenomenon Footloose is hitting Australia—bigger, bolder, and more explosive than ever! This brand-new remastered production will have you dancing in the aisles to the iconic hits you know and love, including Holding Out for a Hero, Almost Paradise, Let’s Hear It for the Boy, and, of course, the unforgettable title track, Footloose.

Join Ren, the city kid turned rebel with a cause, as he shakes up a small town where music and dancing are outlawed. With electrifying choreography, a feel-good story, and sizzling Australian talent, this smash-hit musical will leave you on your feet and cheering for more.
Don’t miss the fun, energy, and 80s nostalgia—playing for a strictly limited 3-week season.

$69 – $199
8:00 am - 9:30 pm

Paul McMillan – Berio to Bach

May 26 @ 8:00 am - 9:30 pm

Paul McMillan – Berio to Bach

Paul McMillan, viola PROGRAM Luciano BERIO   Viola Sequenza 6 Brett DEAN Intimate Decisions Matthew LAING  Liebeslied J. S. BACH   Cello…

$22

4 events, 27

2025-05-20

FOOTLOOSE: THE MUSICAL

6:30 pm - 7:45 pm

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Open Rehearsal with Elim Chan

May 27 @ 6:30 pm - 7:45 pm

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Open Rehearsal with Elim Chan

Take a peek behind the scenes at an open rehearsal with conductor Elim Chan. Join us for an hour in some…

$15.00 – $19.00
7:00 pm - 10:00 pm Event Series

Opera Australia: Hades Town

May 27 @ 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm Event Series

Opera Australia: Hades Town

Presented by: Opera Australia & JONES Theatrical Group Two legendary love stories. One unforgettable journey. HADESTOWN is now playing at Her…

$58 – $199
7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Sophie Rowell and Kristian Chong play Sutherland and Beethoven

May 27 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Sophie Rowell and Kristian Chong play Sutherland and Beethoven

Violinist Sophie Rowell is newly appointed to the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music as Associate Professor in Violin. Sophie and pianist Kristian…

4 events, 28

2025-05-20

FOOTLOOSE: THE MUSICAL

1:00 pm - 3:30 pm Event Series

Opera Australia: Hades Town

May 28 @ 1:00 pm - 3:30 pm Event Series

Opera Australia: Hades Town

Presented by: Opera Australia & JONES Theatrical Group Two legendary love stories. One unforgettable journey. HADESTOWN is now playing at Her…

$58 – $199
7:30 pm - 10:00 pm Event Series

Opera Australia: Hades Town

May 28 @ 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm Event Series

Opera Australia: Hades Town

Presented by: Opera Australia & JONES Theatrical Group Two legendary love stories. One unforgettable journey. HADESTOWN is now playing at Her…

$58 – $199
8:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Celebrating 60 years of Music at Monash – Concert 1

May 28 @ 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Celebrating 60 years of Music at Monash – Concert 1

Students from the Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music & Performance. Eliza Henson Gregg & Liesl Parnell, violin Layla Maitri, viola…

Free

4 events, 29

2025-05-20

FOOTLOOSE: THE MUSICAL

7:30 pm - 9:40 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Grieg’s Piano Concerto

May 29 @ 7:30 pm - 9:40 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Grieg’s Piano Concerto

From the noirish to the dramatic. Every note in Grieg’s Piano Concerto is a delight, from the iconic opening to the…

$75 – $139
7:30 pm - 10:00 pm Event Series

Opera Australia: Hades Town

May 29 @ 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm Event Series

Opera Australia: Hades Town

Presented by: Opera Australia & JONES Theatrical Group Two legendary love stories. One unforgettable journey. HADESTOWN is now playing at Her…

$58 – $199
8:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Ensemble Offspring – Double Symmetry

May 29 @ 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Ensemble Offspring – Double Symmetry

Véronique Serret, violin Blair Harris, cello PROGRAM Erkki-Sven TÜÜR Synergie Kate MOORE Song of Ropes (solo cello) Cathy MILLIKEN Crie (solo…

$25 – $35

3 events, 30

2025-05-20

FOOTLOOSE: THE MUSICAL

7:30 pm - 10:00 pm Event Series

Opera Australia: Hades Town

May 30 @ 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm Event Series

Opera Australia: Hades Town

Presented by: Opera Australia & JONES Theatrical Group Two legendary love stories. One unforgettable journey. HADESTOWN is now playing at Her…

$58 – $199
8:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Seraphim Trio – Debussy and Tchaikovsky

May 30 @ 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Seraphim Trio – Debussy and Tchaikovsky

Helen Ayres, violin Tim Nankervis, cello Anna Goldsworthy, piano Seraphim Trio is one of Australia’s most acclaimed chamber music groups, as…

$25 – $30

4 events, 31

2025-05-20

FOOTLOOSE: THE MUSICAL

2:00 pm - 4:10 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Grieg’s Piano Concerto

May 31 @ 2:00 pm - 4:10 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Grieg’s Piano Concerto

From the noirish to the dramatic. Every note in Grieg’s Piano Concerto is a delight, from the iconic opening to the…

$75 – $139
7:30 pm - 10:00 pm Event Series

Opera Australia: Hades Town

May 31 @ 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm Event Series

Opera Australia: Hades Town

Presented by: Opera Australia & JONES Theatrical Group Two legendary love stories. One unforgettable journey. HADESTOWN is now playing at Her…

$58 – $199
8:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Imaginista Quartet with Craig Hill

May 31 @ 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Imaginista Quartet with Craig Hill

Zoë Black, Liisa Pallandi - violins Caroline Henbest - viola Josephine Vains - cello With guest Craig Hill - clarinet Bringing…

$25 – $35

3 events, 1

2025-05-20

FOOTLOOSE: THE MUSICAL

11:00 am - 12:30 pm

Acord: Dragonslayers

June 1 @ 11:00 am - 12:30 pm

Acord: Dragonslayers

Dragonslayers is Acord's second concert in the 2025 series at Kathleen Syme and it's a cracker. The central protagonists are, interestingly…

$10 – $20
2:30 pm - 4:30 pm Event Series

Melbourne Opera presents the grand French opera Samson & Delilah

June 1 @ 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm Event Series

Melbourne Opera presents the grand French opera Samson & Delilah

Melbourne Opera will stage Saint-Saëns’ grand opera Samson & Delilah from 1 June at the Palais Theatre. One of the greatest…

$69 – $199

2 events, 2

6:30 pm - 7:45 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Scheherazade Quick Fix at Half Six

June 2 @ 6:30 pm - 7:45 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Scheherazade Quick Fix at Half Six

Brine and seaspray Rimsky-Korsakov’s sweeping symphonic suite follows the stories of One Thousand and One Nights, with music as immersive as…

$20 – $99
7:30 pm - 9:10 pm

Stephen Hough

June 2 @ 7:30 pm - 9:10 pm

Stephen Hough

Experience one of the most distinctive artists of his generation. Sir Stephen Hough returns for a one-night-only performance of Romantic era…

$67 – $115

2 events, 3

7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Live at Toorak: Richard Tognetti x Konstantin Shamray

June 3 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Live at Toorak: Richard Tognetti x Konstantin Shamray

Experience the electrifying synergy of Richard Tognetti AO, the visionary Artistic Director of the ACO, and Konstantin Shamray, Australia’s most formidable…

$37.83
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Event Series

Melbourne Opera presents the grand French opera Samson & Delilah

June 3 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Event Series

Melbourne Opera presents the grand French opera Samson & Delilah

Melbourne Opera will stage Saint-Saëns’ grand opera Samson & Delilah from 1 June at the Palais Theatre. One of the greatest…

$69 – $199

2 events, 4

8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: First Voices Showcase

June 4 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: First Voices Showcase

Celebrate one of MSO’s most exciting artist development programs, the First Voices First Nations Composer program at this showcase event. Hear…

7:30 pm - 10:30 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone™ in Concert

June 4 @ 7:30 pm - 10:30 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone™ in Concert

Watch the wand choose the wizard, a troll run amok and magic mirrors in high-definition while the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra performs…

$70 – $150

3 events, 5

7:00 pm - 9:30 pm

More Than Opera BrunnhAilde – A Wagnerian Concert

June 5 @ 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm

More Than Opera BrunnhAilde – A Wagnerian Concert

The Power of Love versus the Love of Power – an adaptation of Wagner’s Ring Cycle. Traditionally spanning four days, Wagner’s…

$55
7:00 pm - 9:30 pm

More Than Opera: BrunnhAilde – A Wagnerian Concert

June 5 @ 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm

More Than Opera: BrunnhAilde – A Wagnerian Concert

The Power of Love versus the Love of Power – an adaptation of Wagner’s Ring Cycle. Traditionally spanning four days, Wagner’s…

$55
7:30 pm - 10:30 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone™ in Concert

June 5 @ 7:30 pm - 10:30 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone™ in Concert

Watch the wand choose the wizard, a troll run amok and magic mirrors in high-definition while the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra performs…

$70 – $150

3 events, 6

7:30 pm - 9:00 pm Event Series

Forest Collective: Fat Pig – The Opera

June 6 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm Event Series

Forest Collective: Fat Pig – The Opera

How many insults can you hear before you have to stand up and defend the woman you love? Tom faces just…

$35
8:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Tempo Rubato: The Crossing Machine

June 6 @ 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Tempo Rubato: The Crossing Machine

Matthew Rigby & Marianne Rothschild, violins Cora Teeuwen, viola Karina Di Sisto, cello The Crossing Machine performs a concert of 'what…

$22 – $30
9:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Secret Symphony

June 6 @ 9:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Secret Symphony

Showcasing the MSO in unexpected locations across Melbourne since 2015, Secret Symphony is a bit like a treasure hunt for classical…

$35

3 events, 7

1:00 pm - 5:00 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone™ in Concert

June 7 @ 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone™ in Concert

Watch the wand choose the wizard, a troll run amok and magic mirrors in high-definition while the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra performs…

$70 – $150
7:30 pm - 9:00 pm Event Series

Forest Collective: Fat Pig – The Opera

June 7 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm Event Series

Forest Collective: Fat Pig – The Opera

How many insults can you hear before you have to stand up and defend the woman you love? Tom faces just…

$35
7:30 pm - 10:30 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone™ in Concert

June 7 @ 7:30 pm - 10:30 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone™ in Concert

Watch the wand choose the wizard, a troll run amok and magic mirrors in high-definition while the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra performs…

$70 – $150

2 events, 8

10:30 am - 9:30 pm

Woodend Winter Arts Festival 2025

June 8 @ 10:30 am - 9:30 pm

Woodend Winter Arts Festival 2025

June 8 @ 10:30 am - 11:30 am Australia’s Energy Transformation in the Regions: Dietmar Tourbier & Peter McTaggart Woodend Community…

Various
5:00 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Forest Collective: Fat Pig – The Opera

June 8 @ 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Forest Collective: Fat Pig – The Opera

How many insults can you hear before you have to stand up and defend the woman you love? Tom faces just…

$35

1 event, 9

10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Woodend Winter Arts Festival 2025

June 9 @ 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Woodend Winter Arts Festival 2025

June 9 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am Sheila Drummond Memorial Lecture:  Hot off the Press: Margaret Simons, Don Watson and…

Various

1 event, 10

7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Musica Viva Australia: Northern Lights

June 10 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Musica Viva Australia: Northern Lights

Swedish-Norwegian violinist Johan Dalene makes his Australian debut alongside much-loved pianist Jennifer Marten-Smith. Swedish-Norwegian violinist Johan Dalene grabbed the world’s attention…

$49 – $153

0 events, 11

2 events, 12

7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: A Reflection in Time

June 12 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: A Reflection in Time

Symphonic powerhouses The twentieth century produced some of the most passionate and dramatic music ever written. MSO Principal Conductor Benjamin Northey…

$20 – $139
8:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Invenio – Bits and Pieces

June 12 @ 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Invenio – Bits and Pieces

Adventurous Melbourne vocal ensemble, Invenio, celebrates its 15-year anniversary with a program that highlights material from across their prolific catalogue of…

$25 – $30

2 events, 13

7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: A Reflection in Time

June 13 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: A Reflection in Time

Symphonic powerhouses The twentieth century produced some of the most passionate and dramatic music ever written. MSO Principal Conductor Benjamin Northey…

$20 – $139
8:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Tempo Rubato – Danaë Killian: Piano Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

June 13 @ 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Tempo Rubato – Danaë Killian: Piano Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Well-known for her boldly imaginative explorations of modern music, expressionist pianist Danaë Killian returns to the Orphean world and otherworld of…

$25 – $35

6 events, 14

2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Event Series

Royal Melbourne Philharmonic: HAYDN’S The Creation

June 14 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Event Series

Royal Melbourne Philharmonic: HAYDN’S The Creation

Joseph Haydn: The Creation PLEASE NOTE VENUE AND DATE CHANGE TWO SPECTACULAR PERFORMANCES: SATURDAY 14 JUNE, at 2pm and 7pm  NOW…

$35.00 – $99.00
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Event Series

Royal Melbourne Philharmonic: HAYDN’S The Creation

June 14 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Event Series

Royal Melbourne Philharmonic: HAYDN’S The Creation

Joseph Haydn: The Creation PLEASE NOTE VENUE AND DATE CHANGE TWO SPECTACULAR PERFORMANCES: SATURDAY 14 JUNE, at 2pm and 7pm  NOW…

$35.00 – $99.00
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Ensemble Liaison: Ensemble Liaison with Brigid Coleridge

June 14 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Ensemble Liaison: Ensemble Liaison with Brigid Coleridge

Ensemble Liaison at Hanson Dyer Hall. Ensemble Liaison & Friends is a unique concert series presented by three internationally acclaimed musicians…

$42 – $53
7:30 pm - 8:45 pm

Speak Percussion: Pigeons

June 14 @ 7:30 pm - 8:45 pm

Speak Percussion: Pigeons

Clay shooting—with percussionists in the firing lines. And… pull! Pigeons is a clay shooting event, but the birds are the musicians…

$59
7:30 pm - 8:45 pm

Speak Percussion: Pigeons

June 14 @ 7:30 pm - 8:45 pm

Speak Percussion: Pigeons

Clay shooting—with percussionists in the firing lines. And… pull! Pigeons is a clay shooting event, but the birds are the musicians…

$59 – $69
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: A Reflection in Time

June 14 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: A Reflection in Time

Symphonic powerhouses The twentieth century produced some of the most passionate and dramatic music ever written. MSO Principal Conductor Benjamin Northey…

$20 – $139

2 events, 15

11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Tempo Rubato – MATTUTINO: Rio Xiang and Cedar Newman

June 15 @ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Tempo Rubato – MATTUTINO: Rio Xiang and Cedar Newman

Echoes of Us: Sonatas for Piano and Violin Rio Xiang, piano Cedar Newman, violin Sonata repertoire draws two instruments and multiple…

$25
2:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Preston Symphony Orchestra: Resurgence

June 15 @ 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Preston Symphony Orchestra: Resurgence

The Preston Symphony Orchestra’s June concert shines a light on women composers – starting with the magical work by Lili Boulanger,…

$25

0 events, 16

0 events, 17

2 events, 18

7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Tudor Choristers: TCHAIKOVSKY’S SACRED MUSIC

June 18 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Tudor Choristers: TCHAIKOVSKY’S SACRED MUSIC

The Tudor Choristers present TCHAIKOVSKY’S SACRED MUSIC with Carlos del Cueto | Music Director Experience the heavenly beauty of Tchaikovsky’s sacred…

$32.
7:30 pm - 8:40 pm

Melbourne Chamber Orchestra: Ethereal

June 18 @ 7:30 pm - 8:40 pm

Melbourne Chamber Orchestra: Ethereal

Flute magic woven by one of the masters Making his debut with the MCO, world-renowned flautist Josh Batty is a dynamic…

$25 – $60

0 events, 19

2 events, 20

7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

ANAM at the Convent: ELISION Ensemble

June 20 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

ANAM at the Convent: ELISION Ensemble

ANAM and ELISION Ensemble come together for a bold exploration of contemporary classical music. Following on from collaborations between ELISION and ANAM…

$40
7:30 pm - 10:00 pm Event Series

ABC Classic and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra present Classic 100 in Concert

June 20 @ 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm Event Series

ABC Classic and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra present Classic 100 in Concert

For more than 20 years, ABC Classic has invited music lovers to share their favourite classical pieces around a special theme…

$45.90 – $109

1 event, 21

2:00 pm - 4:30 pm Event Series

ABC Classic and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra present Classic 100 in Concert

June 21 @ 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm Event Series

ABC Classic and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra present Classic 100 in Concert

For more than 20 years, ABC Classic has invited music lovers to share their favourite classical pieces around a special theme…

$45.90 – $109

2 events, 22

2:30 pm - 4:30 pm Event Series

Australian Chamber Orchestra: ACO Unleashed

June 22 @ 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm Event Series

Australian Chamber Orchestra: ACO Unleashed

ACO Unleashed is a thrilling celebration of the ACO at 50 — bold, virtuosic and electrifying. Curated by Artistic Director Richard…

$30 – $141
3:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Melbourne Recital Centre Baroque Competition 2025

June 22 @ 3:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Melbourne Recital Centre Baroque Competition 2025

The Baroque Competition Returns to Elisabeth Murdoch Hall. Formerly known as Melbourne Recital Centre’s Bach Competition, this event’s recent expansion to…

Free

1 event, 23

7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Event Series

Australian Chamber Orchestra: ACO Unleashed

June 23 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Event Series

Australian Chamber Orchestra: ACO Unleashed

ACO Unleashed is a thrilling celebration of the ACO at 50 — bold, virtuosic and electrifying. Curated by Artistic Director Richard…

$30 – $141

2 events, 24

10:30 am - 11:15 am Event Series

Nobuntu – Relaxed Performance

June 24 @ 10:30 am - 11:15 am Event Series

Nobuntu – Relaxed Performance

Nobuntu performs as part of the Relaxed Performance series. The Centre’s series of Relaxed Performances are specifically suited for audiences with…

$10
12:00 pm - 12:45 pm Event Series

Nobuntu – Relaxed Performance

June 24 @ 12:00 pm - 12:45 pm Event Series

Nobuntu – Relaxed Performance

Nobuntu performs as part of the Relaxed Performance series. The Centre’s series of Relaxed Performances are specifically suited for audiences with…

$10

3 events, 25

11:00 am - 12:15 pm

Mostly Mozart – Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven

June 25 @ 11:00 am - 12:15 pm

Mostly Mozart – Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven

The musical leaders of tomorrow from the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) join forces with the esteemed Australian String Quartet…

$52 – $59
7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Nobuntu

June 25 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Nobuntu

Experience the pure and soul-stirring voices of Nobuntu. Hailing from Zimbabwe, Nobuntu is an internationally acclaimed all-female a cappella quartet lauded…

$69 – $79
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra presents Lang Lang in Recital

June 25 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra presents Lang Lang in Recital

Pure piano brilliance. Experience the pure brilliance of the most adored pianist of our time in this special solo recital. Lang…

$95 – $195

1 event, 26

7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Event Series

Australian Brandenburg Orchestra: Baroque Unleashed

June 26 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Event Series

Australian Brandenburg Orchestra: Baroque Unleashed

Virtuosic Skill. Raw Talent. Pure Baroque. It’s unleashed. Feel the rush of Baroque like never before in this bold, electrifying program,…

$20 – $196

1 event, 27

11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: MSO Mornings: Pictures at an Exhibition

June 27 @ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: MSO Mornings: Pictures at an Exhibition

A vast palette of symphonic colour Experience Mussorgsky’s vivid musical translation of watercolours and drawings by the composer’s friend, Viktor Hartmann.…

$20 – $99

2 events, 28

7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Event Series

Australian Brandenburg Orchestra: Baroque Unleashed

June 28 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Event Series

Australian Brandenburg Orchestra: Baroque Unleashed

Virtuosic Skill. Raw Talent. Pure Baroque. It’s unleashed. Feel the rush of Baroque like never before in this bold, electrifying program,…

$20 – $196
7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Ryman Healthcare Winter Gala: Lang Lang

June 28 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Ryman Healthcare Winter Gala: Lang Lang

Dazzling charm and extroverted drama The singular piano sensation of this century returns for one night only with the MSO and…

$155 – $270

3 events, 29

2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Thomas Heywood – Concert Organ Spectacular!

June 29 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Thomas Heywood – Concert Organ Spectacular!

Celebrating the 200th Anniversary of Organ Music in Australia  (1825 - 2025) Melbourne Town Hall – Sunday 29 June at 2pm…

Free
3:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Lee Abrahmsen and Kevin Tamanini in recital

June 29 @ 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Lee Abrahmsen and Kevin Tamanini in recital

The Lieder Society of Victoria presents the wonderful soprano Lee Abrahmsen and pianist Kevin Tamanini. Sunday 29 June 2025 3:00 PM…

$20 – $30
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Event Series

Australian Brandenburg Orchestra: Baroque Unleashed

June 29 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Event Series

Australian Brandenburg Orchestra: Baroque Unleashed

Virtuosic Skill. Raw Talent. Pure Baroque. It’s unleashed. Feel the rush of Baroque like never before in this bold, electrifying program,…

$20 – $196

0 events, 30

0 events, 1

0 events, 2

0 events, 3

0 events, 4

0 events, 5

0 events, 6

May 20
May 20 @ 7:00 pm - June 1 @ 9:00 pm Event Series

FOOTLOOSE: THE MUSICAL

May 26 @ 8:00 am - 9:30 pm

Paul McMillan – Berio to Bach

May 20
May 20 @ 7:00 pm - June 1 @ 9:00 pm Event Series

FOOTLOOSE: THE MUSICAL

May 27 @ 6:30 pm - 7:45 pm

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Open Rehearsal with Elim Chan

May 27 @ 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm Event Series

Opera Australia: Hades Town

May 27 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Sophie Rowell and Kristian Chong play Sutherland and Beethoven

May 20
May 20 @ 7:00 pm - June 1 @ 9:00 pm Event Series

FOOTLOOSE: THE MUSICAL

May 28 @ 1:00 pm - 3:30 pm Event Series

Opera Australia: Hades Town

May 28 @ 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm Event Series

Opera Australia: Hades Town

May 28 @ 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Celebrating 60 years of Music at Monash – Concert 1

May 20
May 20 @ 7:00 pm - June 1 @ 9:00 pm Event Series

FOOTLOOSE: THE MUSICAL

May 29 @ 7:30 pm - 9:40 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Grieg’s Piano Concerto

May 29 @ 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm Event Series

Opera Australia: Hades Town

May 29 @ 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Ensemble Offspring – Double Symmetry

May 20
May 20 @ 7:00 pm - June 1 @ 9:00 pm Event Series

FOOTLOOSE: THE MUSICAL

May 30 @ 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm Event Series

Opera Australia: Hades Town

May 30 @ 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Seraphim Trio – Debussy and Tchaikovsky

May 20
May 20 @ 7:00 pm - June 1 @ 9:00 pm Event Series

FOOTLOOSE: THE MUSICAL

May 31 @ 2:00 pm - 4:10 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Grieg’s Piano Concerto

May 31 @ 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm Event Series

Opera Australia: Hades Town

May 31 @ 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Imaginista Quartet with Craig Hill

May 20
May 20 @ 7:00 pm - June 1 @ 9:00 pm Event Series

FOOTLOOSE: THE MUSICAL

June 1 @ 11:00 am - 12:30 pm

Acord: Dragonslayers

June 1 @ 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm Event Series

Melbourne Opera presents the grand French opera Samson & Delilah

June 2
June 2 @ 6:30 pm - 7:45 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Scheherazade Quick Fix at Half Six

June 2 @ 7:30 pm - 9:10 pm

Stephen Hough

June 3
June 3 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Live at Toorak: Richard Tognetti x Konstantin Shamray

June 3 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Event Series

Melbourne Opera presents the grand French opera Samson & Delilah

June 4
June 4 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: First Voices Showcase

June 4 @ 7:30 pm - 10:30 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone™ in Concert

June 5
June 5 @ 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm

More Than Opera BrunnhAilde – A Wagnerian Concert

June 5 @ 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm

More Than Opera: BrunnhAilde – A Wagnerian Concert

June 5 @ 7:30 pm - 10:30 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone™ in Concert

June 6
June 6 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm Event Series

Forest Collective: Fat Pig – The Opera

June 6 @ 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Tempo Rubato: The Crossing Machine

June 6 @ 9:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Secret Symphony

June 7
June 7 @ 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone™ in Concert

June 7 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm Event Series

Forest Collective: Fat Pig – The Opera

June 7 @ 7:30 pm - 10:30 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone™ in Concert

June 8
June 8 @ 10:30 am - 9:30 pm

Woodend Winter Arts Festival 2025

June 8 @ 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Forest Collective: Fat Pig – The Opera

June 9
June 9 @ 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Woodend Winter Arts Festival 2025

June 10
June 10 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Musica Viva Australia: Northern Lights

  • There are no events on this day.
June 12
June 12 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: A Reflection in Time

June 12 @ 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Invenio – Bits and Pieces

June 13
June 13 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: A Reflection in Time

June 13 @ 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Tempo Rubato – Danaë Killian: Piano Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

June 14
June 14 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Event Series

Royal Melbourne Philharmonic: HAYDN’S The Creation

June 14 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Event Series

Royal Melbourne Philharmonic: HAYDN’S The Creation

June 14 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Ensemble Liaison: Ensemble Liaison with Brigid Coleridge

June 14 @ 7:30 pm - 8:45 pm

Speak Percussion: Pigeons

June 14 @ 7:30 pm - 8:45 pm

Speak Percussion: Pigeons

June 14 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: A Reflection in Time

June 15
June 15 @ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Tempo Rubato – MATTUTINO: Rio Xiang and Cedar Newman

June 15 @ 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Preston Symphony Orchestra: Resurgence

  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
June 18
June 18 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Tudor Choristers: TCHAIKOVSKY’S SACRED MUSIC

June 18 @ 7:30 pm - 8:40 pm

Melbourne Chamber Orchestra: Ethereal

  • There are no events on this day.
June 20
June 20 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

ANAM at the Convent: ELISION Ensemble

June 20 @ 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm Event Series

ABC Classic and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra present Classic 100 in Concert

June 21
June 21 @ 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm Event Series

ABC Classic and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra present Classic 100 in Concert

June 22
June 22 @ 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm Event Series

Australian Chamber Orchestra: ACO Unleashed

June 22 @ 3:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Melbourne Recital Centre Baroque Competition 2025

June 23
June 23 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Event Series

Australian Chamber Orchestra: ACO Unleashed

June 24
June 24 @ 10:30 am - 11:15 am Event Series

Nobuntu – Relaxed Performance

June 24 @ 12:00 pm - 12:45 pm Event Series

Nobuntu – Relaxed Performance

June 25
June 25 @ 11:00 am - 12:15 pm

Mostly Mozart – Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven

June 25 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Nobuntu

June 25 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra presents Lang Lang in Recital

June 26
June 26 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Event Series

Australian Brandenburg Orchestra: Baroque Unleashed

June 22
June 22 @ 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm Event Series

Australian Chamber Orchestra: ACO Unleashed

June 22 @ 3:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Melbourne Recital Centre Baroque Competition 2025

June 23
June 23 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Event Series

Australian Chamber Orchestra: ACO Unleashed

June 24
June 24 @ 10:30 am - 11:15 am Event Series

Nobuntu – Relaxed Performance

June 24 @ 12:00 pm - 12:45 pm Event Series

Nobuntu – Relaxed Performance

June 25
June 25 @ 11:00 am - 12:15 pm

Mostly Mozart – Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven

June 25 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Nobuntu

June 25 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra presents Lang Lang in Recital

June 26
June 26 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Event Series

Australian Brandenburg Orchestra: Baroque Unleashed

June 27
June 27 @ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: MSO Mornings: Pictures at an Exhibition

June 28
June 28 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Event Series

Australian Brandenburg Orchestra: Baroque Unleashed

June 28 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Ryman Healthcare Winter Gala: Lang Lang

June 29
June 29 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Thomas Heywood – Concert Organ Spectacular!

June 29 @ 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Lee Abrahmsen and Kevin Tamanini in recital

June 29 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Event Series

Australian Brandenburg Orchestra: Baroque Unleashed

  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
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