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Emma Matthews: THE SPACE BETWEEN

by Heather Leviston 25th September, 2018
by Heather Leviston 25th September, 2018
258

As the recipient of an unprecedented seven Helpmann and nine Greenroom awards, amongst other accolades, you would think that Emma Matthews’ career trajectory would be a juggernaut of unremitting triumph. Watching her perform what pretty well amounts to an almost 80-minute aria of dazzling coloratura bravura invested with kaleidoscopic emotional intensity seemed to affirm that her phenomenal gifts would ensure a career that would continue on its happy way for many years to come. But her portrait of a diva’s life and her own personal story reveals significant challenges.

The “Mad Scene” from Lucia di Lammermoor could be regarded as the pinnacle of an illustrious career and that is where this performance began. Mounting the shallow tiers of a rostrum Matthews’ performance took flight. There was no warm up preamble just a virtuosic full-voiced cadenza accompanied by a glass harmonica – a reminder of the authentic flute substitute for her celebrated Opera Australia Lucia. Instead of a short blood-spattered nightie, she wore a pale costume of layered ruffles that conjured up an archetypal 18th / 19thcentury bel canto heroine – except that she went barefoot. The jeweled cascade of blood on her shoulder, which she soon openly unfastened, accentuated the distance between theatre and reality: another “space between”.

Writer Steve Vizard is best known for his comic flair and this libretto has one or two laugh-out-loud moments such as when Matthews recalls being told to use her ears and the space between her ears, but this work is very much a collaboration encompassing highly stressful experiences. Paul Grabowsky’s jazz-influenced score serves to illuminate rather than dominate the emotional rollercoaster. He interpolates fragments of other works of importance in Matthews’ musical life into a composition that is sometimes melodic, but generally provides a soundscape driven by the text. An appreciation of Matthews’ considerable vocal armoury and sensitivity to the emotional trajectory of the piece informs each section of what has been called “a dramatised song-cycle”.

From a grand piano on one side of the rostrum Grabowsky directed his small band of musicians who were seated behind a dark translucent curtain. Roy Theaker (violin), Paul Zabro (cello) and Matthias Schack-Arnott (percussion) worked their magic from the shadows while Jamie Oehlers occasionally walked across the stage playing saxophone, just as he has crossed Matthews’ path in real life.

Leticia Caceres’ direction allowed the focus to remain on Matthews’ singing, but it was far from static. Matthews has an endearingly vivacious personality and an extraordinarily expressive face capable of conveying a wide range of emotions, so physical movement became another means of reinforcing communication with her audience. The ramp at the side of the stage and the pool at the front of the stage were used effectively. Her final stepping into the pool of “blood” that tinged the edge of her dress almost seemed like an operatic equivalent of The Red Shoes, although this maynot have been the intention of set and costume designers Esther Hayes and Rebecca Hayes. Audience members will have brought different interpretations to a work that is dense with information, allusion and meaning.

It is virtually always difficult to understand sung text unless there is a great deal of repetition (which there wasn’t in this case) even when it is in your native tongue. I regretted not being able to attend a performance until almost the end of the season, as I would have welcomed a second opportunity to absorb more of the details. Vizard’s poetic language accentuated the difficulty at times and the use of amplification was a mixed blessing to say the least. The Fairfax Theatre provides a sense of intimacy entirely suited to the work but Emma Matthews has the vocal power to fill an auditorium many times larger. Perhaps a filtering of the sound was a further “space between” along with the space between the notes, and the space between the madness that descends on operatic heroines and the psychological pressures placed on the singers who portray them.

Although seen too seldom on the operatic main stage of late, despite her command of the medium, this production allows us to witness Matthews’ artistry in what has to be described as a vocal and dramatic tour de force. It deserves many more performances both here and abroad.

Heather Leviston  reviewed EMMA MATTHEWS: THE SPACE BETWEEN at the Arts Centre Melbourne on September 21, 2018.

 

 

 

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Heather Leviston

Heather Leviston has devoted much of her life to listening to classical music and attending concerts. An addiction to vocal and string music has led her to undertake extensive training in singing and perform as a member of the Victoria State Opera chorus and as a soloist with various musical organisations.

As a founding academic teacher of the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School, she has had the privilege of witnessing the progress of many talented students, keenly following their careers by attending their performances both in Australia and overseas.

As a reviewer, initially for artsHub, and also for Sounds like Sydney, she has been keen to bring attention to the fine music-making that is on offer in Australia, especially in the form of live performance. Heather is a valued member of Classical Melbourne’s editorial team, with her reviews of opera and vocal music valued by performers and audiences alike.

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Events Calendar

35 events found.
  • May 2025

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1 event, 30

7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Event Series

Opera Australia: The Verdi Gala Concert

April 30 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Event Series

Opera Australia: The Verdi Gala Concert

A tribute to Verdi’s musical splendour with opera stars Nicole Car, Étienne Dupuis and Paul O’Neill. Prepare your heart for the greatest…

$65 – $189

2 events, 1

7:30 pm - 9:50 pm

Opera Scholars Australia: Lieder to Lehar

May 1 @ 7:30 pm - 9:50 pm

Opera Scholars Australia: Lieder to Lehar

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$38 – $45
7:30 pm - 9:15 pm Event Series

Melbourne Chamber Orchestra: Fantasia

May 1 @ 7:30 pm - 9:15 pm Event Series

Melbourne Chamber Orchestra: Fantasia

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$30 – $144

1 event, 2

7:30 pm - 9:30 pm

ASQ & Melbourne Conservatorium Students Side-by-side concert

May 2 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm

ASQ & Melbourne Conservatorium Students Side-by-side concert

We celebrate the culmination of a week of coaching and collaboration with the students of the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music with…

Free

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2:00 pm - 5:00 pm Event Series

Abduction from the Seraglio

May 3 @ 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm Event Series

Abduction from the Seraglio

Lyster Opera returns to the Irene Mitchell Studio, South Yarra, with a rousing new production of Mozart’s great comedy, “The Abduction…

$40
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Event Series

Opera Australia: The Verdi Gala Concert

May 3 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Event Series

Opera Australia: The Verdi Gala Concert

A tribute to Verdi’s musical splendour with opera stars Nicole Car, Étienne Dupuis and Paul O’Neill. Prepare your heart for the greatest…

$65 – $189
2:00 pm - 5:00 pm Event Series

Lyster Opera: The Abduction from the Seraglio – Mozart

May 3 @ 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm Event Series

Lyster Opera: The Abduction from the Seraglio – Mozart

Lyster Opera presents a rousing new production of Mozart’s great comedy, The Abduction from the Seraglio. When Konstanze and Blonde are…

$30 – $40
7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra – The Soul of the Cello: Timo-Veikko Valve

May 3 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra – The Soul of the Cello: Timo-Veikko Valve

Sublime and stunning Timo-Veikko Valve, Principal Cello of the Australian Chamber Orchestra, performs and directs this program of music arranged for…

$20 – $105

6 events, 4

2:00 pm - 5:00 pm Event Series

Abduction from the Seraglio

May 4 @ 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm Event Series

Abduction from the Seraglio

Lyster Opera returns to the Irene Mitchell Studio, South Yarra, with a rousing new production of Mozart’s great comedy, “The Abduction…

$40
2:00 pm - 5:00 pm Event Series

Lyster Opera: The Abduction from the Seraglio – Mozart

May 4 @ 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm Event Series

Lyster Opera: The Abduction from the Seraglio – Mozart

Lyster Opera presents a rousing new production of Mozart’s great comedy, The Abduction from the Seraglio. When Konstanze and Blonde are…

$30 – $40
2:30 pm - 5:00 pm

Schubertiade – Heidelberg Choral Society

May 4 @ 2:30 pm - 5:00 pm

Schubertiade – Heidelberg Choral Society

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear some of the most rhapsodic melodies and harmonies ever composed. Don’t miss the consummate genius that is Schubert.

$60
2:30 pm - 4:15 pm Event Series

Melbourne Chamber Orchestra: Fantasia

May 4 @ 2:30 pm - 4:15 pm Event Series

Melbourne Chamber Orchestra: Fantasia

Youthful brilliance and solemn beauty. At the heart of this program is a new violin concerto by one of Australia’s most…

$30 – $144
2:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Heidelberg Choral Society: Schubertiade

May 4 @ 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Heidelberg Choral Society: Schubertiade

Heidelberg Choral Society performs our Schubertiade (a concert of Schubert's choral music) this coming Sunday 4th May at 2.30 pm in…

$35 – $60
3:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Choristry presents: When I Was a Child

May 4 @ 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Choristry presents: When I Was a Child

Choristry's first concert of 2025 features choral music evoking the songs and stories of childhood, with music by Eric Whitacre, Sarah…

$25 – $35

1 event, 5

7:30 pm - 9:15 pm

Erwan Keravec – 8 Pipers for Philip Glass + Nat Bartsch

May 5 @ 7:30 pm - 9:15 pm

Erwan Keravec – 8 Pipers for Philip Glass + Nat Bartsch

A musical odyssey that demands to be heard, witnessed and felt with every sense. With the saturated sonic textures of eight…

$59 – $69

2 events, 6

7:00 pm - 9:10 pm

Musica Viva Australia: Hollywood Songbook

May 6 @ 7:00 pm - 9:10 pm

Musica Viva Australia: Hollywood Songbook

Signum Saxophone Quartet and Ali McGregor. The musicians of the Signum Saxophone Quartet, who won hearts across Australia on their debut…

$56 – $153
7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Melbourne Conservatorium of Music: Draevon – Between Light and Darkness

May 6 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Melbourne Conservatorium of Music: Draevon – Between Light and Darkness

Transfigured String Trio presents Russian composer Alfred Schnitkke’s extraordinary dark and compelling string trio in its original format composed in 1985…

Free

1 event, 7

7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival: The Crossing Machine with Jordan Zdimirovic

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

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival: The Crossing Machine with Jordan Zdimirovic

The Crossing Machine with Jordan Zdimirovic: Elvis Costello’s The Juliet Letters and new renditions for string quartet of Fleetwood Mac —…

3 events, 8

6:30 pm - 7:25 pm Event Series

Victorian Opera: The Lyrebird’s Voice

May 8 @ 6:30 pm - 7:25 pm Event Series

Victorian Opera: The Lyrebird’s Voice

Discover the quirky charm of Victorian Opera’s fun-filled family production, The Lyrebird’s Voice. In this enchanting opera set in the Australian…

$42
7:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Discover Sibelius – Side by Side with Melbourne Youth Orchestra

May 8 @ 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Discover Sibelius – Side by Side with Melbourne Youth Orchestra

Illuminating and inspiring Discover the genius of Finnish composer Jean Sibelius through this guided concert presentation by Benjamin Northey, members of…

$20 – $39
7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival: Violeta Parra’s Chile

May 8 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival: Violeta Parra’s Chile

  Violeta Parra’s Chile – A Musical Odyssey Through a Nation’s Troubled History Journey into the heart of Chile’s rich and…

2 events, 9

1:00 pm - 1:55 pm Event Series

Victorian Opera: The Lyrebird’s Voice

May 9 @ 1:00 pm - 1:55 pm Event Series

Victorian Opera: The Lyrebird’s Voice

Discover the quirky charm of Victorian Opera’s fun-filled family production, The Lyrebird’s Voice. In this enchanting opera set in the Australian…

$42
7:30 pm - 8:30 pm

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival: Holst – The Planets

May 9 @ 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival: Holst – The Planets

HOLST – The Planets  Prepare for a cosmic musical journey as internationally acclaimed pianists Coady Green and Jerry Wong join forces with Brent Miller and the Melbourne Conservatorium…

$32 – $42

8 events, 10

10:30 am - 11:20 am Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Classic Kids: Wizardry School

May 10 @ 10:30 am - 11:20 am Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Classic Kids: Wizardry School

Spellbinding and immersive Explore the magical ingredients of the Symphony Orchestra through the iconic music of John Williams, Saint-Saëns and Stravinsky.…

$28
12:30 pm - 1:20 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Classic Kids: Wizardry School

May 10 @ 12:30 pm - 1:20 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Classic Kids: Wizardry School

Spellbinding and immersive Explore the magical ingredients of the Symphony Orchestra through the iconic music of John Williams, Saint-Saëns and Stravinsky.…

$28
2:00 pm - 2:55 pm Event Series

Victorian Opera: The Lyrebird’s Voice

May 10 @ 2:00 pm - 2:55 pm Event Series

Victorian Opera: The Lyrebird’s Voice

Discover the quirky charm of Victorian Opera’s fun-filled family production, The Lyrebird’s Voice. In this enchanting opera set in the Australian…

$42
4:00 pm - 5:15 pm

Jane Austen’s Music – Pemberley Revisited

May 10 @ 4:00 pm - 5:15 pm

Jane Austen’s Music – Pemberley Revisited

Step into the world of Jane Austen for Melbourne Recital Centre’s celebration of the beloved author’s 250th birthday. After an evocative…

$35 – $79
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm Event Series

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival: Beethoven Marathon Part One – Beethoven’s World

May 10 @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm Event Series

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival: Beethoven Marathon Part One – Beethoven’s World

Beethoven Marathon Part One Beethoven’s WORLD – MUSIC, MYSTERY AND MASTERPIECES Before diving into The Parlour’s Immortal Beloved, begin your evening with…

$32 – $42
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

ANAM at the Convent: Genesis Baroque with Sara Macliver

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

ANAM at the Convent: Genesis Baroque with Sara Macliver

“ANAM’s extraordinary young musicians display such verve and curiosity, and I’m truly excited to be bringing Genesis Baroque’s specialists to ANAM…

$40
7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Choristry presents: When I Was a Child

May 10 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Choristry presents: When I Was a Child

Choristry's first concert of 2025 features choral music evoking the songs and stories of childhood, with music by Eric Whitacre, Sarah…

$35 – $425
7:30 pm - 9:00 pm Event Series

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival: Beethoven Marathon Part One – Beethoven Immortal Beloved

May 10 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm Event Series

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival: Beethoven Marathon Part One – Beethoven Immortal Beloved

Beethoven – Immortal Beloved Musicologists often overlook the crucial role that women played in shaping the legacies of great composers, yet…

$32 – $42

1 event, 11

5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Astra Choir: In us are all passions and all vices

May 11 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Astra Choir: In us are all passions and all vices

Christoph Demantius, German St John Passion (1631),  6-part choir León Schidlowsky, Nameless Mass for Victor Jara, graphic score (1976) with poems by George Grosz and Vladimir Mayakovsky…

$20

1 event, 12

7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Daniel Lozakovich

May 12 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Daniel Lozakovich

Witness one of today’s most exciting and sought-after violinists. Daniel Lozakovich is renowned for possessing ‘perfect mastery’ (Le Figaro) of his…

$67 – $115

4 events, 13

2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Event Series

Selby & Friends: This Mirror Has Three Faces

May 13 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Event Series

Selby & Friends: This Mirror Has Three Faces

Experience Lera Auerbach’s Trio, Schumann’s Finale, and Smetana’s masterpiece with Violinist Kristian Winther. A breathtaking concert program which begins in stunning…

$63 – $81
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Event Series

Selby & Friends: This Mirror Has Three Faces

May 13 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Event Series

Selby & Friends: This Mirror Has Three Faces

Experience Lera Auerbach’s Trio, Schumann’s Finale, and Smetana’s masterpiece with Violinist Kristian Winther. A breathtaking concert program which begins in stunning…

$63 – $81
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Omega Ensemble: Distant World

May 13 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Omega Ensemble: Distant World

The future of our planet in a world gone mad. Latvian composer Pēteris Vasks’ Piano Quartet from 2001 grapples with his familiar…

$39 – $119
7:30 pm - 8:40 pm Event Series

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival 2025: Opera Closets

May 13 @ 7:30 pm - 8:40 pm Event Series

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival 2025: Opera Closets

Step into a world where every outfit tells a story, and every story soars with song. In Opera Closets, multi-award-winning Australian…

$32 – $42

2 events, 14

3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

ANAM at the Convent: Sara Macliver with ANAM Pianos

May 14 @ 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

ANAM at the Convent: Sara Macliver with ANAM Pianos

“It has always been an absolute joy for me to perform alongside the brilliant young musicians at ANAM. I have no…

$40
7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival 2025: Lyric Opera – Their Voices Will Rise

May 14 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival 2025: Lyric Opera – Their Voices Will Rise

Prepare for an electrifying evening of world premieres and daring musical narratives. Australian rising star Meta Cohen unveils a thrilling and…

$32 – $42

1 event, 15

7:30 pm - 9:00 pm Event Series

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival 2025: Beethoven, Cherny and Liszt Piano Duets and Songs

May 15 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm Event Series

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival 2025: Beethoven, Cherny and Liszt Piano Duets and Songs

Coady Green and Glenn Riddle unite for a rare and dazzling program of piano four-hand gems from Beethoven, his pupil Carl…

$32 – $42

3 events, 16

6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Event Series

Genesis Baroque with Sara Macliver

May 16 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Event Series

Genesis Baroque with Sara Macliver

Songs of rest and renewal. A heartfelt program of soul-nourishing compositions explores love in both human and divine forms. Following a…

$45 – $55
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Event Series

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival 2025: The Institute for Enquiring Minds Presents Michael Leslie – Bach, Chopin, Beethoven, Schumann

May 16 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Event Series

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival 2025: The Institute for Enquiring Minds Presents Michael Leslie – Bach, Chopin, Beethoven, Schumann

The Institute for Enquiring Minds is an educational initiative helping high school students experiencing disadvantage improve their maths skills. For the…

$23 – $42
8:00 pm - 9:00 pm Event Series

Genesis Baroque with Sara Macliver

May 16 @ 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm Event Series

Genesis Baroque with Sara Macliver

Songs of rest and renewal. A heartfelt program of soul-nourishing compositions explores love in both human and divine forms. Following a…

$45 – $55

3 events, 17

4:00 pm - 5:30 pm Event Series

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival 2025: Beethoven Marathon Part Two – Beethoven’s 5th and 6th Symphonies for Piano Four Hands

May 17 @ 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm Event Series

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival 2025: Beethoven Marathon Part Two – Beethoven’s 5th and 6th Symphonies for Piano Four Hands

Begin your Beethoven odyssey with two of his most beloved symphonies – the stormy, fate-driven 5th and the pastoral, sun-drenched 6th…

$32 – $42
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Event Series

Australian Chamber Orchestra: Theremin & Beyond

May 17 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Event Series

Australian Chamber Orchestra: Theremin & Beyond

Explore new musical frontiers as you take a deep dive into the thrilling soundworld of the theremin, the world’s first electronic…

$30 – $141
7:30 pm - 8:30 pm Event Series

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival 2025: Liszt’s two piano arrangement of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony

May 17 @ 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm Event Series

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival 2025: Liszt’s two piano arrangement of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony

The Institute for Enquiring Minds is an educational initiative helping high school students experiencing disadvantage improve their maths skills. For the…

$32 – $42

3 events, 18

2:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Flinders Quartet Flinders Quartet at Montsalvat – Paavali

May 18 @ 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Flinders Quartet Flinders Quartet at Montsalvat – Paavali

Paavali Jumppanen joins Flinders Quartet for their 25th anniversary, featuring works by Bacewicz, Shostakovich, and Beethoven. Melbourne has been lucky to…

$40 – $50
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm Event Series

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival 2025: A Gwen Harwood Cycle

May 18 @ 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm Event Series

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival 2025: A Gwen Harwood Cycle

Duo Eclettico – Justin Kenealy (saxophone) and Coady Green (piano) are joined by the one the Australia’s leading actors, Helen Morse,…

$32 – $42
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Corpus Medicorum & The Royal Melbourne Hospital Foundation: Concert #2 – Atmosphere

May 18 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Corpus Medicorum & The Royal Melbourne Hospital Foundation: Concert #2 – Atmosphere

Thunderous melodies and electrifying energy in Russian classics. Concert two features giants of the Russian repertoire to make your spirits soar…

$30 – $65

1 event, 19

7:30 pm Event Series

Australian Chamber Orchestra: Theremin & Beyond

May 19 @ 7:30 pm Event Series

Australian Chamber Orchestra: Theremin & Beyond

Explore new musical frontiers as you take a deep dive into the thrilling soundworld of the theremin, the world’s first electronic…

$30 – $141

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April 30
April 30 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Event Series

Opera Australia: The Verdi Gala Concert

May 1
May 1 @ 7:30 pm - 9:50 pm

Opera Scholars Australia: Lieder to Lehar

May 1 @ 7:30 pm - 9:15 pm Event Series

Melbourne Chamber Orchestra: Fantasia

May 2
May 2 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm

ASQ & Melbourne Conservatorium Students Side-by-side concert

May 3
May 3 @ 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm Event Series

Abduction from the Seraglio

May 3 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Event Series

Opera Australia: The Verdi Gala Concert

May 3 @ 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm Event Series

Lyster Opera: The Abduction from the Seraglio – Mozart

May 3 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra – The Soul of the Cello: Timo-Veikko Valve

May 4
May 4 @ 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm Event Series

Abduction from the Seraglio

May 4 @ 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm Event Series

Lyster Opera: The Abduction from the Seraglio – Mozart

May 4 @ 2:30 pm - 5:00 pm

Schubertiade – Heidelberg Choral Society

May 4 @ 2:30 pm - 4:15 pm Event Series

Melbourne Chamber Orchestra: Fantasia

May 4 @ 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Heidelberg Choral Society: Schubertiade

May 4 @ 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Choristry presents: When I Was a Child

May 5
May 5 @ 7:30 pm - 9:15 pm

Erwan Keravec – 8 Pipers for Philip Glass + Nat Bartsch

May 6
May 6 @ 7:00 pm - 9:10 pm

Musica Viva Australia: Hollywood Songbook

May 6 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Melbourne Conservatorium of Music: Draevon – Between Light and Darkness

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

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival: The Crossing Machine with Jordan Zdimirovic

May 8
May 8 @ 6:30 pm - 7:25 pm Event Series

Victorian Opera: The Lyrebird’s Voice

May 8 @ 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Discover Sibelius – Side by Side with Melbourne Youth Orchestra

May 8 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival: Violeta Parra’s Chile

May 9
May 9 @ 1:00 pm - 1:55 pm Event Series

Victorian Opera: The Lyrebird’s Voice

May 9 @ 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival: Holst – The Planets

May 10
May 10 @ 10:30 am - 11:20 am Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Classic Kids: Wizardry School

May 10 @ 12:30 pm - 1:20 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Classic Kids: Wizardry School

May 10 @ 2:00 pm - 2:55 pm Event Series

Victorian Opera: The Lyrebird’s Voice

May 10 @ 4:00 pm - 5:15 pm

Jane Austen’s Music – Pemberley Revisited

May 10 @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm Event Series

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival: Beethoven Marathon Part One – Beethoven’s World

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

ANAM at the Convent: Genesis Baroque with Sara Macliver

May 10 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Choristry presents: When I Was a Child

May 10 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm Event Series

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival: Beethoven Marathon Part One – Beethoven Immortal Beloved

May 11
May 11 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Astra Choir: In us are all passions and all vices

May 12
May 12 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Daniel Lozakovich

May 13
May 13 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Event Series

Selby & Friends: This Mirror Has Three Faces

May 13 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Event Series

Selby & Friends: This Mirror Has Three Faces

May 13 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Omega Ensemble: Distant World

May 13 @ 7:30 pm - 8:40 pm Event Series

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival 2025: Opera Closets

May 14
May 14 @ 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

ANAM at the Convent: Sara Macliver with ANAM Pianos

May 14 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival 2025: Lyric Opera – Their Voices Will Rise

May 15
May 15 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm Event Series

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival 2025: Beethoven, Cherny and Liszt Piano Duets and Songs

May 16
May 16 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Event Series

Genesis Baroque with Sara Macliver

May 16 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Event Series

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival 2025: The Institute for Enquiring Minds Presents Michael Leslie – Bach, Chopin, Beethoven, Schumann

May 16 @ 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm Event Series

Genesis Baroque with Sara Macliver

May 17
May 17 @ 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm Event Series

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival 2025: Beethoven Marathon Part Two – Beethoven’s 5th and 6th Symphonies for Piano Four Hands

May 17 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Event Series

Australian Chamber Orchestra: Theremin & Beyond

May 17 @ 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm Event Series

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival 2025: Liszt’s two piano arrangement of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony

May 18
May 18 @ 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Flinders Quartet Flinders Quartet at Montsalvat – Paavali

May 15
May 15 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm Event Series

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival 2025: Beethoven, Cherny and Liszt Piano Duets and Songs

May 16
May 16 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Event Series

Genesis Baroque with Sara Macliver

May 16 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Event Series

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival 2025: The Institute for Enquiring Minds Presents Michael Leslie – Bach, Chopin, Beethoven, Schumann

May 16 @ 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm Event Series

Genesis Baroque with Sara Macliver

May 17
May 17 @ 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm Event Series

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival 2025: Beethoven Marathon Part Two – Beethoven’s 5th and 6th Symphonies for Piano Four Hands

May 17 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Event Series

Australian Chamber Orchestra: Theremin & Beyond

May 17 @ 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm Event Series

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival 2025: Liszt’s two piano arrangement of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony

May 18
May 18 @ 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Flinders Quartet Flinders Quartet at Montsalvat – Paavali

May 18 @ 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm Event Series

fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival 2025: A Gwen Harwood Cycle

May 18 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Corpus Medicorum & The Royal Melbourne Hospital Foundation: Concert #2 – Atmosphere

May 19
May 19 @ 7:30 pm Event Series

Australian Chamber Orchestra: Theremin & Beyond

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Introducing Classic Melbourne

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Speech at launch by Conductor Andrew Wailes

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