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Master Class

by Heather Leviston 24th August, 2014
by Heather Leviston 24th August, 2014
391

Terrence McNally’s 1995 play, Master Class, is guaranteed to excite the inner diva of any virtuoso actress. Few have the wherewithal to bring to life the ultimate diva: La Divina – Maria Callas. Several Australian actresses have enjoyed great success in the role, with Zoe Caldwell picking up a Tony Award in the play’s inaugural season in New York and Amanda Muggleton winning the 2002 Helpmann Award for Best Actress in a Play. Maria Mercedes’ brilliant performance in Left Bauer Productions’ incarnation is surely destined to attract similar recognition.

Inspired by a series of voice classes given by Maria Callas at the Juilliard School of Music in 1971, the play explores the inner life of Callas both as an artist and a woman as she instructs, berates, insults and encourages her “victims”.

The theatre space becomes an auditorium and members of the audience become the master class spectators, who in turn are charmed, instructed, appealed to and insulted. As Callas, Maria Mercedes enters an almost bare stage dressed in black and wearing a gold necklace and signature large glasses. A piano, with a genial pianist at the ready, a young soprano nervously waiting in the wings and an uncomfortable chair share the acting space. The house lights are up and initiate a series of complaints and imperious demands at the most inopportune moments as she sees to the “details”: lights, a cushion, a footstool, water and more water.

The narcissistic elements of her personality are seen in the way she treats the young singers. The first half of the play revolves around Sophie De Palma’s attempts to sing the sleepwalking aria from La Sonnambula. Or it would revolve around her if Callas would actually let her sing it. Only one note is uttered before she is interrupted. “You weren’t living the music!” This provides a key to the core of the play. What made Callas a living legend (apart from a spectacular voice) was her utter immersion in the roles she played. The intertwining of life and art, Love and Music from Tosca, is played out as she relives her career and thinks about the pain and humiliation of her relationships.

As Sophie De Palma, Georgia Wilkinson is permitted to sing some of her aria very beautifully. After interval, Robert Barbero, as the young tenor Anthony Condolino, who rather stereotypically thinks that the voice is everything, and Anna Louise Cole as the feisty Sharon Graham have an opportunity to present themselves as young singers of significant talent. Cole’s Letter Scene from Macbeth is dark hued and forceful. All three singers appeared to gain strength and vitality from Mercedes as an inspiring Callas and as a dynamic actress of great emotional range.

Mercedes’ affinity with certain elements of Callas’s Greek heritage, as well as her being an actress and singer herself, makes for a compelling performance. From sly humour to bitchy putdowns, from refined artistry to crude outbursts of despair as she laments her failed relationship with a totally unappreciative Onassis. It is like watching a Greek tragedy unfold. Despite all of Maria Callas’s less endearing characteristics, Maria Mercedes’ portrayal evokes admiration and pity. At some points of the most heightened tension the crescendo of recorded music, with Callas singing the featured arias, overwhelms the spoken, and sometimes shouted, soliloquies so that some information is lost. But this was a relatively minor problem and, in fact, contributed to a sense of emotional chaos in the final climax. The one line actually sung by Mercedes had huge impact.

Imaginative lighting throughout was a huge contributor to the creation of dramatic tension. Snapping out of the dark inner despair of her final soliloquy, the lights rise and Callas transforms herself once again into La Divina. The play comes full circle with a final address to the audience. She thanks her pianist Manny (as well she might since he put in such a sterling performance), announces “Well, that’s that” and briskly makes her exit.

One of my most cherished and enduring memories of a first-rate theatrical tour-de-force is Amanda Muggleton’s performance in Master Class. This is another.

______________________________________________________________

Heather Leviston attended a performance of Master Class at Forty-five Downstairs on August 22, 2014.

 

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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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Master Class

by Suzanne Yanko 21st July, 2014
by Suzanne Yanko 21st July, 2014
2

Classic Melbourne looks forward to the staging of the play Master Class concerning the legendary diva Maria Callas, and invited Cameron Lukey to give us insight into his preparations for the play including the all-important casting of the central role …

I have always been fascinated by Maria Callas. By the voice, the drama and the myth. How did she lose her voice? How did she lose the weight? Did she really die of a broken heart or was she killed by her maid? And perhaps the most fascinating question; did she and Aristotle Onassis have a son? The rumours circling Callas exceed those of most movie stars, and amongst opera singers, her legend is unparalleled.

After producing Playing Rock Hudson together at the Malthouse theatre last year, Michele Bauer and I joined forces to establish Left Bauer Productions. For our first project, I pitched Terrence McNally’s Master Class, a play inspired by Callas’ 1971 Juilliard Master Classes.

Before moving to Australia, Bauer had worked in production for American opera companies such as the Metropolitan and Santa Fe. Here she is the production manager for Victorian Opera. As a singer, I’ve spent several years singing in choruses for Opera Australia and as a principal artist for Oz Opera. Because of our shared background, I wanted to find a piece that combined opera and straight theatre. Master Class provides that rare opportunity.

While I was studying voice at university, Callas was often held up as an example of what not to do. Lose weight too fast and you’ll lose your voice, sacrifice tone too much for emotion and you’ll lose your voice. Callas was dangerous, which made her thrillingly unpredictable to her fans and worryingly inconsistent to her detractors.

McNally’s Callas is a formidable role to say the least. Vulnerable, volatile and funny, it’s a challenge that has attracted many of the world’s finest actresses (including Meryl Streep for an upcoming film adaptation). It’s also a fiendishly difficult role to cast. So for our production, the first in Melbourne since 2001, who could play Callas?

Serendipity provided the answer in Maria Mercedes, star of musicals such as Nine, Cats, Sunset Boulevard and Love Never Dies. I had heard through the grapevine that Mercedes had found a dream role in Callas after performing in a series of master classes with American acting teacher Elizabeth Kemp just months earlier.

The similarities between Callas and Mercedes are remarkable. Both were daughters of Greek immigrants with fathers named George, and both grew up with a desire to belong that led to the pursuit of their musical talents. Mercedes’ casting is also unique in that of all the high profile actresses who have played the role (the list includes Zoe Calwell, Patti LuPone, Faye Dunaway, Fanny Ardant, Tyne Daly, Robyn Nevin and Amanda Muggleton to name just a few), I could find no other who shares Callas’ Greek heritage.

During our initial conversations, it seemed clear Mercedes had an innate almost unconscious understanding of Callas. For example, when working with Elizabeth on a scene depicting Callas’ relationship with Onassis and her rumoured abortion, she instinctively chose to wear a kimono, unaware of Callas’ performances in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly.

Mercedes’ passion and empathy for Callas is palpable, describing the role as the greatest challenge of her prolific career. What makes McNally’s impression so thrilling is that it focuses on Callas’ character rather than the events that defined her. It’s not a typical biography in that way, and by giving us his own idea of her, he allows an actress to do the same.

Directed by Daniel Lammin, the focus of rehearsals has been for Mercedes to find her version of Callas, a characterization driven by an exploration of her motivations and psychology rather than her voice or mannerisms, and by an implicit trust in McNally’s text. What I have personally found so fascinating about this piece is that it’s a perfect example of how music can illuminate a narrative. The progression of McNally’s musical choices perfectly mirror Callas’ journey.

Mercedes is joined by three young singers, Georgia Wilkinson, Robert Barbaro and Anna Louise Cole, all working on their first play. Legendary Australian actress Zoe Caldwell, who originated the role of Callas on Broadway, described the play as a one woman show upon her first read through. Only in rehearsal with the singers did she realize how wrong her assessment had been. Along with McNally’s choice of music, the facets of Callas these singers expose provide a fully realized portrait that many comprehensive biographies could not. It’s an original and refreshing approach.

Ultimately our hope is for Master Class to provide Melbourne audiences with a unique and entertaining theatrical experience they’re unlikely to see elsewhere, and to honour Callas’ extraordinary artistry and the life that inspired and was driven by her passion.

Terrence McNally’s Master Class runs at fortyfivedownstairs from August 19 – 28. For bookings go to www.fortyfivedownstairs.com of call 03 9662 9966.

Master Class is proudly supported by the Hellenic Museum, where a special gala preview will be held on August 16. www.hellenic.org.au

For more information of Left Bauer’s upcoming shows go to www.leftbauerproductions.com.

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Suzanne Yanko

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Events Calendar

35 events found.
  • May 2025

Calendar of Events

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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

Join Opera Scholars Australia for an unforgettable evening of music that transcends time and genre. This concert features a stunning selection…

$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

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

$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

4 events, 3

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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