Classic Melbourne
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Calendar
    • Terms and conditions
    • Apply to post your events
    • Post Your Event
  • Newsletter Signup
  • About
  • Contact

Melbourne Festival: Tenebrae Choir

by Margaret Arnold 23rd October, 2017
by Margaret Arnold 23rd October, 2017
241

One could compare the superb wooden interior of Elisabeth Murdoch Hall at Melbourne Recital Centre with the belly of a giant instrument. Cocooned within its comfortable surrounds on Saturday evening, we could truly appreciate its attributes, thanks to a spell-binding performance by the celebrated English chamber choir, Tenebrae. In combination, the choir and the acoustic space created an instrument of astonishing power and warmth from the lowest of rich basses to the soaring purity of the highest sopranos, giving equal voice to the inner parts, and capable of producing a huge dynamic range – all this in a pure and clean aural environment, where nothing else can be heard. There is no sound of passing traffic, or any semblance of life outside our cocoon.

Tenebrae, directed by Nigel Short, has committed to “presentation”, creating performances in a variety of spaces, using lighting, movement and placement in addition to their choral sound. While not a religious space, Elisabeth Murdoch Hall certainly felt sacred, with subdued stage lighting and candlelight illuminating the stage as we entered.

The program began with the 18 voice choir singing Footsteps, their newly commissioned work by Owain Park, a 23 year old English organist, composer and conductor who has already notched up a number of significant achievements. The intelligent script is a fusion of texts by eight different authors, from which Park has constructed a narrative that takes us on the journey of a solitary traveller through all weathers to find comfort in the sky and stars. Thematically this is a wonderful shorter work to accompany Jody Talbot’s Path of Miracles, also commissioned for Tenebrae.

Unmistakably British in sound, Footsteps possesses rich and adventurous harmonic language which is also given a wide range of textural and rhythmic treatments, reminiscent of some of Britten’s choral works. It uses all those techniques that only an excellent chamber choir can pull off successfully. From the opening intervals of simple ascending major seconds, so often not quite large enough in lesser choirs, to the absolutely unison unisons and clean octaves and perfect fifths that live up to their name, together with unified vowels, it was clear that harmonies created would sparkle with clarity. Intonation so true is an aural delight unique to a capella choral music, and combined with unanimous onset of consonants or vowels, is very satisfying indeed. Diction was excellent, and the solo voices emerging from the choir were wholly comfortable.

Although the choir recessed into the wings in the same reverential way they had entered, there was no interval, and a slow silent dimly lit procession led most of the tenors and basses back, to gather surrounding the central upstage candelabra. Thus began some of the most entrancing effects of the evening. Based on the “pasiputput” of the Taiwanese Bunan tribe, which composer Jody Talbot heard on BBC radio when he was a teenager, low voices rise in volume and pitch over an extended period, creating random overtones. This was a spectacular opening.

 Path of Miracles, premièred in 2005, was written by Jody Talbot to a text by Robert Dickinson which includes quotations from the Bible and medieval sources. It is the pilgrim’s journey from France to Santiago de Compostela, the resting place of the body of St James, and Finisterre the coastal town beyond, where the medieval notion was that the earth merged into heaven. The journey takes the pilgrim through Roncesvalles to Burgos, Leon and Santiago.

This is a substantial choral work, which incorporates the pilgrim’s hymn from the Jacobean chant Dum Pater Familias, a babel of languages, chord clusters, discords, psalms, a medieval French tune, and a celebratory idea from the Carmina Burana. It is meditative, reflective, sometimes plods along as if a tired pilgrim, sometimes soars seemingly effortlessly like the hopes and aspirations of the traveller below. Music scored for seventeen voices, exciting rhythms, changing syllable stresses, spectacular staccato chords, subterranean bass notes, ethereal solos, and earthy ones too – there are so many opportunities to showcase the breathtaking skills of this exceptional choir.

Unaccompanied (with crotales used to reinforce a bell-like quality briefly on a couple of occasions), the choir used the hall to full effect, some members moving seamlessly into the auditorium several times to sing from behind the stalls seats, or to surround the space with sound. They carried scores, but sang some sections from memory, journeying slowly within the space.

Nigel Short conducted with understated authority, and held the silences at the ends of sections to full effect. The Path of Miracles led finally to the gradual disappearance of the pilgrim’s hymn as the choir disappeared over the horizon, and all was silent for a substantial time. As Short finally lowered his arms, loud cheers rang out in the hall, and nearly all stood immediately, applauding without stop for quite some time, as the ensemble returned to the stage several times.

This was one of those rare concerts where time had stood still. Transported to another plane I had no idea how long we had been there. The program had been promoted in some places as 1 hour 20 minutes, and on the Festival’s program for the evening 1 hour. It was in fact 1 hour 40 mins, something of a surprise to a large group seated in our row who bolted out quickly to another commitment.

Many Melbourne choristers were in the audiences, and those who were not missed a master class in choral performance. This is perhaps the best choral performance I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Reviewer Margaret Arnold heard this performance of Path of Miracles on Saturday October 21, 2017 at the Melbourne Recital Centre.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

0 FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmail
Margaret Arnold

previous post
Tenebrae: Path of Miracles
next post
An Australian Christmas

Events Calendar

35 events found.
  • May 2025

Calendar of Events

M Mon

T Tue

W Wed

T Thu

F Fri

S Sat

S Sun

0 events, 28

0 events, 29

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

3 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
7:30 pm - 10:30 pm Event Series

Les Misérables The Arena Spectacular

May 14 @ 7:30 pm - 10:30 pm Event Series

Les Misérables The Arena Spectacular

Cameron Mackintosh's production of Boublil and Schönberg's LES MISÉRABLES THE ARENA SPECTACULAR has commenced its World Tour and will arrive in…

$69 – $99

3 events, 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
7:30 pm - 10:30 pm Event Series

Les Misérables The Arena Spectacular

May 15 @ 7:30 pm - 10:30 pm Event Series

Les Misérables The Arena Spectacular

Cameron Mackintosh's production of Boublil and Schönberg's LES MISÉRABLES THE ARENA SPECTACULAR has commenced its World Tour and will arrive in…

$69 – $99
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: An Evening of Fairy Tales

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

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: An Evening of Fairy Tales

Fantasy and wonder Since time immemorial, fairy tales have been a source of fantasy and wonder for the world’s greatest composers.…

$20 – $139

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

Les Misérables The Arena Spectacular

May 16 @ 7:30 pm - 10:30 pm Event Series

Les Misérables The Arena Spectacular

Cameron Mackintosh's production of Boublil and Schönberg's LES MISÉRABLES THE ARENA SPECTACULAR has commenced its World Tour and will arrive in…

$69 – $99
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

5 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
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Victoria Chorale presents Joseph Haydn “The Creation”

May 17 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Victoria Chorale presents Joseph Haydn “The Creation”

VICTORIA CHORALE Art of Sound Orchestra Conductor Mario Dobernig To start our 2025 concert program, Victoria Chorale is excited and proud…

$20 – $65
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
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 - 9:30 pm Event Series

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: An Evening of Fairy Tales

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

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: An Evening of Fairy Tales

Fantasy and wonder Since time immemorial, fairy tales have been a source of fantasy and wonder for the world’s greatest composers.…

$20 – $139

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

0 events, 20

0 events, 21

0 events, 22

0 events, 23

0 events, 24

1 event, 25

11:30 am - 4:30 pm

Camerata Orchestra Jubilee Celebration

May 25 @ 11:30 am - 4:30 pm

Camerata Orchestra Jubilee Celebration

The venue is offering a special behind-the-curtains opportunity for families, students and music aficionados to experience a morning with a full orchestra during dress rehearsal in a grand concert hall.

$15 – $60

0 events, 26

0 events, 27

0 events, 28

0 events, 29

0 events, 30

0 events, 31

1 event, 1

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
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
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 14 @ 7:30 pm - 10:30 pm Event Series

Les Misérables The Arena Spectacular

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 15 @ 7:30 pm - 10:30 pm Event Series

Les Misérables The Arena Spectacular

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

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: An Evening of Fairy Tales

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

Les Misérables The Arena Spectacular

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 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Victoria Chorale presents Joseph Haydn “The Creation”

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

Australian Chamber Orchestra: Theremin & Beyond

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

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: An Evening of Fairy Tales

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

May 25
May 25 @ 11:30 am - 4:30 pm

Camerata Orchestra Jubilee Celebration

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

Melbourne Opera presents the grand French opera Samson & Delilah

  • 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.
May 25
May 25 @ 11:30 am - 4:30 pm

Camerata Orchestra Jubilee Celebration

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

Melbourne Opera presents the grand French opera Samson & Delilah

View Calendar

Classic Melbourne’s reviews policy

audio
Our point of differenceby Editor Suzanne Yanko

Your browser does not support the audio element.

Follow us on Facebook

Classic Melbourne

Melbourne Arts Centre

Melbourne Arts Centre

Melbourne Recital Centre

Melbourne Recital Centre

Introducing Classic Melbourne

audio
Speech at launch by Conductor Andrew Wailes

Your browser does not support the audio element.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

@2019 - All Right Reserved.

Classic Melbourne
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Calendar
    • Terms and conditions
    • Apply to post your events
    • Post Your Event
  • Newsletter Signup
  • About
  • Contact

Read alsox

MSO Plays Rachmaninov 2

4th December, 2017

Classical Masterpieces

14th July, 2019

3MBS: Music, She Wrote – RESTORE –...

13th April, 2022