In Conversation

An Australian soprano who has established herself as one the leading artists of her generation, Nicole Car is a fixture at all of the world’s top opera houses, be it the Met, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Opéra National de Paris, or the Sydney Opera House. She’s praised for her beautiful, rich timbre and unique musicality, with Limelight magazine speaking recently of her unfailingly clear a...

One of Australia’s most beloved tenor crossover artists, Mark Vincent burst into our consciousness thanks to a stirring rendition of Nessun Dorma on Australia’s Got Talent in 2009, and never looked back. He has performed in venues around the world, and eight of his albums to date have topped the ARIA Classical Crossover charts. He’s also performed in musical theatre, from  Dirty Dancing  to  My Fa...

Conductor and music director Sam Allchurch’s repertoire spans the works of Bach and Handel through to contemporary works by Australian composers. The Sydney Morning Herald said that under his leadership, “Sydney Chamber Choir’s singing is as nuanced and refined as ever, and their spirit abounds in hope”. Sam returns to In Conversation to discuss the Sydney Chamber Choir's 50th anniversary gala...

Helena Rathbone has long been a central and beloved figure in Australia’s musical life. As Principal Violin and sometimes leader of the Australian Chamber Orchestra , she brings both incisive musicianship and deep artistic integrity to everything she touches. She’s equally at home leading string ensembles, mentoring young musicians, or stepping into a solo spotlight. In this wide-ranging and warm...

Associate Conductor of The Sixteen, Eamonn Dougan has built a reputation as an inspirational communicator with a wide-ranging and adventurous repertoire. In addition to his work with The Sixteen, he is the founding director of Britten Sinfonia Voices and Music Director of the Thomas Tallis Society. The website  Bachtrack  perhaps sums him up best, praising his “remarkable knack for finding the per...

One of Australia’s foremost young conductors, Luke Spicer has appeared as guest conductor of the Tasmanian, Queensland, and Canberra Symphony Orchestras, and as a conductor and music director with Opera Australia. He’s also been guest Assistant Conductor at the Bruckner Orchestra Linz, the Saarländisches Staatstheater of Saarbrücken, and with the Sydney Symphony, working with both Simone Young and...

Susannah Lawergren has developed a reputation as a beautifully clear soprano with “stunning vocal expression” and “compelling stagecraft”. A principal artist with both The Song Company and Bach Akadamie Australia, she’s also performed with our other top ensembles, from Sydney Chamber Choir and Opera Australia, to Cantillation and Ensemble Offspring, plus has appeared at the Sydney and Adelaide Fes...

One of Australia’s finest mezzo-sopranos, multi-award-winner Sally-Anne Russell has a career spanning over 80 operatic roles and performances on some of the world's most prestigious stages. She is celebrated for her rich, expressive voice and captivating artistry. From Baroque masterpieces to contemporary works, Sally-Anne has enchanted audiences across the globe. She’s worked with luminaries from...

A man who can only be described as musical theatre royalty, Michael Ball made his West End debut in 1985 as Marius in the original cast of  Les Misérables . He went on to play the lead role of Alex Dillingham in Andrew Lloyd  Webber’s Aspects of Love  in both the West End and on Broadway. He’s appeared in a long string of musicals covering all parts of the repertoire –  The Phantom of the Opera , ...

Described as a renegade opera star and cabaret artist, Ali McGregor began her career as a principal soprano with Opera Australia before running away to the circus to become an award winning cabaret performer. Nominated for an ARIA in 2014, she went on to win both a Green Room and Helpmann Award in 2015. She’s one of the most in-demand performers on the international festival circuit and is a forme...

Gottfried von der Goltz is a violinist, conductor, and artist of extraordinary insight. As the director of the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra, he has played a pivotal role in shaping the modern sound of historically informed performance, breathing new life into Baroque and Classical music with a blend of scholarship and sheer musical brilliance. Whether wielding the bow as a soloist or guiding an ense...

As Assistant Concertmaster of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, violinist Lerida Delbridge is a vital cornerstone of our classical music scene. She also has a passion for chamber music as a founding member of the Tinalley String Quartet, which has performed internationally and been the recipient of numerous awards. She has recently taken on the role of artistic director of Hunters Hill Music, which b...

It’s difficult to categorise Tom Gleisner, because he’s done it all. He’s a presenter, producer, director, writer, and actor, and even then that only scratches the surface of his talents. We first became aware of Tom thanks to  The D Generation  back in 1986, and as a part of Working Dog Productions he’s created comedy classics like  Frontline  and  Utopia , panel shows like  Have You Been Paying...

Zubin Kanga is a pianist, composer and technologist, who has been at the forefront of curating and creating interdisciplinary musical programs exploring what it means to be a performer in the 21st Century. His multi year project, Cyborg Solosits , is unlocking new possibilities in music making through interactions with motion and biosensors, new hybrid instruments, interactive visuals, and AI. In...

Globally renowned for his interpretation of baroque, classical and modern repertoire, counter-tenor Reginald Mobley is best known for his performances of JS Bach and Purcell. He’s sung with the Monteverdi Choir, the English Baroque Soloists, the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Early Music Vancouver, among many others, as well as at the coronation of King Charles III. He’s also an advocate for d...

A pianist dubbed both as a “formidable talent” as well as “Australia’s pre-eminent chamber music pianist”, Kathryn Selby has performed with orchestras and chamber groups around the world, most extensively throughout Australia and North America. For nearly 15 years she was the anchor of the Macquarie Trio, which made many recordings, several of which were nominated for the Best Classical Album ARIA...

The New Yorker described cellist and composer Peter Gregson as “working at the forefront of the new music scene”. As a cellist, he has performed all over the world, from The Royal Albert Hall to Capitol Studios in Hollywood. He has composed music for award-winning TV shows and movies, including the much loved Bridgerton from Netflix, and The New Pope from HBO. He also crosses into the pop industry...

Bass/baritone Adrian Tamburini has enjoyed a long and varied career in opera, musical theatre, and also as a director and producer. He has won two Green Room Awards, the second for his performance in Wagner’s Götterdämmerung, and has also been the winner of Australia’s most prestigious singing award, the Australian Opera Award. His voice features on international recordings, in cinema, and on radi...

Bobby Fox is best known for originating the role of Frankie Valli in the Australian production of Jersey Boys . He has appeared in many other musical theatre productions, including Hairspray , Mamma Mia , Spamalot , Oklahoma and Sweet Charity , amongst others, and he received a Helpmann nomination for his role in Stephen Sondheim’s Assassins which played at both the Hayes and the Sydney Opera Hous...

One of Australia’s most eclectic, respected and prolific artists, Eddie Perfect has received multiple awards and nominations for the different strands of his work. He won the 2009 Helpmann Award for Best New Australian Work for Shane Warne: The Musical , and received a Tony nomination for Best Original Score for his work as composer/lyricist of Beetlejuice . He’s back on stage to star in Opera Aus...

Latvian cellist and conductor Margarita Balanas has played at venues around the world, from Carnegie Hall to the Sydney Opera House. She’s performed as soloist with the Munich Philharmonic and the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra among many others, and conducted orchestras including the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich and the Baltic Sea Philharmonic, and is the founder and music director of the ANONIMI orch...

A British composer, writer and broadcaster, Stephen Johnson has a long and eclectic career. His book titles include  Discover Music of the Classical Era ,  The Eighth: Mahler and the World in 1910 , and  How Shostakovich Changed My Mind , not to mention his curation of a book of ghost stories. His compositions include a String Quartet for the Brodsky Quartet, and Behemoth Dances for the Moscow Sta...

A celebrated pianist, Alexander Boyd is appreciated for his sensitivity and the integrity of his interpretations. He made his concerto debut at the age of just 11 with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. He’s since performed at London’s Wigmore Hall and St Martins in the Fields, as well as throughout Europe, the US and Australia. He’s also a composer, having written music for three films. He has...

Soprano, actress and producer Amy Manford has delighted audiences young and old with her gorgeous voice and magnetic stage presence. Audiences will recall her highly acclaimed run as Christine Daaé in The Phantom of the Opera at the Sydney Opera House and Melbourne Arts Centre, having already played the role in the West End. She’s performed with Andrea Bocelli and for the British Royal Family. She...

A French pianist applauded for his versatility and wide-ranging repertoire, Cédric Tiberghien has an openness to explore innovative concert formats and dynamic chamber music partnerships. He’s recorded over 20 solo albums and over 15 collaborative ones, has played concerts and recitals in all parts of the world, with the Berlin Philharmonic, Orchestre National de France, the London Philharmonic, t...