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Tony & Gaga: An Opulent Big Band Experience

05/08/202604/08/2026 Jenni Peters⭐

Tony & Gaga: An Opulent Big Band Experience Rating

★★★★★

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Most know the late Tony Bennett and the much younger pop icon, Lady Gaga, who shared a musical partnership and a friendship for decades. Both were Italian singers with a mutual respect for each other, as well as two collaborative jazz albums.

After first meeting at the 2011 Robin Hood Foundation gala in New York City, when Bennett told Gaga, “Lady, you are a jazz singer”, later that year Gaga recorded “The Lady Is a Tramp” for Bennett’s Duets II album.

So successful, they then released the chart-topping jazz record Cheek to Cheek in 2014 and the Cole Porter tribute album Love for Sale in 2021.

What many don’t know is the mutual impact and support they shared revitalized Gaga’s love for music when she was considering quitting the music industry. Their partnership was that profound.

For the amazing Tony & Gaga tribute show in Melbourne last Friday, acclaimed powerhouse vocalist, Sarah C, (Dancing with the Stars, X Factor) teamed up with debonair Melbourne fashion icon, Dom Bagnato, to sing the unforgettable hits of the American Songbook.

Arguably, some of the best songs ever produced in our history, some nearly 100 years old, these timeless tunes fit somewhere into our lives emotionally, still today.

When I last reviewed Sarah’s ‘Soul Divas’ show, I met Dom in the audience, excited about doing this new show with Sarah C.

This had developed when Sarah and Dom had sung together at the birthday of Dom’s daughter when they realised they had some great musical mojo together. Now, the rest is history.

No coincidence, the 20-piece band backing Sarah and Dom on Friday night were named the Mojo Orchestra and, the chemistry between Sarah and Dom with this great band, was an absolute treat to behold.

Dressed in dinner suits and bow ties, the Mojo Orchestra stage setting was reminiscent of the halcyon days of the Glenn Miller Orchestra. Mojo had the same musical precision Miller’s band was famous for – when to come in loud and when to pull back – without anyone knowing how they timed that.

The first song of the night, sung by backing singers Cathy Moloney and Julie Kemelfield, was ‘Summertime’, from the musical Porgy and Bess. They were there to warm us up so, we had no idea how opulent our experience was about to be.

I had just flown in Friday morning from a friend’s “007” wedding in Greece and a week in Thailand’s relaxed humidity, straight into Melbourne’s frosty Friday night to do this review, so ‘Summertime’ seemed serendipitous.

I was ready for the warmth of “crooner” tunes, when Musical Director, Peter Foley, introduced us to Sarah C and Dom Bagnato as Gaga and Bennett and their first duet, the classic, ‘The Lady is a Tramp’. It is a playful song about a woman who hates strict social rules, made famous by singers like Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett, celebrating being free and real. What more could one want?

Sarah C, always so glamourous – was wearing a leopard print blazer, diamante brooch and a Fedora hat, the first of her many changes – showed us her vocal versatility with some matching Beebop, (first developed in the 40s by legends like Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie.).

The band sounded romantic and fabulous and the audience couldn’t wait to hear what more was in store for their evening.

Next, Sarah and Dom performed ‘Heaven’ with Sarah’s tone reminiscent of Amy Winehouse, she always sings so brilliantly; followed by ‘Night and Day’, composed by Cole Porter in 1932 for the Broadway musical, Gay Divorcee; and ‘Under my Skin’, also by Cole Porter in 1936 and adopted by Sinatra as one of his signature hits.

Dom bantered happily with our audience like he knew us all personally.

“When I travel, I like to sing, especially this one’, ‘I left my heart in San Francisco’. He sang a very apt tribute to Tony Bennett, who originally recorded and popularized the song in 1962, when it quickly became Bennett’s signature song.

Dom then chose the Sinatra hit, ‘The way you look tonight’, originally sung by Fred Astaire and, Mojo’s trombones were exquisite.

Then, another Sinatra hit with an arrangement by Quincy Jones from 1964, ‘Fly me to the Moon’ – later becoming tied to NASA’s Apollo space missions.

The Mojo band excelled during this number with their eight saxophones especially synchronised, powerful and melodic.

Sarah C returned to the stage in a long pink satin dress to sing us ‘La Vie ‘en Rose’ (Life in pink), in French. A wonderful tribute to Edith Piaf’s 1945 version, which later became a hit in the USA in the 50’s.

Next was ‘At Last’, originally recorded by the Glenn Miller Orchestra with vocals by Ray Eberle and Pat Friday in 1941. Most know Etta James’ 1960 soul version. Sarah C’s smoky depth gave us a little mix of both, Sarah taking full advantage of her exquisite 20-piece orchestra at that moment.

The audience was invited to take a break and on return, Dom treated us to a Sinatra and Dean Martin medley: ‘Come fly with me’, ‘All of me’, ‘You’re nobody ‘til somebody loves you’ and finally, ‘My Way’, which Dom sang with all his heart and soul, totally winning over the audience and causing us all to stand and cheer.

Sarah C in her a beautiful, long pink gown, tied in a huge bow – designed by Ella Atkins – paired with a stunning Halo diamante Tiara, sang one of my all-time favourite songs – once recorded by Sammy Davis Junior, John Coltrane, Michael Buble, and, most famously, the irrepressible Nina Simone – the very cool and extremely groovy, ‘I’m feeling good’.

To hear this classic sung by Sarah in an intimate band room, performed live by the magnificent Mojo orchestra, was spine-tingling.

As were the following hits, ‘Orange coloured Sky’ originally by Nat King Cole; ‘My Baby just cares for me’; ‘I get a kick out of you’; Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald’s, ‘Don’t mean a thing if you ‘aint got that swing’ and finally, ‘New York. New York.’

By this time, the audience was singing along loudly and with joy.

Brunswick Ballroom is one of Melbourne’s live music gems. Not only does it host live original and cover bands of every genre on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays – and some weekdays – on this marvellous night, it opened at 6.30pm for dinner before the show starting at 8.30pm.

Who doesn’t love a dinner and show?

This was something different – An opulent big band experience, everyone dressed up to the nines in an intimate ballroom, hosting a 20-piece orchestra behind two powerhouse voices, two good friends, who, like the real Tony and Gaga re-igniting these classics, had a camaraderie and talent too good to miss.

A time of chivalry, respect, romance and joy. Melbourne needs more of this.

Don’t miss your chance to see this great show. Upcoming dates are:

Frankston Arts Centre – Saturday, 5th September, 2026.
Birds Basement – Friday, 9^th October, 2026.

Booking Link – Sarah C Shows | Glamorous Live Entertainment & Performances | Sarah C sarahc.com.au

Mojo Orchestra:

Peter Foley – MD and Trombone

Cathy Moloney – Vocal

Julie Kemelfield – Vocal

Judee Horin – Piano

Doug Foley – Bass

Scott Hurley – Guitar

Paul Grage – Drums

Sean Wheatley – Alto Sax

Tracey Boekel – Alto Sax

Toby Amiel – Alto Sax

Juergen Moews – Tenor Sax

Michael Ruhsam – Tenor Sax

Leonie McNeill – Tenor Sax

Paul McDonald – Tenor Sax

Greg Day – Baritone Sax

Chris Ryan – Trombone

Jamie Grima – Trombone

Linh Du – Trombone

Darcy Neate – Trombone

Dave Melgaard – Trumpet

Leo Dellafiore – Trumpet

Lawrie Barnes – Trumpet

Enrico Bazzani – Trumpet

Andrew Pyrcz – Trumpet

To book tickets to Tony & Gaga: An Opulent Big Band Experience, please visit https://brunswickballroom.com.au/whats-on/.

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A Feast For The Ears – An Evening With Omega Ensemble

15/07/202615/07/2026 Kat Skarbek🌟🦉

Inner Landscapes Rating

★★★★★

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My husband and I had the pleasure of attending Omega Ensemble’s concert, Inner Landscapes, at the beautiful Melbourne Recital Centre. Neither of us had been to a live classical concert before, so we had no idea what to expect. What we got was an amazing aural sound-bath from the incredibly accomplished musicians who make up the ensemble. With the hall’s beautifully acoustic design holding, reflecting and reinforcing the music from every direction, this was a true feast for the ears, joyful, surprising and moving in turns.

The night opened with a powerful original score by the Pulitzer Prize winning composer, John Corigliano. ‘Soliloquy’, written in memory of his father, was a tender exploration of that loss. The interplay between the violins and the solo clarinet carried a poignant sense of the empty spaces left behind when someone we love leaves. Even with its mournful threads pulling at absence and longing, quietly unravelling the listener, it was not without drama. There was an almost Hitchcockian feel to the piece in places, a sense of tension surrounding the beauty of the violins, suggesting that even as normal life was being lived, something darker and more insidious tugged at the edges, threatening to overwhelm it. It was an incredible treat to hear it live and be invited into that deeply personal experience.

The second piece was delightfully familiar to me and will be to many of you too, I imagine. An expanded ensemble, now including cellos and double bass (I love these deep, earthy, mournful instruments the most), gave us a powerful performance of Franz Schubert’s String Quartet No. 14, Death and the Maiden. Performed in four movements, it rose and fell deftly. The first conjured rolling hills, bird murmurations, a feeling of youth and vitality, with an edge of unpredictability and sometimes danger created by the dancing, vigorous strings. My understanding is that this movement reflects the Maiden’s terror of Death. The second is slower, meant to convey a sense of safety despite Death’s presence. Here Death felt safe and generous rather than fearful, yet still carried the passionate, dramatic surges of feeling such a meeting would bring. It felt like being carried through the full emotional gamut of a life, seasons the Maiden will never live through rolled past as if in fast forward, a little like the idea that your life flashes before your eyes when you die. The third and fourth movements were sublime, returning to earlier themes with maturity and depth. The ensemble worked together impeccably. With no conductor, I watched with great interest the subtle interplay between the musicians, the tightly bound group led with breath and eye and the subtle hand of the principal viola and violinists. I was left thinking: if this is how incredible this ensemble is, can the Philharmonic really be any better?

The third piece was another original composition, ‘Rounds’ by Jessie Montgomery, a Grammy Award winning composer and violinist. Inspired by T.S. Eliot’s epic poem ‘Four Quartets’, it felt to me like sitting in the centre of a storm. With passionate, skilful playing from pianist, Vatche Jambazian, I felt immersed in water: storm clouds producing lightning and rain, surging seas, the threat of violence and danger interspersed with lighter, more playful refrains, violins and piano exploring light and dark together, discordant, harmonious, rising and falling in ever more powerful rounds. A unique and interesting piece, and one that left the listener feeling as though they’d resurfaced breathlessly from deep underwater.

The final piece, a world premiere of ‘Paludarian Dreams’ by another award winning composer, Paul Stanhope, explored themes of nature found in a busy city. It was written for Omega Ensemble and it’s Artistic Director and solo clarinetist, David Rowden, whose deft fingers brought easily to mind the swift unpredictability of birds in flight.
Workshopped with the ensemble members, it felt beautifully collaborative and is, by their own admission, always evolving. It is joyful, sometimes whimsical and always surprising, delighting the audience with violin frogs that made us laugh out loud (not something you expect from classical music) as they called throatily to one another in the dark marshy waters of the piece. And the long cello solo was a genuine treat for me.

Honestly, this was one of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve had as a reviewer. Some of that can perhaps be put down to the delight of my first foray into live orchestral music, but most of it was down to the sheer talent of these highly accomplished musicians and the power of the compositions.

I highly recommend you go and see them as soon as you can, whichever city you happen to be in, because the only sad thing about the whole experience was that the auditorium wasn’t full to bursting. Omega ensemble truly deserves a full house.

To book tickets to Inner Landscapes, please visit https://www.melbournerecital.com.au/whats-on/current-productions/omega-ensemble-inner-landscapes.

Photographer: Laura Manariti

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Haydn’s Creation

05/07/2026 Melissa Marsh⭐

Haydn’s Creation Rating

★★★★★

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Haydn’s The Creation
Sydney Opera House – Concert Hall

For my first experience of a major classical performance, I could hardly have asked for a more fitting introduction than Joseph Haydn’s The Creation in the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall. Performed by the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs and Orchestra under the direction of Brett Weymark, this one-night concert presentation demonstrated that music alone can tell a story with extraordinary clarity, scale and emotional force.

For those unfamiliar with the form, an oratorio shares many features with opera, using soloists, chorus and orchestra to tell a dramatic story, but is presented as a concert rather than with scenery, costumes or theatrical staging. Oratorios are also usually sacred or liturgical in theme; Handel’s Messiah, which helped inspire Haydn’s The Creation, is perhaps the best-known example. Here, the programme’s inclusion of the libretto was especially useful. As Naomi Hnat noted in the pre-concert talk, The Creation was always intended to be performable for an English-speaking audience, and the edition used in this performance adopted the original English words as set by Haydn. That made the storytelling feel immediate rather than translated at a distance.

Before the performance, a free forty-five-minute talk in the Northern Foyer provided an excellent introduction to the work. Hosted by Tom Forrester-Paton, with Conducting Fellow Naomi Hnat and geobiologist Dr Maxwell Lechte, it proved especially valuable for those without a long background in classical music. Hnat demonstrated key passages at the piano, making Haydn’s musical language accessible without oversimplifying it. Her explanation of the opening “Chaos” was particularly illuminating, showing how Haydn deliberately avoids the musical resolutions audiences instinctively expect, leaving the music unsettled as it searches for order. She also explained the famous “and there was light” passage, where the word “light” marks the transition from C minor into a blazing C major — a moment she described as one of Haydn’s favourites, while Forrester-Paton noted it was also a favourite passage for the chorus to perform.

Brett Weymark conducted with remarkable vitality. At times he seemed almost to dance the music into being, but never in a way that distracted from the performance itself. Rather, he seemed to live inside Haydn’s score as it turned and changed, especially during the more dramatic passages. His evident affection for the work translated into a performance of momentum, warmth and conviction, drawing committed responses from both orchestra and choir.

The opening “Chaos” unfolded exactly as Hnat had described, resisting comfortable resolution and creating an unsettled musical landscape before the famous declaration, “Let there be light.” The command itself arrived softly but with quiet certainty. The true release came with “and there was light,” when orchestra, choir and the lighting above the stage opened together in what felt like a blazing sunrise of sound. After the uncertainty of the opening, the effect was overwhelming: not merely heard, but physically felt throughout the Concert Hall.

The orchestra served not simply as accompaniment but as the foundation on which the entire performance rested. Rather than drawing attention to individual sections, it supported the unfolding narrative and allowed Haydn’s vivid musical imagery to emerge naturally. Nathan Cox’s fortepiano became an elegant bridge between orchestra and voices, adding delicacy and clarity whenever the soloists emerged.

The principal soloists each brought a distinct vocal character to the performance. Celeste Lazarenko’s Gabriel had a quicksilver lightness, bright, agile and seemingly airborne. As Eve, that radiance remained but became more grounded, giving the final part a warmer and more human presence. The transformation was subtle rather than theatrical, allowing the audience to hear not merely another role but another way of encountering the newly created world.

Kyle Stegall’s Uriel brought his own brightness and flexibility to the tenor line, carrying the narrative with clarity and ease. His singing had an effortless quality that allowed the story to move naturally from one stage of creation to the next, without ever feeling merely functional.

Michael Lampard’s baritone offered an ideal counterweight, oak-like in its warmth and solidity. As Raphael, he anchored the great descriptive passages with steadiness and authority; as Adam, he revealed a gentler and more intimate character. His duets with Lazarenko were among the evening’s finest moments, their contrasting vocal colours creating both balance and intimacy.

The addition of mezzo-soprano Yvette Leonard in the closing section broadened the vocal palette of the solo ensemble. Rather than competing with the principal voices, her contribution enriched the finale, adding warmth and balance to the concluding pages and giving the ending a fuller sense of vocal breadth.

If the soloists carried the narrative, the Sydney Philharmonia Choir supplied the emotional and spiritual force of the evening. At its most powerful it became a wall of sound, filling the Concert Hall without losing clarity. Yet what impressed just as much was its subtlety. Softer passages revealed many colours, while from the stalls it was possible to see and hear the individual vocal lines ripple across the risers before gathering once more into a unified whole. The effect was almost orchestral in itself, different voices emerging and receding like changing colours through falling leaves. By the second half, I found myself anticipating each occasion the choir would rise again.

The renovated Concert Hall deserves mention as a participant in the performance rather than simply its setting. The acoustics combined warmth, clarity and power, allowing orchestra, soloists and choir to blend without sacrificing individual detail. Music in this space was not simply audible; it had a tangible physical presence that surrounded the audience and reinforced the grandeur of Haydn’s vision.

The audience responded warmly throughout the afternoon, with appreciative applause between the major sections and a generous ovation at the conclusion. It felt like an acknowledgement not only of technical accomplishment but of the care, preparation and affection that had gone into bringing Haydn’s masterpiece to life.

For a first encounter with large-scale classical performance, The Creation proved both welcoming and awe-inspiring. More than two centuries after Haydn composed it, its sense of wonder remains intact. Under Weymark’s energetic direction, supported by outstanding soloists, orchestra and choir, this one-night performance transformed the Concert Hall into a place where creation was not simply described — it was vividly experienced.

To book tickets to Haydn’s Creation, please visit https://www.sydneyphilharmonia.com.au/events/haydns-creation/.

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Fun! Laughs! Good Times!

23/06/202622/06/2026 Jenni Peters⭐

Sweet Charity Rating

★★★★★

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Opening night of Sweet Charity at Chapel Off Chapel, Friday, 19th June, 2026.

Heirlume Productions presents the iconic Bob Fosse musical, Sweet Charity, with support from Forest Collective, the award-winning Australian arts organisation founded in 2009 by composer and conductor Evan Jay Lawson. Playing at Chapel Off Chapel from 18 to 28 June, this production brings together Heirlume’s theatrical vision with Forest Collective’s musical expertise in a successful and masterful collaboration.

Sweet Charity, written by Broadway legend, Neil Simon, with a great score by Cy Coleman and lyrics by Dorothy Fields, has always been a musical fan favourite.

Taken from the plot of a 1957 Italian film about a streetwalker, Nights of Cabiria (Le notti di Cabiria), Simon’s musical rendition kept four of the film’s landmark moments. Conceived, staged, directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse for his wife, the irrepressible Gwen Verdon, Sweet Charity premiered on Broadway, New York, in 1966 and was nominated for nine Tony Awards with a win for Fosse’s unmistakeable quirky and technical choreography. Let’s just say, Fosse made it his own.

So, no surprise the opening night audience at Chapel Off Chapel were bustling with excitement ready to soak in its many hit songs and, to experience that fabulous Fosse feeling, however, we were not prepared for how tight, fabulous and professional this production and its cast were going to be.

Director, Madison Lee, has reinvigorated the beloved characters and legendary score with a “queer love story and a tale of self-acceptance.” In her Program Director’s Note, Madi reminds us that “Charity Hope Valentine is a woman who wants to be loved completely resisting against a world that has given her very little reason to keep believing….” Except for, “…her chosen family, the people who hold us when we get back up and remind us who we are when the world tries to tell us otherwise.”

Lee has directed a female ensemble so strong and diverse, most playing multiple parts, I haven’t seen the likes of together in years:

Experienced VCA graduate, Erica Wild, fresh back from West End, U.K., embodies Charity Hope Valentine with honesty and sweetness. Wild is hardly ever offstage but gives everything she has to this role, with all her innocence and energy. She is easy to love.

Producer, Heirlume founder and Productions Artistic Director, Manda Rozen-Flannery, says of Charity, “…something feels inherently neurodivergent … about her.” Wild captures this perfectly.

Wild is supported by second leads, Madeline Pratt as Nickie and Hannah Gutierrez Cañon as Helene, playing two seasoned dance hall girls weathered and baffled by Charity’s naivety.

Choreographer and educator, Pratt is powerful in singing, acting and dancing.

For Cabaret performer and former National Latin dance Champion, Cañon, new to the Musical Theatre industry, her dance expertise is obvious.

As is the dance talent of Tyler-Rose Shattock, who charmed us as an excellent Frug Girl in the nightclub scene. Shattock also stands out with all her other characters.

Extremely talented and versatile Sara-Louise Younger plays both the Herman and Daddy characters. Her version of ‘Rhythm of Life’ along with the whole cast, was simply transformational. Singing gospel one minute and opera the next, her range and voice is unique to Australia.

Supported by Alessandra Negro as Ursula, Eden Holmes as Carmen, Lisa-Marie Coad as Betsy and Bridie Erwin-Keirl as Rosie, all playing multiple other roles, the hard work and camaraderie of the whole troupe beams and was just a pleasure to watch.

Clancy Enchelmaier plays the only three male roles, from Charity’s bad choice of boyfriend at the start to movie star, Vittorio, to romantic lead, Oscar. His distinguished voice and range is strong.

This show is also excellent creatively:

The audience was delighted with Jesse Matthews’ choreography. He is resident performer and choreographer for Forest Collective. Matthews paid tribute to Fosse’s unmistakeable 60’s style keeping the line of the classic number, ‘Big Spender’ while adding a touch of difference.
Even in this smaller production, the choreography shines and was one of the highlights of this show.

The iconic dance scene from the Sweet Charity movie, titled, “The Aloof” is a perfect blend of elegance, satire, and stylistic brilliance in storytelling. There is no expression on any of the dancers’ faces in “The Aloof”, however, in this production, Matthews / Lee have decided to arm Shattock’s Frug girl with sexiness and smiles, energising us into the vibe of a nightclub, also switching us away from the dim of the dance hall.

Forest Collective Artistic Director, contemporary composer, singer and conductor, Evan J Lawson, and Composer, Pianist and Musical Director, Max Kielly are co-musical directors on Sweet Charity and are sharing time in the conducting of the orchestra, with Orchestrator, Shanon Whitelock. It’s obvious this has been a very successful collaboration.

An energetic score that is usually undertaken by a full orchestra has been executed with precision by this award winning and versatile crew of six musicians, Thomas English on woodwind, Bodhi Scott-Jones on trumpet, Max Kielly on keys,
Felix Gilmour on percussion, Benjamin Lamb on guitar and Ian Crossfield on upright & electric bass.

The shows’ Costume Designer, Zachary Dixon, has pieced together items that tell a story throughout each scene, from Charity’s gingham print summer dress – she probably wore from her hick town into the big city dance hall for work – to Nickie and Helene’s Lingerie variations, to Daddy’s hippie church group collections, the costumes are colourful and timely in the best way.

Lighting Designer, Ruben Laine, Sound Designer, Lukas Battey and stage manager, Samara Louise have connected all of these dots seamlessly to present to us a stage of scaffolding representing the dance hall above and the dressing rooms below, as well as the highs and the lows of their lifestyle.

I enjoyed this show so much, I may attend once more.
If you can get tickets, hurry up and get them now before they sell out.
This show is not to be missed.

@heirlume.productions
@evanjlawson
@itsmadilee
@erica_wild
@manda.rozenflannery
@madeline.pratt
@chacha_chilena
@tylerrose_shattock
@slyoungerparker
@clancy.ench
@jesse_matthews99
@maxkielly
@shannondw

To book tickets to Sweet Charity, please visit https://chapeloffchapel.com.au/show/sweet-charity/.

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