Opera Australia will open its Sydney Winter season on 8 July with the spectacular return of National Living Treasure Graeme Murphy’s dazzling production of one of the world’s most popular operettas Lehár’s The Merry Widow to the Joan Sutherland Theatre stage.

One of the great composers of operetta, Franz Lehár’s unique blend of opera and musical theatre is both accessible and entertaining, delivering a glitzy, glamorous good time with The Merry Widow. His score is bubbly and beautiful, packed with hum-along dance tunes from the famous waltz to marches, cancans, gallops and even a polonaise. Paired with Murphy’s signature choreography, this production guarantees to have audiences swaying, smiling and swooning in their seats.

Performed in English, Murphy’s production, commissioned by The Opera Conference, transports audiences to the opulent art deco era of 1920s Paris brought to life by a talented Australian creative team. Michael Scott-Mitchell’s dramatic sets include faceted mirrors, geometric screens and a stunning Monet-inspired night garden, while Jennifer Irwin’s costume designs are sumptuous featuring elaborate braided dress uniforms, elegant shapes, exquisite embroidery, feathers and prints.

Sharing the iconic role of Hanna Glavari, one of Dame Joan Sutherland’s signature roles, are Australian born, international opera star Emma Pearson, making her role debut, and audience favourite Julie Lea Goodwin, reprising her celebrated performance. Starring alongside them is acclaimed opera tenor and musical star, Alexander Lewis, returning to the role of Danilo and lyric Australian coloratura soprano Alexandra Flood, who has been making waves on the global stage  making her debut with OA. Maestra Vanessa Scammell leads this star-studded cast and orchestra through Lehár’s sophisticated orchestrations that are full of colour and harmony.

Despite its doomed premiere in 1905 with recycled sets and costumes and little rehearsal time, word-of-mouth fast propelled The Merry Widow from minor success to smash hit, performed more than 20,000 times across Europe by 1909. Today, it’s been translated into more than 25 languages and Murphy’s production has been praised as an all singing, all dancing Broadway style show and a visually stunning spectacle not to be missed.

A fusion of familiar romantic comedy tropes; high society life, money on the line and a ‘will they or won’t they’ love story, the operetta revolves around the small European country Pontevedro who are on the verge of bankruptcy. The Pontevedrians’ only hope is for Hanna Glavari, a beautiful widow who inherited her husband’s fortune, to marry local Danilo Danilovich, who just happens to be Hanna’s former lover, so her wealth can remain in the country.

Decca Classics will releaase the world premiere recording of Marina, the long-lost debut opera by Umberto Giordano, on July 31, 2026. The production stars Eleonora Buratto and Freddie De Tommaso in the main roles, with Orchestra I Pomeriggi Musicali di Milano and the Coro della Fondazione Teatro Petruzzelli, conducted by Vincenzo Milletarì.

The recording follows the opera's first-ever performances in February 2026 at Teatro Dal Verme, marking a historic moment for a work that remained unheard for almost 140 years. Set against the backdrop of conflict between Montenegro and Serbia, Marina tells a story of love, loyalty, and fatal consequences. A wounded enemy soldier is sheltered by Marina, an act of compassion that ignites passion, jealousy, and ultimately tragedy.

For De Tommaso, this recording marks a rare and defining moment. Known for his acclaimed performances in the Italian repertoire, he now creates the role of Giorgio for the very first time, stepping into music that had never previously been heard on stage or recording. Alongside him, acclaimed Italian soprano Eleonora Buratto stars in the title role, bringing to life a heroine described by The Times as “the archetypal woman of verismo operas”, shaped by “violent passion, jealousy, vendetta and family drama”. One of today's foremost Italian sopranos, Buratto has appeared at many of the world's leading opera houses, including The Metropolitan Opera, Royal Opera House, and Teatro alla Scala. Internationally acclaimed for her interpretations of Verdi and Puccini heroines, she has been praised by OperaWire as “a prima donna of extraordinary elegance, nobility, and interpretive intelligence”.

Composed in 1888 while Giordano was still a student, Marina was written for the Sonzogno competition, which would soon launch Mascagni's Cavalleria rusticana and help define the verismo movement. Although the opera received only an honourable mention, its quality immediately attracted the attention of the publisher Sonzogno and led to Giordano's first major commission, beginning the path that would later see him compose operas including Andrea Chénier.

Long believed lost, the autograph score survived in manuscript form and remained unheard for almost 140 years before being rediscovered by musicologist Andreas Gies in the Koch Collection at the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University. Gies subsequently prepared the new critical edition used for both the performances and this recording.

Giordano was born in Puglia and later died in Milan, where Marina has now finally returned to the stage. Reflecting those roots, this landmark recording brings together artists closely connected to the composer, including Freddie De Tommaso, whose family originates from Puglia, and conductor Vincenzo Milletarì, who is also from the region.

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) has announced the line-up for the highly anticipated 2026 TD James Moody Jazz Festival taking place Friday, November 6 to Sunday, November 22, 2026. 

Attracting thousands of fans to the city of Newark for the past 14 years, this year's Festival presents the world's preeminent jazz and jazz-adjacent artists in manifold events including world premiere concerts, debut collaborations, and free performances too. This year's lineup bridges the gaps between historic icons and the visionaries of tomorrow, featuring tributes to Miles Davis, Zakir Hussain, and the Festival's namesake James Moody as well as a rare performance by Tony Award-winning Ben Vereen in a special 80th birthday celebration. Scroll down for a preliminary schedule of Festival events with more details to be announced later this summer.

Quote from John Schreiber, NJPAC President and CEO, “What we deliver every year at the TD James Moody Festival is the music you love, performed in new ways; the artists you cherish in surprising and unexpected combinations; as well as new faces and new sounds you'll want to hear more of."

Quote from Christian McBride, TD James Moody Jazz Festival Advisor and 11x GRAMMY Award-Winning Bassist, “This year at the TD James Moody Jazz Festival, we'll be remembering and celebrating some of the world's best musicians. Legendary sitar player Niladri Kumaar will pay tribute to one of the Arts Center's much-loved regular visitors, tabla superstar Zakir Hussain, who passed in 2024. The Moody All-Star Band will salute our festival's namesake, James Moody. We'll all help blow out the candles when Ben Vereen celebrates his 80th birthday the best way he knows how -- on stage! And Jon Faddis will lead 'Miles at 100,' a concert in honor of the great Miles Davis's centennial year. So many of your favorite jazz musicians will be on hand at the festival, from Gregory Porter to Charles Lloyd. I'll be there too, playing with my good friend Bruce Hornsby as well as with the New Jersey Symphony. This is a lineup of one-of-a-kind performances you don't want to miss."

Quote from Martin Melilli, TD Bank Commercial Market President, “TD is honored to once again support NJPAC and the TD James Moody Jazz Festival, a celebration of music, culture and community that continues to inspire audiences year after year. We believe the arts play an important role in building stronger, more connected communities, and this festival is a powerful example of how jazz can educate, uplift and bring people together."

Wellington Comic Opera continues its tradition of bringing live performance to venues across the greater Wellington region, and I was pleased to attend their latest production, Tell Me the Truth About Love.

This cabaret-style show features 24 songs presented over two hours (including a 15-minute interval). It is semi-staged, with minimal lighting and set dressing, allowing the focus to rest squarely on the performers. Costuming is thoughtfully handled and adds visual appeal, helping make the show accessible and enjoyable for the largely older audience I joined at the Khandallah performance.

The cast of 16 includes director Malinda Groves, Musical Director William McElwee, and accompanist Heather Easting, who provides excellent support throughout.

The show opens with Benjamin Britten’s Tell Me the Truth About Love, performed with the cast dispersed among the audience, a creative and engaging choice that immediately draws viewers in. From the outset, it was clear that there are some truly strong voices in this ensemble.

That said, not all of the humour landed for me. While there were clear attempts to inject lightness and wit throughout, some moments didn’t quite achieve their intended effect. Personally, I found the more serious numbers far more compelling, as they allowed the performers’ vocal abilities to truly shine.

There were several standout performers. Patrick Coelho impressed with his rich, resonant tone, while Rebecca Murphy-Woodmore brought both excellent vocal control and a sharp sense of comic timing. Malinda Groves also performed strongly while balancing her role as director. However, the voice of the afternoon undoubtedly belonged to Alex Buchanan, simply stunning. It was a pity we didn’t hear more from her.

Among the musical highlights, The Masochism Tango provided genuine humour, and The Flower Fishers Quartet was beautifully executed. One of the most touching moments came with David Cox and Rebecca Murphy-Woodmore’s rendition of Do You Love Me? from Fiddler on the Roof, which drew warm reactions from the audience.

Alex Buchanan’s performance of O Mio Babbino Caro was nothing short of a masterclass; poised, expressive, and vocally superb. It comes as no surprise that she has been accepted to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. Anyone who appreciates fine singing would do well to catch her before she departs our shores.

The final encore was, for me, the highlight of the show, richly harmonised and beautifully blended. It left me wishing there had been more of this style of ensemble work and slightly fewer of the lighter numbers, to better showcase the company’s vocal strengths.

Overall, Tell Me the Truth About Love offers an enjoyable afternoon of music, with some excellent talent on display. For audiences seeking live performance and strong vocal work, this production is well worth attending.