30/08/2026
A huge thank you to Milijana Nikolic Mezzo Soprano for your kind words. We also couldn’t do this without wonderful supporters like you! ❤️
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After attending Melbourne Opera’s Il Trovatore, I came away thinking not only about the performance itself, but about just how important companies like Melbourne Opera are to the cultural life of this country.
As a private company, Melbourne Opera continues to foster and showcase Australian talent while keeping this extraordinary operatic heritage alive — and that deserves enormous recognition.
Raymond Lawrence was an absolute jewel in the pit. His understanding of Verdi’s score was evident throughout — respectful of what is actually written on the page, yet alive with the true passion and instinct of an Italian. His swift, exciting tempi reminded me of Maestro Muti: never rushed for the sake of excitement, but always moving the drama forward and allowing Verdi’s pulse to breathe through the evening.
Having worked with Matthew Barclay in the past, I knew he would bring his wonderful attention to detail to the stage. He has a way of making even the most complicated theatrical situations feel logical and believable, allowing the characters and their relationships to make sense within the drama.
There was some truly wonderful singing on the night, but perhaps the biggest applause should also go to the people we don’t see taking their bows — those behind the stage, those running and supporting this theatre, and especially the donors and patrons who believe that this great cultural heritage still deserves to live and breathe today.
Opera of this scale cannot exist on passion and talent alone. It takes an extraordinary collective commitment from artists, musicians, creatives, technicians, management, supporters and audiences.
Bravo Melbourne Opera for continuing to make that commitment — and for continuing to give Australian artists a stage on which to shine. 👏🎭❤️
