A pocketful of love songs
A voice, a lute and a hand-picked selection of songs from 17th century France to now, from the duo with the most chemistry in classical music.
Presented in partnership with Opera Australia, Opera Queensland, State Opera South Australia and West Australian Opera.
Concerts in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Newcastle, Perth and Sydney.
This concert is currently available as part of a 2027 Subscription (3 or more concerts). Single tickets will be available from 7 October 2026.
Love is in the air when mezzo-soprano Lea Desandre and lutenist Thomas Dunford embark on a voyage across three centuries of French song.
Lea Desandre, named Female Singer of the Year at the Opus Klassik awards in 2022, is one of the brightest talents of her generation. Thomas Dunford, her partner in life and music, is the inspiring artistic director of Ensemble Jupiter. Together, they are taking the world of classical music by storm.
For her Australian recital debut, Lea Desandre explores an exquisite bouquet of songs from the Baroque to now, which explore the many shades of love, from tenderness to passion to heartbreak. At her side, Thomas Dunford brings sunny harmonies and captivating lute solos.
'It doesn't matter whether the texts are by Shakespeare or by modern songwriters', says Desandre. 'These are songs born out of someone grabbing an instrument and bringing the words to life, straight from the heart.'
This is a rare opportunity to hear 'the duo with the most chemistry in classical music' (OperaWire) in an intimate recital setting, singing and playing from the heart. Be charmed, mesmerised and utterly seduced by Lea Desandre and Thomas Dunford.
ARTIST DISCOVERY PLAYLIST
Listen to Desandre & Dunford before you hear them live via the YouTube playlist below.
LEA DESANDRE mezzo-soprano |
A selection of French songs from the 17th to 20th centuries, lute solos, and a new work by Alice Chance, setting a poem by Verity Laughton*. *World premiere performances. Commissioned for Musica Viva Australia. |
Alice Chance is an award-winning composer whose works have been performed in France, the United Kingdom, Germany, the USA, Japan, Singapore and across Australia. A firm believer that playfulness should be taken seriously, Alice weaves together diverse influences from contemporary classical music, art song, early music, musical theatre, sound design, folk and blues to create her distinct sound. Alice recently returned from living in Paris where she completed a Masters in Composition at the École Normale de Musique with acclaimed French composer Régis Campo. Recent collaborations include Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Genevieve Lacey, The Australian String Quartet, Ensemble Offspring, Sjaella (Germany), Sequenza 9.3 (France), Affinity Quartet, Hawai'i Symphony Orchestra, The Australian Voices, Sydney Children's Choir, Van Diemen's Band, and Andrew O'Connor. A recipient of the 2026 Fluxus Opera Lab grant, Alice is currently working on a children's opera. |
Special thanks to Ensemble Patrons Philip Bacon AO and Susie Dickson for their generous support of this tour. |
