Christopher Wheeldon’s extravagant Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland© returns to take audiences back down the rabbit hole in 2024. Masterfully translated from Lewis Carroll’s beloved book, Wheeldon brings the humour and eccentricities of the original story to the ballet stage in a fantastical tale suitable for the whole family. Watch as The Queen of Hearts rampages around her court, the White Rabbit shimmies his tail and the Caterpillar sparkles in 16 crystal-covered pointe shoes.

TALBOT Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

Jonathan Lo, Joel Bass conductor
Orchestra Victoria
The Australian Ballet

W | https://australianballet.com.au/performances/alices-adventures-in-wonderland

RACHMANINOFF Cello Sonata, Op.19
FRANCAIX Trio for Oboe, Bassoon and Piano
SCHUMANN Piano Quintet, Op.44
POULENC Trio for Oboe, Bassoon and Piano
DE FALLA/KREISLER Danse Espangnole
LOEFFLER Two Rhapsodies for Oboe, Viola and Piano
MOZART Piano Quartet No.1 in G minor, K.478

Benjamin Baker, Wilma Smith, Donald Armstrong violin
Wenhong Luo, Amanda Verner viola
Matthias Balzat, Richard Narroway cello
Robert Orr oboe
Todd Gibson-Cornish bassoon
Laurence Matheson piano

W | https://www.martinboroughmusicfestival.co.nz/

3rd September Tauranga - X Space
4th September Auckland - St Matthew in the CIty
5th September Hamilton, NZ TBC
6th September Hamilton - Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts, Waikato University
8th September Whanganui Concert Chamber (presented by Chamber Music Whanganui), Whanganui War Memorial Centre
10th September Wellington - St Andrew's on the Terrace
11th September Whirinaki, Upper Hutt - Whirinaki Whare Taonga
12th September Arrowtown - The Lodge at The Hills
13th September Wanaka Concert Society - Lake Wanaka Centre
14th September Christchurch - Christopher’s Classics; The Philip Carter Family Concert Hall, The Piano
15th September Nelson Centre of Musical Arts
17th September Waikanae Music Society - Waikanae Memorial Hall

BEETHOVEN Piano Trio No.3 in C minor, Op.1 No.3
SMETANA Piano Trio in G minor, Op.15
DVORAK Piano Trio No.4 in E minor “Dumky”, Op.90

Argyle Trio
Wilma Smith violin
Matthias Balzat cello
Laurence Matheson piano

W | https://www.argyletrio.com/events

When Laurence Matheson and Matthias Balzat met in February 2020 to play trio concerts for Wilma & Friends, they hit it off instantly, both musically and personally. We decided to play more together and the Argyle Trio was born. However, a pandemic intervened to keep us on opposite sides of the planet until these 2023 concerts which will be our long-awaited reunion. Beethoven’s C minor Trio is such a perfect gem, it’s hard to believe it’s his Opus 1 and it’s the ideal springboard into the totally different world of heart-on-sleeve Slavic romanticism. Dvorak’s famous “Dumky” trio features a passionately lamenting cello – dumky being the plural of dumka, an epic ballad or song of lament. Less familiar, but a powerful work of unbridled passion, Smetana’s early trio is dedicated to his eldest daughter who had just died aged four from scarlet fever. He was a generation older than Dvorak and his rhapsodic trio of clearly elegiac character is a milestone of romanticism, in a way forecasting the music that would soon come from Brahms, Dvorak and others.

26th August Melbourne - St Stephen’s Richmond
27th August Hobart - Virtuosi Tasmania
30th August Melbourne - Wilma and Friends Scotch College
31st August Mornington - Beleura House and Garden

BEETHOVEN Piano Trio No.3 in C minor, Op.1 No.3
SMETANA Piano Trio in G minor, Op.15
DVORAK Piano Trio No.4 in E minor “Dumky”, Op.90

Wilma Smith violin
Matthias Balzat cello
Laurence Matheson piano

W | https://wilmaandfriends.com.au/dumky/

For our 4th festival we begin a long term partnership with the Young Classical Artists Trust in London that will see the most exciting talents from Europe come to Bendigo exclusively. This year we feature two extraordinary artists – Leeds Piano Competition Prize winner Ariel Lanyi and Classic FM’s 2022 Rising Star Artist, clarinetist, Jonathan Leibovitz.

We welcome for the first time Australian virtuosic violin talents Emily Sun, Elizabeth Layton and Alexandra Osborne, Sydney Symphony principal viola Amanda Verner, MSO principal horn Nicolas Fleury and all-round bravura pianist Laurence Matheson. Sophie, Tobi and Daniel all join us once again as part of the BCMF family. Our ongoing partnership with ANAM also continues with the Artamidae quartet performing throughout the festival, prior to their London debut in autumn.

Works by DOHNANYI, CHOPIN, BEETHOVEN, SDRAULIG, BARTOK, BRAHMS, BERG, POULENC, DEBUSSY, SCHUMANN and RACHMANINOFF

Laurence Matheson piano
Sophie Rowell, Elizabeth Layton, Emily Sun, Alexandra Osborne violin
Tobias Breider, Amanda Verner viola
Howard Penny, Chris Howlett cello
Daniel de Borah, Ariel Lanyi piano
Jonathan Leibowitz clarinet
Nicolas Fleury horn
Artamidae Quartet

W | https://bendigochambermusicfestival.com.au/