Gardens, Goodbyes, and Serenades

Team of Pianists presents C & C Rigg Bequest Classic Music 2026 - in Special and Sacred Spaces 

Celebrate the beauty of Romantic song in the magnificent surroundings of Xavier College Memorial Chapel, Kew, when Melbourne Capella, directed by Nicholas Cowall, presents a programme of lyrical beauty, passion and reflection, on Saturday 21 November 2026 at 3.00pm. Joined by pianist Rohan Murray and soprano Sophie Cowall, this acclaimed male-voice consort explores love, loss and lullaby through the poetic worlds of Robert Schumann, Clara Schumann, Johannes Brahms, Franz Schubert and Alma Mahler.

The first half features Schumann's charming duets and the poignant Gedichte der Königin Maria Stuart, alongside a rare opportunity to hear songs by Clara Schumann specially arranged for male chorus and piano. Following the interval, Melbourne Capella performs Brahms' spirited Five Duets, Op. 66, culminating in the majestic and deeply moving Alto Rhapsody, before concluding with Schubert's beloved Ständchen. Set within one of Melbourne's most inspiring sacred spaces, built to commenorate Xavier Old Collegians who died in World War Two, this promises to be an unforgettable afternoon of choral artistry and Romantic masterworks.

A Rigg Bequest Classic Music in Special and Sacred Places 2026 recital. Major sponsor: Colin & Cicely Rigg Bequest, as managed by Equity Trustees