HANDEL'S MESSIAH at Melbourne Town Hall 2026

Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Choir & Orchestra present Handel’s Messiah for the world record 247th time since 1853. The RMP’s annual performance of this masterpiece is a much-anticipated highlight of Melbourne’s concert calendar. Don’t miss being part of this wonderful musical tradition, presented in Melbourne by Australia's oldest surviving performing arts organization. Featuring a superb cast of outstanding Australian soloists, conducted by RMP Chief Conductor Andrew Wailes. 

 

 

“The Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra delivered another vibrant and polished reading. Music director Andrew Wailes conducted with precision and infectious energy urging the chamber-sized orchestra and 100-strong choir to some stirring renditions of the big choir pieces including the famous Hallelujah, Glory to God and For unto us a Child is born. Wailes, favouring brisk tempos, made for exciting listening…”  – The Age

 

'Animation and attention to detail were distinctive features of this performance. The forward momentum established in the opening Sinfony never flagged. The RMP Choir sang with scores neatly closed by their sides for several key choruses, alert to the subtleties of dynamics and tempo in Wailes’ direction. And there were plenty of those to keep the audience absorbed as the work assumed an unexpected freshness... This was an experienced choir, trained with painstaking care to form a disciplined ensemble... the final “Amen” chorus was greeted by such a prolonged standing ovation, with cheers and whistles usually heard at sporting events' – Classic Melbourne

 

For more information visit www.rmp.org.au

 

Andrew Wailes, conductor

Amanda Hargreaves, soprano

Sally-Anne Russell, mezzo soprano

Michael Petruccelli, tenor

Jeremy Kleeman, baritone

Stefan Cassomenos, harpsichord and chamber organ 

Andrew Bainbridge chamber and grand organ 

Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Choir

Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Orchestra

 

For general enquiries please contact tickets@rmp.org.au. 

For media enquiries please contact musicdirector@rmp.org.au or call 0433 661 971

 

 

We want all patrons to enjoy a comfortable and welcoming experience at Melbourne Town Hall. Please find below some helpful information about accessibility, seating and getting to the venue.

 

Lift Access

Lift access to the Foyer and Stalls (Level 1) is available through the copper doors immediately to the left of the main steps at the Swanston Street entrance.

While the lift also provides access to Level 2, patrons must navigate a further six steps to reach the Balcony seating. There are also stairs between each row of the Balcony, often without handrails. For this reason, we recommend that patrons with limited mobility book seating in the Stalls rather than the Balcony.

 

Accessible Seating

Dedicated spaces for wheelchair and mobility scooter users are available in the Stalls, along with other accessible seating options, including aisle seats and seats close to entry points. If you have any accessibility or mobility requirements, please let us know when booking so we can assist you in finding the most suitable seating.

For assistance or enquiries, please contact our ticketing team at tickets@rmp.org.au.

 

Accessible Toilets

Accessible toilet facilities are located on the Ground Floor (street level).

 

Guide Dogs & Assistance Animals

Guide dogs and accredited assistance animals are welcome at Melbourne Town Hall. They can generally be accommodated in the aisle alongside their handler during the performance. Please let us know when booking so we can help make suitable arrangements.

 

Parking & Drop-Off

There is no public parking available at Melbourne Town Hall itself, but several parking facilities are located nearby.

For patrons arriving by taxi or rideshare, the Collins Street side of Melbourne Town Hall is a commonly used drop-off and pick-up location.