Top Australian Artists to Perform at BMW Opera For All Free Concert in Fed Square

BMW Australia and Opera Australia announced an all-new line-up of world class singers who will join Orchestra Victoria for the fourth edition of the free open-air BMW Opera for All concert, taking place at Fed Square on Saturday 14 March, from 6:30pm to 8:00pm.

Legendary Maestro Brian Castles Onion will once again take to the stage to conduct some of Australia's finest opera singers and musicians, giving the people of Melbourne an exceptional opportunity to experience the glorious music and soaring vocals that only opera can deliver.

The evening will open with a special Acknowledgement of Country by celebrated First Nations vocalist and composer Shauntai Abdul-Rahman, followed by a prelude performance by the Australian Girls Choir. Both performances highlight BMW's commitment to supporting local arts and culture at a grassroots level. 

BMW Opera for All aims to connect young, aspiring singers with professional operatic talent and inspire and engage younger audiences.

Making her debut in Fed Square will be celebrated Australian soprano Julie Lea Goodwin, who has sung leading roles for Opera Australia, including La Bohème and The Marriage of Figaro, and will star in The Merry Widow at the Sydney Opera House later this year. Julie Lea will be joined by mezzo soprano Emily Edmondswho recently returned to Australia from a stellar international career, most recently performing the titular role in Cinderella and Rosina in The Barber of Seville, both to great acclaim. 

After making his European debut in 2021, Melbourne baritone Stephen Marsh has performed in some of the world's finest opera houses, as well as with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra. This will mark Stephen's Opera Australia debut, before he embarks on the Don Giovanni National Tour in July and takes on the principal role of Marcello in La Bohème at the Regent Theatre in November.

Melbourne tenor Asher Reichman has performed extensively with Opera Australia's Melbourne chorus in major productions such as Lohengrin and Mefistofele, he has also appeared in Melbourne Opera's Ring Cycle.

Now in its fourth year in Australia, BMW Opera for All is a global initiative delivering free public opera performances in some of the world's leading cultural centres, including Munich, Berlin and London, in partnership with leading opera organisations.

“BMW Opera for All demonstrates how the arts can play an important role in bringing communities together and making world-class cultural experiences accessible to everyone,” said Vikram Pawah, CEO of BMW Group Australia. 

“We are proud to continue our partnership with Opera Australia and to bring an open-air performance that removes barriers and invites everyone to experience the joy of live opera in the heart of Melbourne”

With capacity for up to 8,000 attendees in Fed Square's outdoor space, BMW Opera for All is set to be one of Australia's largest free outdoor opera events in 2026.