Baz Luhrmann is a true Australian icon and a pioneer of the Australian entertainment industry. With films such as Strictly Ballroom, Romeo + Juliet and The Great Gatsby all playing to critical acclaim, Luhrmann’s work has made him one of the most recognisable figures in the global film industry. With a longstanding connection to Opera Australia, it made sense that the company would choose to pay tribute to him over a series of two nights, enlisting the help of musical theatre stars Alinta Chidzey, Tim Draxl, Ryan González and Phoebe Panaretos, all under the direction of Vanessa Scammell and with the support of the Opera Australia Orchestra, to pay tribute to the director through covers of his works, both from the screen and from the stage. 

The night started on a light note with all four performers singing “Young Hearts Run Free” before González took things up a notch with a sultry and compelling cover of “Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps”. González is one of Australia’s most exciting theatre performers, recently performing in In The Heights to great acclaim, and here his voice was strong and his characterisation had a degree of conviction that cabaret-style performances often lack such that he truly embodied the characterisation, even in a setting that was devoid of the show’s context. 

Chidzey also had significant Luhrmann pedigree coming into the show, having just concluded a run as Satine in the Australian tour of Moulin Rouge. Unsurprisingly, she sung a number of songs from the show including “Firework” and “Your Song” as well as “One Day I’ll Fly Away,” which was her best performance of the night, as she embodied the sensitivity of the song well. At times, she was dwarfed by the other bigger voices on stage, but she still delivered strong performances, to which the audience responded well. 

Draxl is another Opera Australia favourite, having just finished starring in Sunset Boulevard (and before that, in Jagged Little Pill), and, as the ultimate professional, he delivered a stellar performance once again. While his version of Kissing You did not quite have the sensitivity of the film version, his rendition of “Complainte de la Butte” was superb, resonating well with the audience as he sang in perfect French. His mashup of “Fever” and “Nature Boy” also showed off his versatility as he inhibited more of a jazz style which provided a nice contrast to the very theatrical rest of the night. 

Panaretos was the final performer of the night, and although she took a little while to warm up, she commenced the second act with a stellar performance of “I’m Losing You” from Lake Lost, a song that I had admittedly never heard before, but that has such power and emotion which Panaretos harnessed and encapsulated perfectly. Indeed, she would be well-placed to record the song given how well it suited her voice and how beautiful the song is. Panaretos also joined Draxl and González for duets earlier in the night, which were also strong. 

However, the highlight of the night was certainly when Draxl and González combined for a passionate duet of “Roxanne” from Moulin Rouge. The song is undoubtedly difficult and the two managed all of the technical difficulties of the number whilst harnessing the raw power that the song demands to give a visceral and incisive performance that left the audience absolutely floored. 

After some anecdotes about working with Luhrmann, Chidzey joined Draxl for a beautiful performance of “Come What May” before the quartet returned for an encore of “Love is in the Air” which had the crowd on their feet. It was a fun end to a great night of music. The four performers are some of the best in the Australian theatre industry and they showed why, paying a fitting tribute to one of Australia’s finest, with excellent support from the superb Opera Australia orchestra. The audience had a blast, and one can only hope that Opera Australia puts on a similar show again, as this was a great addition to their regular programming. 

Rating: ★★★★1/2

Strictly Baz Luhrmann – Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House – 23^rd June 2025

All photo credits: Robert Catto