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Freiburg Baroque Orchestra performs at Melbourne Recital Centre.

History and music collide in a joyful duo of concerts

Much has changed since the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra last visited Melbourne, but their music is just as powerful as ever.

  • Tony Way, Cameron Woodhead, Gabriela Sumampow and Vyshnavee Wijekumar

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The cast of Jesus Christ Superstar.

‘You don’t see standing ovations mid-song very often’: This Jesus Christ Superstar is unmissable

The early ’70s musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice has arrived back on the Melbourne stage with the energy and passion of a rock concert.

  • Cameron Woodhead
William McKenna looking at Steve Mouzakis in a scene from The Removalists.

Sharp and savage: This iconic story is still shockingly relevant

This restaging of The Removalists by Melbourne Theatre Company shows that the play is just as unsettling and important now as it was in 1971.

  • Cameron Woodhead, Jessica Nicholas and Tony Way
Cigarettes After Sex perform at Rod Laver Arena on March 11.

Their music conjures private moments – so how did they pull off an arena show?

Cigarettes After Sex defies the stadium setting, delivering the same intensity and intimacy as if they were playing a hazy club in the middle of nowhere.

  • Nadia Bailey, Andrew Fuhrmann, Karl Quinn, Jessica Nicholas and Cameron Woodhead
Jill Ogai starred in the Australian Ballet’s performance of Carmen.

Australian Ballet’s Carmen misses heights of dark passion

A few spine-tingling moments, yes, but this austere contemporary-dance interpretation of a classic story of desire, jealousy and murder was weirdly hollow.

  • Andrew Fuhrmann, Will Cox, Michael Dwyer, Karl Quinn, Sonia Nair and Cameron Woodhead
Billie Eilish performs at Rod Laver Arena on March 4, 2025.

Not many people can make an arena go silent. Billie Eilish can

Performing at Rod Laver Arena the musician is genuinely charming, keenly observing her surroundings and finding magic there.

  • Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen
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Billie-Joa Armstrong of Green Day performs at Marvel Stadium, March 1, 2025.

Green Day take aim at Musk, Trump and Vance in electric Melbourne gig

Performing two albums back to back, the California trio capture a certain moment while continuing to attract new generations of listeners.

  • Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen, Jessica Nicholas, Andrew Fuhrmann, Tony Way and Cher Tan
Khruangbin perform at Margaret Court Arena, Feburary 25, 2025.

It wasn’t until the set was almost over that I realised the band hadn’t spoken a word

Khruangbin’s Margaret Court Arena initially seemed at odds with their setting – but their music transported the audience to another time and place entirely.

  • Will Cox, Cameron Woodhead, Andrew Fuhrmann, Cher Tan and Jessica Nicholas
Never Have I Ever crackles with spiky repartee.

Set around a drinking game, this play pushes friendship to its limit

In a new play by Deborah Frances-White – host of The Guilty Feminist podcast – four friends find their relationships strained after a confronting evening.

  • Sonia Nair, Cameron Woodhead, Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen, Andrew Fuhrmann, Jessica Nicholas and Will Cox
Kylie Minogue performs at Rod Laver Arena, February 20, 2025.

Kylie Minogue sparkles in spectacular hometown performance

In her first Melbourne concert in over five years, Kylie confidently straddles the roles of international pop icon and girl from the eastern suburbs.

  • Will Cox

Original URL: https://www.smh.com.au/topic/melbourne-live-review-wrap-6g5h