The Birth of Bel Canto traces the roots of bel canto opera back to the madrigal. 

Known for its romantic poetry, intricate musical textures, and emotive vocal lines, the madrigal forms the basis of the bel canto operatic style. Five solo voices, accompanied by continuo (cello and harpsichord), will bring to life the expressive works of Monteverdi, Gesualdo, Strozzi, and other leading composers of the time. 

These early songs explore themes of love, heartbreak, and the complexity of the human condition – the emotional terrain that laid the foundations for opera as an artform.

The Birth of Bel Canto

St Brigid's Church

Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle  (Little solemn mass), written in 1863, is anything but little and solemn, set to fill the iconic QPAC Concert Hall with over 100 performers on stage. This is a glorious celebration of sacred music written towards the end of Rossini’s life, a work of profound beauty and exultant joy. 

Written for two pianos and harmonium, with four soloists and choir, our collaboration with The University of Queensland sees us joined by renowned organist Dr Graeme Morton and two virtuosic pianists –  Liam Viney and Mia Huang.

Perfect for seasoned concertgoers and newcomers, Rossini combines orchestral and choral textures, to create a work distinguished by its unashamed romanticism.

Petite Messe Solennelle

Queensland Performing Arts Centre

Working with poets including Sarah Holland-Batt, John Kinsella and Ellen van Neerven, Ford has created a collection of songs that sing praise to the everyday. Be it in the shape of a vase or desire by a river at dusk, Red Dirt Hymns sings of an Australia we all know and love.

If The Birth of Bel Canto is a concert exploring the beginnings of bel canto music, in Red Dirt Hymns we invite you to explore the art of song today.

Brisbane Bel Canto Festival

Apr 30, 2026

The Birth of Bel Canto

May 1, 2026

Petite Messe Solennelle

May 2, 2026

Red Dirt Hymns

Brisbane Bel Canto Festival