Presented by Musica Viva Australia
Nicolas Altstaedt & Thomas Dunford
Expect the unexpected.
Cellist Nicolas Altstaedt and lutenist Thomas Dunford put the rockstar in baroque.
Cellist, conductor and creative visionary Nicolas Altstaedt is the kind of artist who makes music you thought you knew, new. In 2026, he brings his always exciting, always beautiful insights to music of the seventeenth century, with the help of lutenist Thomas Dunford, the charismatic ringleader of baroque superband Ensemble Jupiter. When these two international superstars team up for a night of musical mischief, anything could happen.
Be there to see this iconoclastic duo expand the horizons of early music. First, hear a bouquet of evocative masterpieces from the court of Louis XIV, pitting Marin Marais and his rival, Antoine Forqueray, against each other in a baroque play off. Then, discover more recent treasures from Arvo Pärt and Henri Duparc, and experience the enduring beauty of Bach.
Praise for the artists
‘Thomas Dunford's supple technique, combined with his passion for jazz, allows him to embellish and develop written texts with an improvisatory freedom, casting a new light on early music... A true 'Eric Clapton' of the lute.’ — BBC Music Magazine
‘Altstaedt has technique to burn, near perfect intonation, superb control of extreme registers and harmonics, and is physically at ease with his instrument ... one hung on every note as if they were the words of a master storyteller.’ — The Australian
Duration: 2 hours (incl. interval). Please note, running times are approximate and subject to change.
Tickets
Premium $163 ($145 Concession / Student)
A Reserve $135 ($120 Concession / Student)
B Reserve $92 ($80 Concession / Student)
C Reserve $65
Under 40 $49
Under 18 $20
Group 10+
Premium $146.70
A Reserve $121.50
B Reserve $82.80
C Reserve $58.50
Want to book a 2026 Subscription?
Subscriptions are on sale now via the Musica Viva Australia website.
Artists
Nicolas Altstaedt cello
Thomas Dunford lute
Program
Marin Marais
La Rêveuse
Antoine Forqueray
La Leclair
J.S. Bach
Cello Suite No.1 In G, BWV 1007 (Excerpts)
Antoine Forqueray
Fêtes Champêtres
Marin Marais
Le Badinage
Les Folies D'Espagne
J.S. Bach
Cello Suite No.5 In C Minor, BWV 1011 (Excerpts)
Arvo Pärt
Spiegel Im Spiegel
Henri Duparc
Cello Sonata in A Minor: Lento
Antoine Forqueray
La Buisson
Marin Marais
Les Voix Humaines
Grand Ballet
Le Tourbillon
Special thanks to Ensemble Patrons Bruce & Charmaine Cameron for their generous support of this tour.
Accessibility
