Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre, Utzon Music/Sydney Opera House and Van Diemen’s Band
Thomas Dunford


Strings that speak centuries.
When Thomas Dunford's fingers meet lute strings, four centuries combine into one moment of pure presence. Hailed as the ‘Eric Clapton of the lute’ (BBC Music Magazine), this master of Renaissance and Baroque repertoire transforms Elisabeth Murdoch Hall into an intimate salon where John Dowland's melodies rouse and J.S. Bach's architectural genius breathe with impressive finesse and immediacy.
Tracing an arc from melancholy to transcendence, Dunford opens with Dowland's haunting Lachrimae (Flow My Tears), showcasing his ability to draw vocal-like phrasing from plucked strings. The evening's emotional core lies in J.S. Bach's monumental Chaconne, originally written for solo violin but here reimagined for lute with breathtaking sensitivity.
In an accelerated world, Dunford's artistry creates space for deep listening and genuine reflection. His command extends beyond skill and agility; he creates moments where ancient wisdom meets contemporary soul-searching.
In Dunford's hands, this invitation to experience how centuries-old compositions can illuminate our present offers audiences an encounter with music's most intimate voice.
Duration: 1 hour 15 mins (no interval). Please note, running times are approximate and subject to change.
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Single Tickets (on sale Monday 6 October)
Premium $139
A Reserve $119 ($99 Concession)
B Reserve $99 ($79 Concession)
C Reserve $79
Under 40s
B & C Reserve $49
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Artists
Thomas Dunford lute
Program
John Dowland
Praeludium
Fortune my Foe
A Fancy
Semper Dowland Semper Dolens
Mrs. Winter’s Jump
A Dream
The King of Denmark’s Galliard
Lachrimae (Flow My Tears)
Frog Galliard
Giovanni Girolamo Kapsberger
Toccata No.6 from Libro primo d’intavolatura di lauto
Joan Ambrosio Dalza
'Calata alla Spagnola' from Intabulatura de lauto, libro quarto
Robert de Visée
Sarabande
Chaconne
Marin Marais
Les Voix Humaines
Johann Sebastian Bach
Violin Partita No.2 in D minor BWV 1004
V. Chaconne