Black and white image of a man playing a lute, deeply focused.

Utzon Music 2026 Thomas Dunford

  • Classical Music

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  • Utzon Room

Experience the lute’s intimacy and rare poetry

Dubbed “the Eric Clapton of the lute” by BBC Music Magazine, dynamic young French virtuoso Thomas Dunford is the leading lutenist of his generation. Dunford has performed with many acclaimed ensembles, including Les Arts Florissants, The English Consort, La Serenissima and Les Siècles, and has released a series of award-winning recordings. With a stellar international career, he has performed recitals in such prestigious venues as New York’s Carnegie Hall and London’s Wigmore Hall. 

This is an opportunity to experience the poetic intimaticy of solo lute in the beautiful, hushed atmosphere of the Opera House’s Utzon Room with a program featuring JS Bach’s first Cello Suite, transcribed for lute, alongside music by John Dowland, Marin Marais, Girolamo Kapsberger, Joan Abrosio Dalza and Erik Satie. 

In Dunford’s hands you’ll hear why the lute has remained such a captivating and magical instrument for hundreds of years.

Sydney Opera House thanks Event Partner Pommery, Idealist donors Ezekiel Solomon AM, Ingrid Kaiser, Sheli Lubowski, Dr Eileen Ong, and Patsy Crummer for their support of Utzon Music.

Thomas Dunford concert has been supported with the generous help of the French Embassy in Australia.

Presented by Sydney Opera House

Event details

The lute is not a loud instrument, but Dunford makes it speak, even in the midst of an ensemble, with focus and without exaggeration.

New York Times

Repertoire

John Dowland (1563–1623) 
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

Thomas Dunford

Close up black and white shot of Thomas Dunford smiling.

Attending this event

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Plan your visit

Address

Sydney Opera House
Bennelong Point
Sydney NSW 2000
Australia

Getting to the venue

The Opera House is a 7-10 minute walk from Circular Quay, and is easily accessible by car, train, ferry, lightrail, bus, bike and on foot.

Location and access

Utzon Room

The Utzon Room is located on the Eastern side of the Opera House, in front of the Joan Sutherland Theatre. Best accessed through the Box Office Foyer or the Covered Concourse. All Sydney Opera House foyers are accessible, with lifts to the main and western foyers. The public lift to all foyers is accessible from the corridor near the escalators on the Lower Concourse and also in the Western Foyer via the corridor on the Ground Level (at the top of the escalators).

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