For one night only, the multi-talented, multifaceted gem of Australian cabaret, Ali McGregor will reunite with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra to perform her international hit show Alchemy at Hamer Hall – Arts Centre Melbourne on Friday 26 May 2023.
Promising a night of passion, soaring melodies and pure joy, Alchemy draws on Ali’s influences, from opera and cabaret, to trashy 80s pop divas. While Ali has toured her show around the globe, this is the first time it has it been given the full orchestral treatment.
Arranged by Alex Turley, Ali will perform songs from her Alchemy album in which she creates amazing hybrids from popular songs, standards and blues to create wild mashups and genre-defying versions of music from the likes of Madonna, Salt-n-Pepa, INXS, Soft Cell and The Foo Fighters.
The evening will also showcase music from Ali’s Helpmann Award-winning show Yma Sumac – The Peruvian Songbird, and new opera works from Lorelei and The Call.
Starting her career as a principal soprano with Opera Australia, Ali regularly performs with the Victorian Opera and Opera Queensland. Spanning multiple genres, Ali is also a regular fixture at the annual Melbourne International Comedy Festival, a previous and returning Artistic Director of Adelaide Cabaret Festival, star of hit show La Clique (La Soiree), and creator of the opera Lorelei and the new production company FLUXUS.
An award-winning cabaret artist, Ali has performed everywhere from Glastonbury to Carnegie Hall. She most recently won a coveted Helpmann Award for her cabaret show Yma Sumac – The Peruvian Songbird after successful seasons at Adelaide Cabaret Festival and the Sydney Opera House.
In 2021 Ali performed as part of the MSO’s Performance of a Lifetime Live concert at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl and brought the crowd to their feet with her show-stopping rendition of Radiohead’s Creep. This new concert marks Ali’s third collaboration with the MSO and her first solo concert at Hamer Hall.
Ali McGregor with the MSO
Hamer Hall – Arts Centre Melbourne, St Kilda Road, Melbourne
Performance: Friday 26 May 2023 – 7.30pm
Information and Bookings: www.mso.com.au
Image: Ali McGregor – photo by Claudio Raschella