Following the runaway success of last year’s Maid Made Boss, director Eugene Lynch returns to Pinchgut Opera this September with Coffee and a Dead Canary – a stylish new production that transforms three witty Baroque cantatas into an irresistible 75-minute theatrical experience bursting with comic invention, exquisite music and just the right amount of delightful absurdity.
Specially curated by Artistic Director Erin Helyard, this sparkling triple bill brings together Bach’s Coffee Cantata, Telemann’s Canary Cantata and Bernier’s Le Caffé, reimagined as one seamless evening of music and theatre.
Set within a world of 1950s glamour, the production blends refined humour, playful storytelling and theatrical flair to reveal just how funny, stylish and surprisingly contemporary Baroque music can be.
At its heart, Coffee and a Dead Canary celebrates the extraordinary ability of these miniature masterpieces to find operatic drama in everyday life. Coffee becomes an all-consuming obsession, a beloved pet canary receives the emotional weight of grand opera, and life’s smallest moments are elevated through music of irresistible charm and invention.
“This program is a reminder that Baroque music could find drama anywhere – in the delights of coffee, a family quarrel, or even the death of a beloved canary,” says Artistic Director Erin Helyard.
“These works are intimate in scale but also unabashedly theatrical, moving between wit and genuine feeling. For 75 minutes, we invite audiences to leave the everyday behind and enjoy the unique pleasure of hearing this music live.”
Director Eugene Lynch, whose Maid Made Boss became one of the most celebrated productions of Pinchgut’s 2025 season, pairs with acclaimed designer Melanie Liertz to create a richly imagined theatrical world that playfully rolls from one work into the next with effortless wit and sophistication.
Known for presenting Australia’s finest historically informed performances of Baroque opera, Pinchgut continues to explore fresh theatrical approaches that reveal these centuries-old works in exciting new ways.
Coffee and a Dead Canary offers audiences an evening of sparkling music, beautifully observed comedy and impeccable musicianship, proving that great Baroque music has the enduring ability to surprise and delight.
In an exciting milestone for the company, Pinchgut Opera will also make its Western Sydney debut this September, presenting a special concert version of Coffee and a Dead Canary at The Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre, Penrith.
The performance marks the beginning of a new relationship with one of Western Sydney’s leading cultural venues, bringing Pinchgut’s acclaimed artists and distinctive approach to Baroque performance to new audiences beyond the Sydney CBD.
Conductor: Erin Helyard | Director: Eugene Lynch | Featuring: Ariana Ricci, Nicholas Jones, Morgan Pearse, Mitch Riley, Orchestra of the Antipodes | Designer: Melanie Liertz | Lighting Designer: Véronique Benett
Coffee and a Dead Canary
City Recital Hall, Angel Place, Sydney
Performances: Saturday 12 & Sunday 13 September 2026
Bookings: www.pinchgutopera.com.au
The Q – The Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre, 597 High Street, Penrith
Performance: Thursday 17 September 2026
Bookings: www.thejoan.com.au
For more information, visit: www.pinchgutopera.com.au for details.
Image: Pinchgut Opera presents Coffee and a Dead Canary