Salle: Melbourne Town Hall

The approach of Christmas in Australia always bring a veritable flood of Messiahs of varying quality, but the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra's offering, while using modern instruments, could otherwise hardly have been bettered.

Under Benjamin Northey's baton and Kristian Chong's fingers, Bizet's Carmen Suite and Saint-Saëns' Second Piano Concerto dazzle, but it's Elgar's Sospiri and Enigma Variations that truly made the evening.

Benjamin Northey and Andrea Lam team up with the MSO for a festive evening of Vaughan Williams, Chopin and Holst.