Matthew Thomas

Maxwell Davies’s Eight Songs for a Mad King is one of the later 20th century’s most iconic works and firmly established the composer as one of the leading writers of vocal music for this period. Composed for a singer with a wild, five-octave range, this virtuoso showpiece takes listeners inside the disturbing world of King George III and his menagerie of caged birds (performed by the instrumentalists).

The Mad King will be sung by Bass baritone Matthew Thomas. One of Melbourne’s busiest performers, Matthew has been engaged as a soloist by companies including Victorian Opera, Opera Australia, Opera Queensland, Melbourne Opera, Tokyo Experimental Opera, Chambermade and the Lyric Opera of Melbourne