This program features the arias and du ets of rival composers Handel and Bononcini, culminating with the audience voting for its favourite composer. Historical and hysterical anecdotal tales are told in between singing bouts, by the lavishly costumed ghostly diva, Maggie McHaggis, performed by Leonie Cambage.

Too Hot for Handel has been presented at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, St. Ives Uniting Church, the University of Western Australia and Government House, Sydney.

“ the singers had all the bubble and excitement of just-popped champagne.” Neville Olliffe, NSW Early Music News, Dec. '07/Jan 2008 on the December ‘07 performance at Government House, Sydney as part of the Historic Houses Trust “House Music” series.

"great confidence, clarity of line and ringing tone", "an interpretative position at the emotional epicentre of the aria" , "...first rate ensemble..." and "finely considered" singing."      Neville Cohn, The West Australian, June, 2006

"Vocal variety and an imaginative presentation ensured positive entertainment."

Neville Olliffe, NSW Early Music News, Dec. '05/Jan 2006                    

Photos from top left: Hester and Anna at Government House, Sydney; Leonie Cambage as Maggie McHaggis "stealing" an audience member;  Liz gets a special bow with violinist Esther Cheng on far right; Clara Blazer on baroque cello with Liz Anderson on harpsichord.

The Christmas journey begins with the beautiful sacred music of Vivaldi and Charpentier and with carols from the baroque in the tradition of a Christmas Eve Service. However, the audience is quickly transported to a typical hot Aussie Christmas Day, with mum stuffing the turkeys (literally!), relatives arriving, and of course the odd, awkward moment as the number of flies, temperature and consumption of booze rises! All ends well though with everyone having a very merry Christmas.

It's a performance bursting with vocal treats and surprises to the glorious music of  Lully, Purcell, Gastoldi, The Andrews Sisters, Eartha Kitt and other popular Christmas tunes, plus new works by Australian composers Benjamin Loomes and John Summers composed just for us.

"O Come, O Come Emanuel and Luly Lulay were beautifully sung and supported with precise, delicate vocal harmonies." "Whether your dinner-time preference was for Dreaming of a White Christmas, drinking Rum and Coca-Cola or bucking the whole business (I want to be Evil), there was still crackers for everyone." 

Neville Olliffe, NSW Early Music News, Dec. '06/Jan 2007                    

Originally devised for The Killara Music Club, this program is a wonderful introduction for audiences to the variety of vocal repertoire which we perform spanning the early 1600’s to the mid 1700’s, and includes solo, duet, trio and quartet vocal music of both male and female composers, sacred and secular.

The instrumental ensemble included talented lutenist Andrew Byrne as guest artist.

This concert was chosen by critic Fred Blanks for inclusion in his annual “Top Ten Concerts” for 2006 in Sydney's North Shore Times.

 "a distinctive recital" Fred Blanks, North Shore Times, July, 2006

  "all spirit and polish" Neville Olliffe, EMA , Aug-Sept, 2006

Features vocal compositions of Italian baroque male composers writing for three female voices, including Luzzasco Luzzaschi, Luigi Rossi, Domenico Mazzochi, Giacomo Carissimi, Carlo Caproli & Sigismondo D’India.

This concert was chosen by critic Fred Blanks for inclusion in his annual “Top Ten Concerts” for 2005 in Sydney's North Shore Times.

 "The Tall Poppeas, a group of singers who may be up-and-coming feminist rivals of the Song Company...had great fun making an exciting virtue of flamboyant floridity.  Enjoyment was contagious."                             

Fred Blanks, North Shore Times, June 3, 2005

"The Tall Poppeas presented a focused, polished and most appealing concert. Whether paired or in trio, the voices blended exceptionally...The texts were well acted...emotion was visually and aurally predominant."      Neville Olliffe, EMA of NSW, July/August, 2005

A concert featuring exclusively the vocal and instrumental compositions of Italian female composers of the late renaissance and baroque period, including Barbara Strozzi, Francesca Caccini, Maria Nascinbeni, Claudia Sessa, Caterina Assandra, Francesca Campana, Camilla De Rossi, Isabella Leonarda & Maria Grimani, many of whom are unknown to Sydney audiences and critics alike, providing audiences with a rare treat.

The program title is extracted from the poem, The Flesh and The Spirit by Anne Bradstreet (born in England c.1612, died Massachussetts,1672), published in Several Poems, 2nd edn. 1678, and the program explores the sacred and secular spirit. Directed by Leonie Cambage.

"These girls work together with a spirit that is enviable...the voices were exceptionally expressive and harmonious."   Neville Olliffe, EMA of NSW, June, 2004

"Singly and as duos and trios, [the singers] showed considerable sense of style... This discerning, very well-prepared recital deserved three baroque cheers"                    

                             Fred Blanks, North Shore Times, June 4, 2004