Past Events

Brief History

The idea of presenting an outdoor concert arose while Graeme Wall and Margot Cory-Wall were walking through Mt Buffalo National Park in 1995. Inspired by their love for the outdoors and passion for music, they organised a concert the following year at Mt Buffalo Chalet. For its inaugural year, 85 choristers gave an intimate performance to an audience of 150 people.

For several years, Australian Music Events and the Mt Buffalo Chalet with its entrepreneurial proprietors Dean and Gill Belle, presented Opera in the Alps which blossomed amid the grandeur of the national park. When the Belles moved interstate in 2002, the event moved to the attractive heritage grounds of La Trobe at Beechworth which offered spacious rehearsal areas and accommodation for the choir members, in addition to a beautiful concert venue.

In this new location, Graeme and Margot continued to introduce leading Australian soloists, a symphony orchestra, lighting and amplification. In 2003, the disastrous bushfires forced the cancellation of the event, however, Opera in the Alps returned in 2004 to an enthusiastic reception from the community. The event has continued to grow in popularity attracting greater numbers each year. From the success of this event, other Australian Music Events projects developed: Opera in the Market (1999), the Australian Scholars Springtime Concert (2001) and Opera by the Lock (2006).