AUSTRALIAN CONTEMPORARY OPERA COMPANY presents Orpheus in the Undergrowth – Gods, Giggles and Garden Opera in Macedon

Macedon is getting its very own mini‑underworld this April, and during the Macedon Ranges Autumn Festival, when Australian Contemporary Opera Company (ACOCO) pops up in a much‑loved local garden with Orpheus in the Undergrowth – an afternoon of laughter, song and satire under the tree canopy.

Forget red velvet curtains and opera glasses, foreign languages and protocols: this English version of Offenbach’s Orpheus invites you to wander garden paths, birds overhead, singers and show tucked in among the greenery. It is relaxed, close‑up and friendly – and, features an array of Australian Rising Artists well on their way to the world’s main stages.

Eurydice flirts with freedom, Orpheus fumbles his big moment, and Olympus discovers the joys of getting a little mud on its sandals. Before you take your seat, you’ll choose your team: will you be a Nymph or a Shepherd in Act 1? In Act 2, everyone is promoted to the Gods, and in Act 3 you’ll join the spirited, thigh‑slapping Can‑Can – all from the comfort of your seat.

A little bit cheeky, a lot of fun, and totally ACOCO – three fast‑flying acts in just 70 minutes (no interval).

ACOCO & TUGURIUM
Held at Tugurium (Macedon), the private garden of ABC Gardening expert Stephen Ryan and award-winning botanic artist Craig Lidgerwood, the performance continues ACOCO’s growing love affair with the Ranges after more than ten years of sell‑out Rising Artist concerts on the same site. Tickets include post‑show refreshments with the artists, so you can chat, clink a glass, and compare favourite moments.

ACOCO Artistic Director Linda Thompson AM says Orpheus in the Undergrowth is “a fitting antidote to real-world troubles – and for anyone who’s ever thought opera wasn’t for them. It’s funny, outrageous, very human. You don’t need to know a single thing about opera or Greek myths to have a wonderful time.” The show also taps into a bigger conversation about what makes regional communities thrive. Speaking recently in the Southern Highlands, artist Ben Quilty told councillors that “footpaths and well‑maintained roads won’t enhance the overall welfare of our community,” making a passionate case for proper and ongoing investment in arts and culture. Orpheus in the Undergrowth is Macedon’s own version of that argument: proof that Australian talent, music, gardens and shared stories might be just as important to wellbeing as another roundabout.