Limelight is speaking to the renowned Australian oboist Nick Deutsch. He’s in Bayreuth, Bavaria’s celebration of all things Wagnerian, taking it all in.

“I’m here as a spectator for once, but Simone Young is conducting, so I had to be here,” Deutsch says. “It’s also a chance to visit or run into many of my Australian colleagues over here. I’m amazed by how many Australians I ran into last night just during the intervals of the concerts, people I’ve sort of known from different corners of the world – music lovers, former colleagues … Australians are everywhere!”

And that’s not the only reason Deutsch is enjoying being a spectator at Bayreuth rather than a musician. “The weather is wonderful. It beats being in the depths of that covered orchestra pit, which can get really hot. They’re all in shorts and T-shirts down there.”

Nick Deutsch. Photo supplied

Deutsch is just one of several leading Australian players heading back to Australia to take part in the annual Australian World Orchestra concerts, held this year in Sydney and Melbourne between 23 – 26 October. This year’s concert features the German countertenor Andreas...