Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana is one of the most regularly performed choral works of our time. With upcoming performances in Sydney and Perth, Clive Paget looks at the reasons for its popularity and examines Orff’s legacy, which was tainted by the fact that he and his music prospered during the Nazi Regime.

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs' first ChorusOz Perth in 2025, featuring Mozart's Requiem. This year, ChorusOz Perth will perform Carl Orff's Carmina Burana. Photo © Vin Trikeriotis

“Gopher tuna! Bring more tuna! Statue of big dog with fleas!” No, it isn’t a piece of magnetic fridge poetry, nor the deranged AI output of Elon Musk’s Grok. In fact, it’s been posted on YouTube as part of a series of misheard lyrics in classical music. Its source, of course, is O Fortuna,...