In stark contrast to the usual clamour of the Flinders St Station precinct, on 1 February, Federation Square will resound with some of opera’s greatest hits. BMW Opera for All brings together some of Australia’s leading singers with the players of Orchestra Victoria for a free concert designed to remove the barriers between the art form and the opera-curious.

This year’s event – which has had its start time adjusted to late afternoon to help beat the heat of summer – will feature soprano Olivia Cranwell, mezzo soprano Dimity Shepherd, tenor Shanul Sharma and baritone Christopher Hillier singing some of the best known arias in the operatic canon. For the first time, the program will include a prelude presentation from the Australian Girls Choir.

2025 is the third year for the Opera Australia-produced, carmaker-sponsored event, a concept BMW launched as Oper für alle in Munich back in 1997. Since then, similar events have been staged in Berlin, London and Moscow. Melbourne was the first Australian city to host an Opera for All concert.

BMW Opera for All in Federation Square,...