Internationally acclaimed Australian soprano Siobhan Stagg will become the first vocal curator of UKARIA Chamberfest when she leads the Adelaide Hills venue’s 2026 festival with a program reflecting on the many roles music plays in society:

The five-concert festival runs from October 2 to 4 at UKARIA Cultural Centre, with Stagg shaping a weekend that blends vocal masterworks, chamber repertoire and contemporary works alongside a roster of Australian and international artists.

“Being the first vocal curator of Chamberfest is an honour which resonates deeply with me,” Stagg says.

“When I was invited, I found myself asking: what makes a singer – whose instrument is born in their throat – distinct from previous instrumental curators? The most obvious answer is of course our relationship to language and text, lyrics and poetry.”

Stagg’s programming explores music’s broader social role: as storyteller, philosopher, “bias-breaker and community builder”, and as a force capable of deepening empathy.

Siobhan Stagg. Photo © Simon Pauly

The festival opens on Friday 2 October...