The sunshine and blue skies over the Harbour made for an anachronistic backdrop when German-English baritone Benjamin Appl took his audience on a short day’s journey into night for his Sydney Opera House debut in the light and airy Utzon Room.

Joined by Melbourne pianist Timothy Young for this tour, the 41-year-old singer held the room entranced for 90 minutes with his Nocturne programme, starting with Franz Schubert’s Nachtstuck in which an old man takes his harp and goes into the woods for a meeting with Death, followed by short brackets titled Evening; Romance; Moon and Stars; Nightmares; Phantasies and Dreams; Sleepless, and Darkest Night, finally emerging into the sublime positivity of Richard Strauss’s Morgen, meaning both “tomorrow” as well as “morning”.

Benjamin Appl in the Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House. Photo © Cassandra Hannagan

This recital of 22 songs in four languages was beautiful, powerful, tender and menacing by turns, all compellingly delivered by this exciting young lyric baritone, ably assisted by Young, who is currently head of piano and composition at the Australian Academy of Music in Melbourne and a founding member of Ensemble Liaison.

This was a fine partnership...