Small-scale opera performances are enjoying something of a renaissance in Sydney, and this mini-festival of works featuring three graduating artists from the Opera Australia Young Artist Program is a particularly fine example.

Presented over four days, it comprises two works performed on alternate evenings at The Church – Judith Neilson’s restored 19th-century Gothic building in Alexandria.

They are Britten’s Tenor, a world premiere featuring tenor Elias Wilson with Music Director and pianist Jem Herbert, and the 1958 Poulenc/Cocteau monodrama La Voix humaine, in which soprano Chelsea Burns is accompanied by OA’s Head of Young Artists Francis Greep.

Given the complexity of these two works, the fact these young performers don’t come a cropper is worthy of praise alone; the fact they excel is even more impressive. Their career readiness is evident and a testament to the efforts of Greep and the teachers who have mentored the singers throughout the 18-month program.

Expertly staged by NIDA’s Head of Directing, Ben Schostakowski, both works boast fully fledged production values – Susie Henderson’s projection designs, Carlos Johnson’s props and Rebecca Ritchie’s wigs and wardrobe providing complex and coherent scenographic solutions to each.

A nautical environment is punctuated by three dressmaker’s dummies in various costumes worn throughout Britten’s Tenor,...