BRIGHT STAR - John Bell & Simon Tedeschi

Theatre icon John Bell AO OBE DistFRSN joins virtuoso pianist Simon Tedeschi to honour the blazing brilliance of Keats and Schubert—two young rebels who defied convention, suffered for love, and left masterpieces that outlived them.

Noted Actor and Director John Bell and celebrated pianist Simon Tedeschi unite their formidable artistry in Bright Star, an immersive afternoon where Romantic poetry and music spark in dazzling conversation. Keats’ luminous verse and Schubert’s transcendent piano works are brought to life by two of Australia’s most compelling performers, creating an experience both intimate and epic.

Bright Star traces the brilliance, longing and creative fire of two geniuses who never met yet lived strikingly parallel lives—youthful brilliance, unfulfilled love, and masterpieces recognised only after their deaths. Bell and Tedeschi illuminate these echoes with insight, wit and emotional force.

Guests at Wagstaffe Hall will hear Keats’ most beloved poems—Bright Star, Ode to a Nightingale, La Belle Dame Sans Merci—spoken with Bell’s trademark clarity, interwoven with Schubert’s Impromptus op.90, the Wanderer Fantasy D.760, and late piano sonatas including the radiant Sonata no.18 in G major. The result is a tapestry of words and music that feels timeless and urgently alive.

This collaboration promises a performance of rare beauty—part recital, part revelation—offering a window into the hearts and minds of two “bright stars” whose work continues to illuminate the world.

A feast for lovers of poetry, music and the Romantic imagination, Bright Star is an afternoon to savour. Reflect on the performance with free refreshments and nibbles on the patio overlooking the bay after the concert.