Reunion of musical theatre royalty
A touring show is bringing together four popular Australian entertainers. We spoke to Silvie Palandino.
Your chance to win
We are giving away 22 double passes to see Ovation, with prizes in each state and the ACT.
For details, dates, and venues, click here.
Separately, they are stars of the Australian and international stage who have entertained musical theatre lovers for decades.
Together, Silvie Paladino, Marina Prior, David Hobson, and Michael Cormick, are a force of nature – and they will be performing together across Australia soon.
Their show, Ovation, is a celebration of the best of musical theatre and popular opera – and Paladino says she can’t wait to share that experience with audiences all over the country.
She said the tour, which kicks off in Canberra in February 2026, is a welcome opportunity to work with long-time friends.
The concert will showcase the collective history of the four stars, featuring solos, duets, and ensemble pieces accompanied by a piano and string quartet.
The repertoire will draw from classic shows that have defined their careers, including The Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables, Miss Saigon, Cats, Mamma Mia!, and Sunset Boulevard, alongside operatic highlights.
Paladino spoke recently about the joy of touring with people she deeply trusts – a dynamic that makes the staggered schedule of the tour a breeze.
“We’ve all known each other for 30-plus years, and we’re all excited to be hitting the road together,” she said.
The tour structure – 22 dates spread out over five months – allows for regular breaks, offering the performers “the best of both worlds”.
“We’ll be able to come home and have a little relax and a recharge, and then we’re off again,” she said.
Paladino is especially thrilled to be on the road with Prior.
“Marina has been my long-time friend for 35 years, and she’s like a sister to me. So, to be travelling with her is going to be wonderful.”
Reflecting on her career, Paladino pointed to her first major role, Eponine in Les Misérables, as the one that “changed the course of my life”.
“Before that, I wanted to be a contemporary singer – like a Whitney Houston or a Streisand. I ended up falling into musical theatre.
“I didn’t even know what the show was when I got in it. I’m so grateful that I did.”
She later performed Eponine on London’s West End and returned years later to play the role of Fantine, confirming Les Mis as “a massive chunk of my life in musical theatre that was really wonderful”.
The Ovation setlist was not settled when we spoke, but Paladino promised it would include songs from the biggest musicals, a little opera from Hobson, and some Italian music to honour her own family heritage.
“I’ll definitely be doing the Sunset Boulevard stuff, seeing that I just came off that last year,” she confirmed, adding, “I think Les Mis is going to be a bit hard because both Marina and I did that, so we’ll have to work out who’s going to do what.”
The concert will also travel to venues across the country – except the Northern Territory – from smaller regional theatres to giant entertainment complexes such as the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Adelaide Festival Centre, and Melbourne Arts Centre.
“Isn't it wonderful that we’re able to go to all these places,” Paladino said. “There was a time where [audiences] would have to go to the main cities only to be able to see something like this.”
And what is the attraction of a show like Ovation? For Paladino, it’s all about the songs.
“Music has an incredible way of altering the soul. You can take people on a journey and transport them out of their world.”
For the touring schedule and to book tickets, click here.
For your chance to win tickets, click here.
Photo by Cameron Grant
