The Natural & the Divine features soprano Jacqueline Ward in a recital of breathtaking song—exploring the beauty, mystery, and wonder of the natural world intertwined with our connection to the Divine. From intimate Lieder to sacred arias and radiant song cycles, this performance offers a luminous, inspiring, and transcendent musical journey, joined by pianist Jennifer Enchelmaier.

The programme spans Baroque to contemporary repertoire, with works by Bach, Handel, Mozart, and Beethoven alongside Dvořák, Wolf, and Fanny Mendelssohn. At its centre is Britten’s On This Island, a vivid song cycle whose brittle brilliance and unease anchor the programme’s exploration of nature, transformation, and human experience. Moving from intimate reflections on the natural world and moments of spiritual stillness to dramatic and exuberant expression, the selection traces a subtle arc from darkness toward light, renewal, and the human search for meaning. Brisbane-born and now based in Tasmania, Jacqueline is completing postgraduate research at the Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University.