The extraordinary musical talent of the delightful and dynamic Silvie Paladino is on display for all to see and hear in her walk down memory lane at Hamer Hall. With her emotionally resonant, soaring vocals she captivates an appreciative audience as she talks us through her background and her career. Her father was an Italian tailor and her mother an Egyptian seamstress. They met in Australia, with Silvie the third of four children. She has two older sisters and a younger brother.
Silvie began singing at the age of 8½, after her father bought her a stereo with big speakers and a plug-in microphone. She loved that mike. The “bug” had well and truly bitten her. At the age of nine, she appeared as a contestant on Young Talent Time, singing Over the Rainbow, the first song she performs on stage at Hamer Hall in this show. Her greatest influence was Barbra Streisand. Initially, she envisaged being a ballad singer like Babs and Celine Dion. At Morning Melodies she performs Evergreen, the love theme from A Star is Born.
Silvie’s big break came at the age of 17 when she was appearing as a session singer and backing vocalist on Bert Newton’s Midday show on Channel 7. Once a month she opened the program with a song. It was after hearing her that the producers of Les Misérables got in touch and asked her to audition for the role of Éponine for the Melbourne season. That is when she met and worked with the likes of Debra Byrne, Rob Guest, Anthony Warlow, Peter Cousens and Marina Prior.
She performed in that role for two years before being invited to assume it in London’s West End for a further six months, when she was 20. A decade later, she graduated to the part of Fantine in the West End. In all, she spent four and a half years in Les Misérables. She went on to be the understudy to Debra Bryne as Grizabella in Cats. She assumed that lead role in Singapore when the singer who played her there fell ill.
Performing Memory is one of the other highlights of this concert, in which Silvie covers 10 numbers, in between her easy-going patter. Among Silvie’s other musical highlights was winning the part of Ellen in Miss Saigon, which is also when she met her husband. A couple of years back, she and Sarah Brightman revived the quintessential role of Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard.
Every time she takes to the stage, Silvie sparkles with her surety and sensitivity of delivery, and so it is here. Accompanied by pianist Mark Jones, she delivers a superb performance of the highest quality. Can she hold a note … and how! Her timing is impeccable. More than that, she is also totally at home exchanging some cheeky banter with the patrons.
For the remaining Morning Melodies offerings for the year, go to https://www.artscentremelbourne.com.au/festival-and-series/morning-melodies/2026-program
Alex First
Other reviews you might enjoy:
- Victorian College of the Arts Music Theatre Showcase – Echoes of Broadway (Morning Melodies), at Hamer Hall – concert review
- Morning Melodies – Orchestra Victoria with Caroline O’Connor: Music and Me at Hamer Hall – concert review
- John Foreman’s Australian Pops Orchestra New Year’s Eve & The Day Before Gala Concerts (Hamer Hall) – concert review
Alex First is the editor of The Blurb. Alex is a Melbourne based journalist and communications specialist. He also contributes to The Blurb on film and theatre.