In honour of the bicentennial of Joseph Haydn's death, the Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital (RBWH) Foundation is proud to present, for the first time in Australia, a special charity concert performance of Haydn's L'Isola Disabitata (The Deserted Island).

This exclusive one-off performance will be conducted by Richard Lewis and performed by tenor Gregory Massingham, soprano Sarah Crane, baritone Shaun Brown and mezzo-soprano Georgie Hawes with music by the Opera at the Old Museum Orchestra (featuring members of the Queensland Orchestra).

The story of L'Isola Disabitata focuses on Costanza who, after being shipwrecked on a deserted island with her younger sister, raises her to fear men. Thirteen years later, after being captured by pirates, her husband Gernando returns with his younger, unmarried friend, Enrico.

Opera at the Old Museum is an initiative of Queensland Orchestra violinist Rachel Smith to help raise funds for research conducted at RBWH by her father, Professor Harry Smith.

Professor Smith has had a distinguished medical career, working both in Brisbane and London. His research endeavours have led to better understanding of childhood leukaemia, glandular fever and meningococcal disease.

Money raised from this performance of I'sola Disibatata will be used by Professor Smith to purchase a special part for an electron microsope which, through a technique never before used, will help detect cell abnormalities and other causative agents that could be behind such health issues as Crohn's disease, Multiple Sclerosis and Kawasaki disease.