“My last huge extravaganza” is how composer, conductor, writer and artist Judith Clingan describes her newest show, Vox Humana – the Human Voice, opening in Canberra this weekend.

Clingan and her Wayfarers are turning on a final grand fling in her 80th year, with a tour of eastern Australia and NZ that will involve 72 performers in Australia, and 52 in NZ, aged nine to 83, including several professional musicians and music teachers from around Australia, Taiwan, India and Japan.

As well as presenting parts of compositions from her long career, such as Mythical Beasts, Songs of Middle Earth and Kakadu, there’ll be works by former students and friends, including Liam Waterford’s Wattle Tree and Stephen Leek’s Kondalilla.

The centrepiece is to be her most recent composition, The Prophet, with words by Kahlil Gibran, performed as a costumed music-theatre piece.

“The Prophet is a wonderful storehouse of profound thoughts on almost every facet of life. Last year I enjoyed setting seven segments of his words to music for voices and instruments,” Clingan says.

She’s been working with her drama teacher daughter Jess Dixon, eurythmist Brianna Harris from Newcastle, and Yu- Hsiu Huang from Taiwan and drama teacher Kia Moon, from Mullumbimby, in adding costumed drama, dance and eurythmy to the music.

After the Canberra performance, they’ll all spend a week giving concerts and workshops in Sydney and northern NSW. And then 50 of them will spend two weeks touring NZ.

“As my singing voice is now almost kaput, teaching singing is no longer easy,” Clingan claims, “and so after this tour is over, I will focus on getting my compositions and arrangements typed up and made accessible through books. And I hope some more painting.”

But Clingan aficionados are doubtful she’ll really be away from the podium for long.

Vox Humana, Overture Hall, Orana Steiner School, Weston, July 19. Book here