When maestro Nicholas Milton strides onto the stage a ripple of anticipation stirs through the orchestra and the audience. As board chair of Canberra Symphony Orchestra, Sir Angus Houston, says: "Nick is so dynamic – his passion comes across the footlights. He's taken the orchestra to a new level."

As chief conductor and artistic director of the Canberra Symphony Orchestra and also general music director and chief conductor of the State Opera House in Saarbrucken, Germany, Milton is in the perfect position to facilitate the unique event that will take place at Canberra's Llewellyn Hall on Saturday, July 8 – the Canberra Symphony Orchestra Opera Gala, bringing together the orchestra and six international performers from Saarbrucken.

The Australia-Germany Advisory Group was formed in 2014 to build close ties in five broad areas, including culture and the arts, between the two countries. Among the group's members are Milton, Professor Brian Schmidt from the Australian National University and Barrie Kosky, director of the Komisiche Oper Berlin. Discussions began about how collaboration between the two countries could be increased and how cultural exchanges could take place. With over 50 opera companies Germany has one of the strongest operatic traditions in Europe and, as Milton says: "This concert will be a symbol of two nations working together to create a wonderful moment in time. I'm sure that there are going to be ramifications going forward; friendships formed and networks explored. That's very special."

Milton says there will be a concentration of German repertoire in the concert. "I'm conducting Wagner's Tannhauser at the moment in Germany so we've got a few selections from that opera but there's also Humperdinck's Hansel und Gretel (the Evening Prayer from Act II) sung by soprano Susanne Braunsteffer and mezzo-soprano Judith Braun, and two arias from Mozart's Die Zauberflote: Tamino's aria from Act I (This portrait is enchantingly beautiful) sung by tenor Carlos Moreno Pelizari and Sarastro's aria from Act II (Within these sacred portals) sung by bass Hiroshi Matsui. And the orchestra will begin the concert with the Prelude from Act III of Lohengrin."

There's also a piece, Rosetta's Song from Act I of Paul Dessau's opera Leonce und Lena, which Milton believes Australian audiences may not have heard before. My poor tired feet, you have to dance will be sung by soprano Herdis Anna Jonasdottir. "It's an amazing piece. I was captivated when I first heard it," Milton says. "It's always good to introduce the audience to something new.

"There'll be a wonderful range of music which just reflects the incredible magic that the world of opera brings to life," Milton says, mentioning Italian repertoire from Puccini, Verdi and Donizetti and French arias including Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix from Saint-Saens' opera Samson et Dalila and the concert finale from Bizet's Carmen.

Four of the singers from Saarbrucken have joined the company from other countries, enhancing the international flavour: baritone Olafur Sigurdarson and soprano Herdis Anna Jonasdottir from Iceland, tenor Carlos Moreno Pelizari from Chile and bass Hiroshi Matsui from Japan. Many of the singers also perform in other opera houses.

"We've got terrific singers who, with their artistry, have the ability to connect instantly with the audience," Milton says. "The baritone who's performing Falstaff, Olafur Sigurdarson, is known as one of the great Falstaffs of the world. I don't like to single out anyone but I guess the program does feature him the most, the reason being that he's the one who's really making a world career."

The story of every piece will be introduced by a very brief explanation of the context, "perhaps just in one sentence, just to set the stage – why the singer's doing what he's doing at that moment", Milton says. "It's really just to make it a convincing presentation with such fine singers, such fine actors."

Milton always wants to engage his audience.

"If there's the feeling of a wall between the audience and the orchestra people may as well just sit at home and listen rather than attending a live performance," he says. "We want people to really feel part of the process. If you can involve the audience then the members of the orchestra can feel what's happening in the audience and this creates a palpable, positive tension. That's when those very special moments happen. It's got to be our goal as musicians to try to create those moments when souls are enriched and imaginations fired up. Music has the capacity to inspire and uplift. We're all searching for a moment of inspiration, of reflection, of joy, sadness, happiness, enthusiasm, moments to make you laugh or cry, to open your soul. We just want to spread the joy."

After the concert the singers will travel to Victoria for a presentation.

"But the orchestral concert is the jewel in the crown," Milton says. "It's only happening in Canberra for one night only. The idea was that we would bring something unique to the nation's capital."