Australia’s Richest Competition For Opera & Classical Singing Featuring the Marianne Mathy Scholarship 2011 Finals Concert Opera Theatre Sydney Opera House Sunday 30 October 2011 Australian Opera & Ballet Orchestra Compere Lyndon Terracini Guest Artist Zara Barrett aussing.org.au aussing.org.au The performance of the Australian Opera & Ballet Orchestra is proudly sponsored by the International Foundation for Arts and Culture (IFAC) and its Chairman, Dr Haruhisa Handa FRONT COVER Welcome For three decades, the Competition has helped discover and provide career opportunities and funding for Dr Haruhisa Handa Bernadette Cullen many of the finest young singers in Chairman, IFAC National Adjudicator our Australasia. As world chairman of the International One of the most vital stages of any singer’s Tonight’s Finalists are no exception. Foundation for Arts and Culture, I take pride in career is to take part in singing competitions. the arts projects we support around the world. The outcome is not always important but the We are privileged to present five young For 13 years, we have been principal sponsor evolutionary journey, which these five singers singers from across Australia and New of the Australian Singing Competition and have and I, as National Adjudicator, have been on Zealand — competing for prizes and provided the opportunity for talented young since July has been an education to us all. opportunities that exceed $220,000. classical singers to perform with Australia’s Opera is the highest form of art and therefore top orchestras. requires incredible vocal expertise. Throughout In addition, each of these young voices Seeing aspiring artists go on to realise their the adjudication process, we have endeavoured has had the benefit of being interviewed potential is, for me, a real thrill and especially to look for vocal quality, technique, artistry, and heard by eminent professionals satisfying knowing that we have been potential, language skills and the ability to from the Australian and international instrumental in helping them achieve their aims. communicate to an audience. Australia’s Richest Competition For Opera & Classical Singing music fraternity. I am delighted that, in my absence, Trustees The conclusion of this journey is, for the Featuring the Marianne Mathy Scholarship of IFAC are in Sydney to represent me at the adjudicators, to choose the singers most vocally The future of opera 2011 Finals. equipped to do justice to the various prizes on is today’s young voices This prestigious event is an occasion, which offer, the most important of these being the will long be remembered by the singers, and, Marianne Mathy Scholarship. We hope all these While there is no guaranteed path to I trust, by the audience privileged to witness singers will forge a healthy operatic career and show true commitment, tenacity and honour a successful operatic career, many of their career-launching performances. Handa in achieving their dreams. our Competition participants have On behalf of IFAC, I wish the competitors continued success and fulfillment. I would like to thank the organisers of this gone on to pursue careers in Australia most prestigious event, my fellow adjudicators, and overseas, including Cheryl Barker, the sponsors, singers and you the audience Amelia Farrugia, Lisa Gasteen AO, for supporting these young operatic hopefuls. Emma Matthews, Rachelle Durkin, the Roland Gridiger This has been an uplifting experience for me late Deborah Riedel; Stewart Skelton, and one I will always cherish. Daniel Sumegi and Jeffrey Black to CEO, MOST name a few. Music and Opera Singers Trust Limited welcomes NSW Premier The Honourable Barry O’Farrell MP and Mrs. O’Farrell to the 2011 Finals Concert of the IFAC Australian Singing Competition. Dr Haruhisa Handa and IFAC’s generous sponsorship allows us to engage the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra on stage to Gridiger accompany the singers and present this spectacular event in the Sydney Opera House. As we celebrate our 30 years we salute all the talented artists who have entered this aussing.org.au competition and made a contribution to the fabric of Australia’s cultural life. We thank our sponsors and supporters for their confidence and good wishes and hope you enjoy Cullen hearing and meeting the cream of this year’s young opera and classical singers. Violin Zara Barrett Oboe Vivien Jeffery Guest Artist Matthew Tighe* (Deputy Concertmaster) Dramatic Soprano Lyndon Terracini Catalin Ungureanu~ Mark Bruwel Adrian Keating~ 2011 Opera Awards Compere Cor Anglais Tony Gault~ Andrew Malec Australia’s Richest Competition For Opera & Classical Singing Winners Artistic Director for Opera Australia Danny Rosenbaum Zara has performed many roles Lyndon has enjoyed a highly Airena Nakamura Clarinet Featuring the Marianne Mathy Scholarship in Australia and internationally successful international opera (Principal Second Violin) Richard Rourke* including Mimi and Musetta in La career, as a performer, director Marek Kruszynski Lisa McCowage bohéme, Micaëla in Carmen and Vitellia and writer. Lyndon made his operatic Robert Sek John Lewis in La Clemenza di Tito with companies debut in 1976 as Sid in Albert Rachel Westwood Bassoon such as Opera Queensland, National Herring with The Australian Opera Jaroslaw Talar Matthew Ockenden* Opera Wellington, Glimmerglass and was instrumental in creating the Rebecca Irwin Jennie McLachla Opera and Pittsburgh Opera in the breathtaking production of Handa Virginia Blunt United States. Opera on Sydney Harbour. Rachel Easton Horn Samuel Podjarski Michael Dixon Tom Dundas Victoria Chatterley 2011 Opera Awards Frankie lo Surdo Kerry Martin The following prizes have Philip Wilson Benjamin Northey Stephanie Zarka already been awarded Conductor Anna Albert Trumpet YMF Australia Award Brian Evans Associate Conductor with the Viola Armstrong-Martin Scholarship Christopher Perrin Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Virginia Comerford Haas Award Benjamin’s professional experience David Dixon Trombone Editorial Resources Prize spans opera, ballet and Magda Kruszynska Brett Favell* Zara Barrett contemporary music. He has Valmai Coggins William Farmer conducted the London Philharmonic Stefan Duwe Royal Over-Seas League Music Bursary Orchestra and orchestras throughout Robyn Stout Bass Trombone Clarissa Spata Brett Page Australia. In 2001 he was awarded Cello a Nelly Apt Scholarship by Music & Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme Eszter Mikes-Liu Tuba Opera Singers Trust Limited. Orchestra Management Louise Fenbury Andrew Hines Edwin Diefes ORCHESTRA MANAGER Henry Urbanavicius Glyndebourne Festival Prize Timpani Gérard Patacca Andrew Wilson David Clarence Sam Sakker Paul Stender DEPUTY ORCHESTRA MANAGER Percussion Christopher Lockhart- Emma in der Maur 4MBS Classic FM Award Allan Watson Smith OPERATIONS MANAGER Celeste Lazarenko Anna Dodgshun Bass Harp YMFA Grant Owen Torr Brett Berthold ASSISTANT ORCHESTRA MANAGER Adrian Tamburini Jenny Druery Celeste Ella Howard James Menzies Stephen Walter DEPUTY ORCHESTRA MANAGER 2011 Opera Awards Mark Lipski Emma In der Maur Adjudicators Flute SENIOR STAGING ASSISTANT Italics indicate Principal Dr Di Bresciani Libby Pring Scott Moon * indicates Associate Peter Coleman-Wright Alistair Howlett Principal Andrea Molino For Opera Australia Piccolo ~ indicates Principal Elizabeth Whitehouse aussing.org.au Diane Berger First Violin CHIEF EXECUTIVE Adrian Collette AM MOST is indebted to Dr Di Bresciani ARTISTIC DIRECTOR and the Board of the YMF Australia Lyndon Terracini for the YMFA Award and to all our ASSISTANT MUSIC DIRECTOR sponsors for their generous support Tony Legge of all artists. 2011 Finalists Naomi Johns 25* soprano, NSW Australia’s Richest Competition For Opera & Classical Singing Emma Moore 23* Featuring the Marianne Mathy Scholarship soprano, NSW Morgan Pearse 22* bass baritone, NSW Gérard Schneider 23* tenor, WA Bryony Williams 22* soprano, NZ * Age as of 23 June 2011 Tonight’s young singers are already stars Each of these young voices has already participated in months of effort, culminating in tonight’s grand performances. They have had the benefit of being interviewed and heard by eminent professionals from the Australian and international music fraternity. aussing.org.au Pearse Johns Williams Moore Schneider “Give of your best and after be proud It is enough 2011 Prizes It is everything” Prizes already & Opportunities awarded Marianne Mathy-Frisdane Australia’s Richest Competition For Opera & Classical Singing Featuring the Marianne Mathy Scholarship Ingrid Davidson Award Naomi Johns The IFAC Australian Singing Competition Lisa Gasteen Opera Summer School Prize is Australasia’s richest competition Erika Simons for young opera and classical singers, Guildhall School of Music Philip & Myrtle Foster Memorial Award Marianne Mathy Scholarship Parszos Prize Audience vote prize presented by Sydney featuring the pretigious and The scholarship assists the recipient with a program of study & Drama Award Naomi Johns internationally respected Marianne and/or singing activity. Fees for one year’s study at the Guildhall School Opera House. Sally Lee Prize Mathy Scholarship. The winner of the Scholarship will also receives: in the Post Diploma Vocal Training Course in the Symphony Australia Young academic year 2012/2013. The winner will also Emma Moore Vocalist Award Over the 30 years, more than 2,500 ABC CLASSIC FM PRIZE Studio recording engagement for receive the SHEILA PRIOR AUSTRALIAN OPERA An engagement with a professional Australian Radzyminski