Opera Awards (Australia)

The Opera Awards is an singing competition, for professional Australian opera singers. It was established in 1986 with the purpose of assisting and developing professional Australian opera singers. This is achieved through programs of study with selected international educational institutions, engagements with professional opera companies, as well as through introduction, networking and educational opportunities with prominent members of the international operatic community.

The Opera Awards consists of a group of awards, including the YMF Australia Award and the Armstrong-Martin Scholarship, amongst others. Major sponsors and supporters of the Awards have included YMF Australia, the Armstrong-Martin Estate, Haas Foundation, The Glyndebourne Festival Opera (UK), the Royal Over-Seas League (UK) and the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust.

History

In 1986/87, Music & Opera Singers Trust Limited (MOST®) created the 'Opera Awards' as a competition within the Australian SInging Competition, and then as a separate, stand-alone competition in 2001.

The competition provides cash prizes, scholarships and career opportunities to professional Australian opera singers, enabling the study of grand opera and related music overseas.

Since 2007, the primary award within the Opera Awards is the YMF Australia Award, sponsored by YMF Australia. The recipient of the 'Opera Awards' actually receives a group of awards, scholarships and opportunities which include the YMF Australia Award, the Armstrong-Martin Scholarship, the Haas Foundation Award and the Editorial Resources Prize.

'Runners up' receive prizes and opportunities which include (in 2011) The Royal Over-Seas League (UK) Music Bursary, the Britten-Pears Young Artists Programme, the Glyndebourne Festival Prize, and the 4MBS Classic FM Award.

The recipient of the Opera Awards (Australia) is acknowledged and invited to perform at the Finals Concert of the Australian Singing Competition.

Opera Awards (Australia) recipients
Year Opera Awards Recipient* Category Adjudicators (Chair)
1986 Francesco Fabris baritone Jenifer Eddy
1987 Helen Adams soprano Elizabeth Fretwell OBE
1988 Stephen Ibbotsen tenor Ronald Maconaghie AM, Margreta Elkins AM
1989 Lucas de Jong baritone Margreta Elkins AM
1990 Akiko Nakajima soprano Joseph Ward
1991 not awarded
1992 Elisa Wilson soprano Joseph Ward OBE
1993 Douglas McNichol baritone Joseph Ward OBE
1994 Fiona Campbell soprano Stephen Barlow
1995 Ingrid Silveus soprano Myer Fredman
1996 Amelia Farrugia[1] soprano Myer Fredman
1997 Donna-Marie Dunlop soprano Myer Fredman
1998 Jamie Allen tenor Myer Fredman
1999 Adrian McEniery tenor Roderick Brydon
2000 Han Lim baritone Andrew Greene
2001 Nicole Youl soprano Myer Fredman
2002 Hyeseoung Kwon[2] soprano Vladimir Kamirsky
2003 not held
2004 José Carbó[3][4] baritone Richard Bonynge
2005 Tamsyn Stock-Stafford soprano Patrick Thomas
2006 Amy Wilkinson soprano Imre Palló
2007 James Homann baritone Vladimir Kamirsky
2008 Shane Lowrencev[5] bass Richard Bonynge AO CBE
2009 Emma Pearson[6] soprano Jonathan Darlington
2010 Lorina Gore[7][8] soprano Richard Bonynge AO CBE
2011 Zara Barrett soprano Maestro Andrea Molino
2012 Nicole Car soprano Brian Castles-Onion
2014 Jonathan Abernethy tenor Greg Hocking
2017 Adrian Tamburini [9] bass baritone Simon Kenway
2019 Anna Dowsley [10] mezzo soprano Benjamin Northey
  • The Opera Awards Recipient is defined as the individual who has received the 'major award' within the Opera Awards. This has changed over the years: 1986-1997 (Armstrong-Martin Scholarship); 1998-2001 (Handa Scholarship and the Armstrong-Martin Scholarship); 2002 - 2006 (Armstrong-Martin Scholarship with the Australian Elizabeth Theatre Trust); 2007 - 2016 (YMF Australia Award and the Armstrong-Martin Scholarship).

References
  1. Opera Australia. "Our Artists. Amelia Farrugia", 1996
  2. Opera Australia. "Our Artists. Hyeseoung Kwon", 2002
  3. Opera Australia. "Our Artists. Jose Carbo", 2004
  4. Opera Queensland. "Our Artists. Jose Carbo", 2005
  5. Opera Australia. "Our Artists. Shane Lowrencev", 2008
  6. Opera Australia. "Our Artists. Emma Pearson", 2009
  7. Opera Australia. "Our Artists. Lorina Gore", 2010
  8. 24 Hours The Arts Diary. "The Sydney Morning Herald". Opera. 25 August 2010. p16
  9. "Adrian Tamburini Triumphs at the 2017 Opera Awards" Limelight Magazine, March 20, 2017
  10. "Anna Dowsley Wins the 2019 Opera Awards" Limelight Magazine, November 29, 2019
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