Opera star
My dream since I was a kid was to become a performer. Being brought up in northern Queensland, my life was bleak at times. But I willed myself as a teenager to do something to get me as far away from my home town of Townsville. Apart from being a desert hole, it was also an army town but it’s much better now.
I was a nonexistent gay person back then. When I was 17, I auditioned for the Queensland Conservatory of Music and on the day of the interview they asked me straight away to come aboard. I was very lucky. It meant I didn’t have to do my Year 12 exams and went straight into a Bachelor of Music majoring in Voice.
Moving to Brisbane was a huge move. The first year at university was amazing and it gave me a chance to find out who I really was. I came out at 18 because I didn’t want to hide it any more. It’s easier on people to come out in the entertainment industry. I’ve always known I was a homosexual but never admitted it to myself.
I didn’t wake up and say I wanted to be an opera singer. I did my first opera that year, making me fall in love with the genre. I’m a baritone which is a type of male voice which lies between the bass and tenor.
In 1999, I joined Opera Queensland and toured the state in a young artist position for a year. It was fantastic experience but it also became arduous driving around in a van.
A few years later, I was lucky to win a $100,000 scholarship to study at the Royal College of Music in London. Although the city is big and dirty compared to Sydney, it was one of the most remarkable journeys of my life.
I worked as an usher at the Royal Opera House and was able to see international opera stars. Compared to Europe, Australia is very isolated. The course taught me to become professional and I learnt how hard you have to work to become the best singer possible.
My last show in England got great reviews in the London Times, which allowed me to become a principal at Opera Australia. After training for 10 years, I’ve still got lots of work to go. The thing about the male voice is that it doesn’t mature until you’re 35. So I’m 30 now which means I have five more years to go.
It’s really hard to support yourself as a singer. I’ve worked in retail a lot but if you’re lucky you do get concerts along the way. It’s a poor life at times because there is not enough work for all the opera singers to go around in Australia. Last year I had to sell mobile phones for a good nine months.
People also work as understudies, which is difficult. You have to note down all the movements and know the music inside out. Sometimes you have to go on stage never having seen the set before. This happened when I was an understudy in Carmen. I was lucky that I had a couple of rehearsals. It’s much easier when no one is sick.
It’s important for opera singers to communicate and know what you’re singing about. I can speak Italian, French, German and a little bit of Russian.
Last year I won the German Operatic Award. The competition was right after Mardi Gras. I had to make a decision to choose to party or sing. The competition was similar to Australia Idol but for opera singers and without the telly voting. It was an honour winning because it allows me to study in Munich for 12 months as a young artist for the Cologne Opera Studio. I will be mostly in kinder operas but also have a role in the main house.
At the moment I’m in Madam Butterfly at the Riverside Theatre. This production is unique because its allows people to go to the opera who don’t usually go, because it’s in English. It’s not the whole opera as well -“ we are only playing the best pieces. Throughout the play there are also explanations of what’s happening and the connection between the characters.
I head out to Germany in early July. I’m hoping not to come back. I would like to be in Europe for five years but you can only look a year ahead at the beginning until you get rolling.
Interview by Sunny Burns
Madam Butterfly finishes this Saturday 2 June. For bookings call 8839 3399 or visit www.riversideparramatta.com.au.
