Sensational performance by tenor Wesley Yu of Cilea's Il re Pastore

Tenor Wesley Yu is completing his Master of Opera Performance degree under the tutelage of Maree Ryan AM. His roles include Knusperhexe (Hänsel und Gretel), Tempo (Il Trionfo), and Septimius (Theodora), Nova (M.TH.R) and Scout (The Lullaby), with upcoming role as Rinuccio (Gianni Schicchi). As a soloist, Wesley has appeared in Messiah, Nelson Mass, Petite Messe Solennelle, eethoven’s Symphony No. 9, and Carmina Burana. He has participated in various asterclasses including Dr. Graham Johnson OBE, Catriona Morison.

Pianist Alan Hicks is one of Australia’s foremost vocal coaches and accompanists. He currently works in the Vocal and Opera Studies and Collaborative Piano areas at Sydney Conservatorium of Music. In the course of eight years as a freelance pianist in London, Alan appeared at major recital venues including the Wigmore Hall, the Purcell Room and St John’s Smith Square. As pianist with the London-based Australian contemporary music group the Bennelong Ensemble, he toured to Italy and the UK. Returning to Australia, he was appointed Head of Voice at the School of Music in Canberra, 2008-12 and was Musical Director of the University of Canberra Chorale, 2013-16. As well as being an accomplished recital and concert accompanist, Alan’s operatic credits include: Albert Herring, Dido and Aeneas, Grimm and the Blue Crown Owl, Die Zauberflöte, Suor Angelica/Gianni Schicchi and Die Fledermaus and chorus master for Tosca, The Barber of Seville, La Traviata and the ARIA-nominated From a Black Sky.

Johann Strauss, Die Fliedermaus. Trio: So muss allein.

Performers:

Eisenstein, Christopher Whalley;

Rosalinde, Sophie Blades;

Adele, Wei Han.

Conductor: Dr. Simon Lobelson.

Piano: Alan Hicks.

(Full details on: www.youtube.com/@sydneyoperasociety)

BEETHOVEN – Fidelio Duet: Jetzt Schätzchen, jetzt sind wir allein.

Jaquino, Thomas Bruce; Marzelline, Sky Kim.

Conductor: Dr. Simon Lobelson.

Piano: Alan Hicks.

(Full details on: www.youtube.com/@sydneyoperasociety)

BERLIOZ – Les Troyens Duet: Nuit d’ivresse.

Didon, Linh Tran;

Enée, Christopher Whalley.

Conductor: Dr Simon Lobelson.

Piano: Alan Hicks.

(Full details on: www.youtube.com/@sydneyoperasociety)

W. A. Mozart - Il re pastore. Quintet: Viva, viva l'invitto duce.

Performers:

Aminta, Helen Sun;

Elisa, Vanessa Wijaya;

Tamiri, Hannah Burton;

Agenore, Thomas Bruce;

Alessandro, Wesley Yu.

Conductor, Dr Simon Lobelson.

Piano, Alan Hicks.

OFFENBACH – Les Contes d’Hoffman Aria: Ballad of Kleinzach – Christopher Whalley

Christopher Whalley is a 25-year-old tenor from Tamworth, in regional New South Wales, currentlycompleting my Master’s degree at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music Opera School. Growing up in the country shaped both his identity and my artistic voice, and he carries that connection into every performance. Christopher is passionate about storytelling through opera and keen to make his mark on the Australian performing arts scene in the coming years, bringing a rural perspective to stages across the nation.

Alan Hicks is one of Australia’s foremost vocal coaches and accompanists. He currently works in the Vocal and Opera Studies and Collaborative Piano areas at Sydney Conservatorium of Music. In the course of eight years as a freelance pianist in London, Alan appeared at major recital venues including the Wigmore Hall, the Purcell Room and St John’s Smith Square. As pianist with the London-based Australian contemporary music group the Bennelong Ensemble, he toured to Italy and the UK. Returning to Australia, he was appointed Head of Voice at the School of Music in Canberra, 2008-12 and was Musical Director of the University of Canberra Chorale, 2013-16. As well as being an accomplished recital and concert accompanist, Alan’s operatic credits include : Albert Herring, Dido and Aeneas, Grimm and the Blue Crown Owl, Die Zauberflöte, Suor Angelica/Gianni Schicchi and Die Fledermaus and chorus master for Tosca, The Barber of Seville, La Traviata and the ARIA-nominated From a Black Sky.

Erina Kirton is a soprano currently in her first year of the Master of Music Studies (Opera Performance) at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Born in Japan, she spent most of her youth there before moving to Sydney to further her musical studies. Erina has been an active performer in the Sydney region appearing in concerts and productions. She has performed in H.M.S. Pinafore and Die Fledermaus Gala Concert with Rockdale Opera Company, and in Pagliacci with The Cooperative.

Linh Tran is a Vietnamese mezzo-soprano, born in Russia. She holds a Bachelor of Music (Classical Voice) from the Vietnam National Academy of Music (2019-2023). Linh is currently pursuing her Master of Music (Opera Performance) at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, studying voice with Christina Wilson. In September 2024, she participated in Capucine Chiaudani's masterclass in Tokyo. Linh has a diverse performance background, with experience in concert performances across Vietnam and credits in various theatre and screen productions.

Thomas Bruce was born and raised in Sydney, Australia, has recently graduated from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music with a Bachelor of Music (Performance - Classical Voice) with DisCncCon average and is currently in his first year of study in his Master of Music Studies (OperaCc Performance), studying with Andrew Goodwin. Thomas’ operaCc roles include Autumn (The Fairy Queen), Drunken Sailor (Dido and Aeneas) and Messenger (Theodora). This year he is delighted to be performing the roles of Monostatos in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte with Prague Summer Nights and Mercure in Offenbach’s Orphée aux enfers with the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and NIDA.

CIMAROSA – Il matrimonio segreto Trio: Sento, ahimè! Che mi vien male.

Performers:

Paolino, Thomas Bruce; Fidalma, Linh Tran; Elisetta, Erina Kirton.

Conductor, Simon Lobelson. Piano, Alan Hicks.

Soprano Sophie Blades is currently completing her Master of Music Studies (Opera Performance) at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, studying with Dr Anke Hoeppner-Ryan. Some of Sophie’s performed roles include Silvia (Mascagni), Theodora (Handel) and the Sandman (Humperdinck). A few of her masterclasses include that by Dr Graham Johnson OBE, Dr Zoe Zeniodi and Michael Smallwood. Sophie is looking forward to performing as Adina (Donizetti) with the Mediterranean Opera Studio & Festival in Sicily as well as Eurydice (Offenbach) with Sydney Conservatorium of Music and NIDA.

PUCCINI - La Boheme Aria: Quando m’en vo.

Soprano, Sophie Blades.

Erina Kirton is a soprano currently in her first year of the Master of Music Studies (Opera Performance) at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Born in Japan, she spent most of her youth there before moving to Sydney to further her musical studies. Erina has been an active performer in the Sydney region appearing in concerts and productions. She has performed in H.M.S. Pinafore and Die Fledermaus Gala Concert with Rockdale Opera Company, and in Pagliacci with The Cooperative.

Helen (Luxuan) Sun is currently pursuing her Masters degree in Opera Performance at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. She has participated in various vocal competitions and demonstrated solid vocal artistry under the guidance of Donna Balson and other distinguished vocal coaches. With long-term mentorship from university professors and a symphony singer, she has studied over 70 works across Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Modern styles in multiple languages, completed A2-level Italian and A1-level French, and completed role study of the Countess from The Marriage of Figaro.

Leah Bell is an Australian soprano currently completing her Master of Music Studies (Opera Performance) at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music under Maree Ryan AM. She grew up on the east coast of New South Wales, where a love for music and storytelling blossomed alongside a childhood spent exploring nature. A passionate performer since childhood, Leah began piano at five and classical singing at eleven. She holds a Bachelor of Music Performance and plans to continue her opera training overseas to pursue a professional career.

GRÉTRY – L’amant jaloux. Trio: Victime infortunée

Performers:

Léonore, Erina Kirton; Jacinte, Helen Sun; Isabelle, Leah Bell.

Conductor, Simon Lobelson. Piano, Alan Hicks.

Hannah Burton, soprano, originally from Kootingal, NSW, is in her first year of a Master of Music Studies (Operatic Performance) at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. She graduated with First Class Honours and High Distinction in Classical Voice, studying under Maree Ryan AM. A 2024 Young Artist with Pacific Opera, she performed roles including Adele (Die Fledermaus), Madame Hertz (Der Schauspieldirektor), and the title role in Thaïs. Other operatic roles include Emilie (Émilie), First Witch (Dido and Aeneas), Dew Fairy (Hansel and Gretel), and Moth (A Midsummer Night’s Dream). Her concert credits include soloist in Carmina Burana, Mahler’s Fourth Symphony, Mozart’s Great Mass, and Handel’s Messiah. A 2019 Opera Australia Regional Vocal Scholar, she has worked in masterclasses with Graham Johnson OBE, Roderick Williams OBE, and others. Hannah is thrilled to debut as the Queen of the Night in Mozart’s The Magic Flute with Prague Summer Nights in Vienna.

Leonard Bernstein. Candide: Glitter and be Gay.

Soprano, Hannah Burton.

Piano, Alan Hicks

Franz Lehar. Giuditta: Meine Lippen, sie küssen so heiss.

Soprano Ellen McNeil.

Ellen is a recipient of the prestigious Wagner Society's Jane Matthews AO Scholarship.

Sydney Opera Society's concert. August 3, 2024.

Rimsky-Korsakov's 1896 opera Sadko. The Song of the Indian Guest.

Tenor Kent McIntosh.

Kent McIntosh, born in Auckland, began as a full-time French horn player in the RNZ Navy Band before shifting his focus to singing at 19. He joined the NZ Youth Choir and studied music in New Zealand, Sydney, and Canberra, earning a master's degree in 2001, complemented by the Kornfeld full scholarship. For two decades, Kent was a member of the full-time chorus at Opera Australia, performing approximately 3,000 times at esteemed venues such as the Sydney Opera House. Currently, he is pursuing music education at UNE while continuing his musical endeavours.

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