Five Young Opera Singers Will Compete in IFAC Australian Singing Competition

On Sunday 30 August at The Independent Theatre, North Sydney ten outstanding opera and classical singers sang their hearts out to be selected as one of five finalists who will compete in Australasia's premier showcase for young singers - the IFAC Australian Singing Competition.

For the first time ever the Finals Concert will be held in Chatswood at The Concourse. The finalists will take to the stage on Saturday 3 October competing for over $200,000 in prizes & opportunities. They will be accompanied by the Australian Opera & Ballet Orchestra conducted by Maestro Johannes Fritzsch.

The five finalists who will compete for 'The Mathy', the most prestigious award given to a young opera singer cover five distinctively different voice types.

From Victoria we have 24 year old bass baritone Jeremy Kleeman, 23 year old counter tenor Maximilian Riebl and the only female contestant, 24 year old soprano Rebecca Gulinello. Joining them from NSW will be 23 year old tenor Damian Arnold and 24 year old baritone Benson Wilson from New Zealand.

Nearly 100 singers from Australia and New Zealand auditioned. This year the Finals Concert will be judged by Linnhe Robertson, as National Adjudicator who will be joined by Conal Coad, Michael Halliwell, Emma Matthews and Simon Lord.

The IFAC Australian Singing Competition for opera and classical singers is Australasia's premier competition and the richest of its kind. Since 1982 more than $2.8million in prizes has been won with nearly 3,000 singers shining in the spotlight.