In early 2016 her solo album of operatic arias, The Kiss (ABC Classics), debuted at No. 1 on the Australian classical charts. This year she also appeared as Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte and in the title role of Luisa Miller both for Opera Australia (winning her first Helpmann Award for the latter) and Fiordiligi for Deutsche Oper Berlin. In 2015, she made her debut at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden – singing Tatyana in Eugene Onegin and Micaëla in Carmen. In 2017, Nicole’s appearances include Micaëla for Opera de Paris, the title role in Thaïs for Opera Australia and a return to Covent Garden.

In 2016 Emily was awarded the Gold Medal at the Grand Final of the 2016 Royal Overseas League Competition, the first violinist to win since 1981. In recent years Emily has been a soloist with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Queensland Symphony Orchestra and appeared in collaborations with the Australian Chamber Orchestra. She was the soloist in the 2012 Sydney Festival’s Symphony in the Domain, performing Bruch’s Violin Concerto with the Sydney Symphony to an audience of 50,000. Emily has appeared as a soloist in renowned global venues such as the Sydney Opera House, Tel Aviv Opera House, The Louvre Auditorium and the Royal Albert Hall’s Elgar Room. In 2017 Emily appeared in a series of recitals around the UK.

Jessica Pratt is considered one of today’s foremost interpreters of some of Bel Canto’s most challenging repertoire.

Since winning the Australian Singing Competition in 2003, Jessica has also won the ”Vienna State Opera Award” and the prestigious international prize for coloratura sopranos “La Siola d’Oro Lina Pagliughi”. In September 2016 she was awarded the “Oscar della Lirica” International Opera Award for Best Soprano of the year. Over the last 10 years, Jessica has taken to the stage for 94 productions for 72 different organizers, in 64 cities over 12 countries. She has interpreted 33 different roles of which the most popular is Lucia Ashton from Gaetano Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor with over 79 shows in 27 productions, followed by Elvira from Vincenzo Bellini’s I Puritani and Amina from Vincenzo Bellini’s La Sonnambula.

In 2018 Australian audiences can hear Jessica when she appears as Lucia in Opera Australia’s Lucia di Lammermoor.

Simon Tedeschi is quite often described by respected critics and musical peers as one of the finest artists in the world making the young pianist’s mark on music both undeniable and admirable.

While working with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Tedeschi went on to be named the “Young Performer of the Year” and was a recipient of a $10,000 Queen’s Trust Overseas Study Award in 1998. After being named the “Young Performer of the Year” Tedeschi was awarded a Centenary of Federation Medal by the Prime Minister of Australia and was the recipient of an award from the Phonographic Performance Company of Australia and the Australian Opera Auditions Committee.

The versatility and scope of  Tedeschi’s appeal is exemplified by having shared the stage with numerous acclaimed musicians, including conductor Alan Gilbert, soprano Yvonne Kenny, jazz luminary James Morrison and Larry Adler, the legendary Harmonica player who called Tedeschi ‘the greatest pianist he ever heard.’ At age 13, Tedeschi gave a private recital to the iconic Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti.

He has just released a recording of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition for ABC/Universal and is scheduled to give hundreds of recitals throughout the country.

One of Opera Australia’s principal artists, Anna has recently completed a successful season as Rosina in Opera Australia’s 2016 mainstage production of Il Barbiere di Siviglia and also appeared as Dorabella in Così fan tutte. Frequently appearing as guest soloist with Australian choirs and orchestras, Anna also performed the role of Dorabella for Tokyo Arts Foundation in Japan. In 2014 Anna performed the role of Zaida (Il Turco in Italia) to critical acclaim at the Sydney Opera House. In 2017 Anna appeared in Opera Australia’s concert version of Wagner’s Parsifal, starring Jonas Kaufmann in title role.

Yidumduma Bill Harney is an Elder and last Senior Male Custodian of the Wardaman people of the Victoria, Flora and Katherine River Districts of the Northern Territory and was the 2012 recipient of the Rona Tranby Award (with Paul Taylor and the Yubulyawan Dreaming Project (YDP)). In May this year, a major art exhibition surveying and celebrating his extraordinary life was held in the Godinymayin Yijard Rivers Arts and Culture Centre in Katherine. A new DVD and study guide showcasing the work of the YDP was also produced in 2016 and is available on their website. In late 2015, Yidumduma released a new book with Hugh Cairns, Four Circles, which explores the power, justice and beauty of Aboriginal Customary Law.

1991 Marianne Mathy Scholarship Winner in the ASC, Stuart Skelton is considered one of finest heldentenors on the stage today. In 2016, Stuart opened the Metropolitan Opera’s 2016/17 season, singing Tristan in a new production of Tristan und Isolde conducted by Sir Simon Rattle. He was also named ‘Male Singer of the Year’ at the 2014 International Opera Awards. Stuart has appeared in many of the world’s most celebrated opera houses including the Metropolitan Opera, Seattle Opera, San Francisco Opera, English National Opera, Paris Opera, Bavarian State Opera, Hamburg State Opera, Berlin State Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Dresden Semperoper and the Vienna State Opera. His roles include the title roles in Lohengrin, Rienzi, Parsifal, Dmitrij and Peter Grimes as well as Florestan in Fidelio, Laca in Jenufa, Erik in Der Fliegende Holländer, The Kaiser in Die Frau ohne Schatten, Bacchus in Ariadne auf Naxos, The Prince in Rusalka, Max in Der Freischütz, Canio in Pagliacci, Gherman in The Queen of Spades, and Siegmund in Der Ring des Nibelungen. In 2017 Stuart stared in Lohengrin for the Opéra National de Paris. Stuart has also been nominated for the 2017 Grammys Best Choral Performance category!

2004 Opera Awards winner, José Carbó, is Australia’s premiere baritone. His debut CD, My Latin Heart (recorded with Slava & Leonard Grigoryan) ranked at No. 1 in the Limelight Magazine Classical Music Charts. In 2015 José performed lead roles in productions for Opera Australia, Victorian Opera, Los Angeles Opera, and also joined the roster of principal artists at The Metropolitan Opera, New York. In 2017-18 José toured Australia with the José Carbó Trio presenting L’Heure Exquise. In 2018 José stared in Opera Australia’s production of La Traviata, and partnered with Sumi Jo in the bel canto concert series, Mad for Love.

2002 Rona Tranby Award recipient, and highly respected Gungganji Gurugulu and Yidindji Gimuy woman, Elverina Johnson, is a consultant to the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) in Brisbane. For the past 30 years Elverina has been involved in the arts industry as a singer, songwriter, playwright, actor, photographer, fashion designer, and artist. In 2017 Elverina was named the NAIDOC Artist of the Year. Elverina volunteers her time to address critical social issues impacting on the lives of people in Indigenous communities, living true to her traditional family name -Bunya Badjil – which means “Good Woman”.