Finalists chosen for IFAC Australian Opera Singing Competition

At a showcase on Sunday 30 August in North Sydney, ten opera and classical singers performed with great passion in hopes of being one of the five finalists selected to compete in the IFAC Australian Singing Competition.

Nearly 100 singers from Australia and New Zealand auditioned for the competition The five finalists who will compete for ‘The Mathy’, the most prestigious award given to a young opera singers, cover five distinctively different voice types.

The five finalists chosen to advance are:  24 year old bass baritone Jeremy Kleeman (Victoria), 23 year old counter tenor Maximilian Riebl (Victoria), 24 year old soprano Rebecca Gulinello (Victoria), 23 year old tenor Damian Arnold (NSW), and 24 year old baritone Benson Wilson (New Zealand).

On Saturday 3 October these five singers will compete in concert for over $200,000 in prize and opportunities. For the first time, the Finals Concert will be held in Chatswood, at The Concourse, and the singers will be  accompanied by the Australian Opera & Ballet Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Johannes Fritzsch.

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.

Tickets are now available for the Finals Concert. To book, and for more information about the competition, visit www.aussing.org.