She has sung Carmen in Berlin, Munich, Stuttgart, Rome, Montreal, Miami, Tel Aviv, New York, New Orleans, Cologne, Toronto, Vancouver, Baden-Baden and many other centres.

OA repertoire: Carmen

Other Companies: Melisande: Pelléas et Mélisande (Berlin State Opera); Cherubino: Le nozze di Figaro (Royal Opera, Covent Garden, Palau de la Reina Sofia, Valencia); Dorabella: Così fan tutte (Glyndebourne and Paris); Blanche: Dialogues des Carmelites (New York City Opera); Rosina: Il barbiere di Siviglia (Tokyo and Venice). Equally at home on the concert stage, Shaham has collaborated with some of the most eminent conductors of our day including Simon Rattle, André Previn, Christoph Eschenbach, Leonard Slatkin, William Christie, David Robertson, Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

Recordings/Videos: excerpts from operas by Lully (Erato); CD of Gershwin and Purcell (ATMA); Jazz Singer in the Isztvan Szabo film, Taking Sides.

Serbian-born Milijana Nikolic holds a degree in Fine Arts from the University of Belgrade where she was under the tutelage of Radmila Smiljanic.

Milijana won awards in numerous international competitions including Biserka Cvejic (most outstanding vocalist of the year 1998) as well as the Nikola Cvejic award as most promising young singer in the Petar Konjovic International Competition 1998.

Milijana’s operatic debut took place in the Belgrade National Theatre as Third Lady in Mozart’s The Magic Flute and Tisbe in Rossini’s Cenerentola. In 2001, she won a two-year scholarship to attend the Academy for Soloists at Teatro alla Scala, Milan. Since this time, she has sung leading mezzo-soprano roles throughout Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

Her principal role debut at La Scala was Cuniza in Verdi’s Oberto; Milijana repeated this role in Genoa. Other Italian engagements have included Iphigénie en Tauride at La Scala and at Rome Opera under Riccardo Muti, Emma in Donizetti’s Ugo Conte di Parigi in Bergamo, Catania and La Scala, Rossini’s Petit Messe Solenelle and Fenena in Nabucco in Sardinia and, in 2010, the title role in Vivaldi’s Juditha Triumphans at the Macerata Festival.

In Asia, Milijana has sung Eboli in Don Carlo in Seoul, Korea and for Opera Hong Kong; she has also appeared with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra and the Hong Kong Sinfonietta.

Her many roles for Opera Australia in recent seasons have included the title role in Carmen, Amneris in Aida, La Principessa in Suor Angelica, Jezibaba in Rusalka, Azucena in Il trovatore, Venus in Tannhäuser, Ulrica in Un ballo in maschera and Adelaide in Arabella.

She has been a frequent soloist with the Queensland and Adelaide Symphony Orchestras and the Auckland Philharmonia in works such as Verdi’s Requiem, Mozart’s Requiem and Handel’s Messiah.

In 2010 and 2011, Milijana sang Carmen for the Savolinna Festival in Finland, for Opera Australia in Sydney and for State Opera of South Australia in Adelaide, sang Amneris for Opera Queensland and Southern Opera, New Zealand and appeared in the World Premiere of Bliss for Opera Australia in Sydney, Melbourne and at the Edinburgh Festival. In 2012, Milijana Nikolic sang Amneris for Opera Australia and appeared in concert in Norway and Japan.

Ukrainian tenor Dmytro Popov began his international career in 2004 as Alfredo (La Traviata) in a production by Jonathan Miller in Norway. Engagements as Nicias (Thaïs), the Duke (Rigoletto) and Nemorino (L’Elisir d’amore) took him to the Teatro Regio in Turn, the Dalhalla Opera Festival in Sweden and the Latvian National Opera in Riga. In 2009 he made his début as Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly) at the Deutsche Oper Berlin.

In 2011 he débuted at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden as Lykov in Rimsky Korsakov’s Tsarskoye nevesta (The Tsar’s Bride) and at the Bavarian State Opera as the Prince in Dvořák’s Rusalka. Dmytro Popov has also sung Rachmaninov’s The Bells with the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome under the direction of Antonion Pappano as well as with the Russian National Orchestra under Mstislav Rostropovich. The tenor also performed highlights from I Capuletti e I Montecchi and Evgeny Onegin with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra under Kent Nagano.

Dmytro Popov was a prize winner at Plácido Domingo’s 2007 Operalia World Contest in Paris.

Adam Diegel rapidly is establishing international notoriety for an impassioned dramatic sense, powerful voice, and for his classic leading looks in the lyric tenor repertoire. 

In the 2011 -12 season Adam Diegel's engagements at the Metropolitan Opera included Das Rheingold under the baton of James Levine, Madama Butterfly, and Nabucco.  Other operatic performances included Madama Butterfly at Arizona Opera and Carmen with Opera Theater of St. Louis.

Performances in 2010 included a Metropolitan Opera debut as Froh in the company’s new production of Das Rheingold conducted by James Levine and directed by Robert Lepage, with later performances under the baton of Fabio Luisi, a role debut as Rodolfo in Luisa Miller in a new David Alden production for the Opéra de Lyon conducted by Kazushi Ono, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly at Kentucky Opera, Ismaele in Nabucco for Palm Beach Opera, and Don José in a new production of Carmen for a return engagement at the Glimmerglass Festival.

Highlights of recent years include Madama Butterfly with the Savonlinna Opera Festival, Carmen with Florida Grand Opera and Madison Opera, and La bohème with Opera Omaha and the Minnesota Opera.  The artist also made a Glimmerglass debut as Cavaradossi in Tosca, a role he covered for the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Further highlights include a European debut as Maurizio in Adriana Lecouvreur at the National Theatre of Hungary, followed by a re-engagement with the company to sing Tosca, as well as Madama Butterfly at Fort Worth Opera and Susannah at Virginia Opera.

A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Adam Diegel was a national finalist in the 2003 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and won the Ostrander Theatre Award for his performance of the role of Prince Charming in Sondheim’s Into the Woods.  He received his formal musical training at Yale University and is a graduate of the University of Memphis, where he studied Philosophy and Theology. Mr. Diegel worked in the corporate sector for a leading international investment firm before he began his operatic career.

Andrew Jones, one of Australia’s most outstanding young baritones, is currently a Young Artist at Opera Australia. After completing three years at the Victorian College of the Arts, he built up an impressive list of credits with Australia’s leading performing organisations.

Andrew’s many roles for Opera Australia have included Jake Wallace and José Castro in La fanciulla del West, Alessio in La sonnambula, Marquis d'Obigny in La traviata, Maximilian in Candide, Prince Yamadori in Madama Butterfly, Mr Redburn in Billy Budd, Second Prisoner in Fidelio, Boatswain in HMS Pinafore and Foreman of the Jury in Trial By Jury.

For Oz Opera, he has sung Moralès and Dancairo in Carmen and Schaunard in La bohème in nationwide tours to rural and regional Australia. For OzOpera’s Schools’ Company, Andrew performed major roles in The Magic Flute, The Barber of Seville and The Sound Garden.

Included amongst his many appearances for other operatic organisations are Escamillo in Carmen and Figaro in The Barber of Seville for Melbourne Opera, Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor for Bel Canto Opera and Count Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro for Eastern Metropolitan Opera.

Andrew Jones’ concert repertoire includes the baritone solos in Orff’s Carmina Burana and Fauré’s Requiem. He appeared in Victoria Opera’s Gala Opening Concert, Opera Australia’s 2010 New Year’s Eve Gala and has been a frequent soloist for Orchestra Victoria.

He appears on the Australian Cast recording of Essgee Entertainment’s The Merry Widow and on the Opera Australia/ABC Classics DVD presentation of Trial by Jury and HMS Pinafore.

For Opera Australia in 2011, Andrew Jones sang Marcello in La bohème (Helpmann Award nomination), Escamillo in Carmen, Prince Yamadori in Madama Butterfly, Slim in Of Mice and Men and Masetto in Don Giovanni. He also appeared as baritone soloist in Carmina Burana for Sydney Philharmonia.

In 2012, Andrew starred as Papageno in Opera Australia’s new production of The Magic Flute in Sydney and Melbourne; he also sang Zurga in The Pearlfishers for the national company and returned as soloist with Sydney Philharmonia.

Andrew Jones' performances are proudly sponsored by Maureen Wheeler.

James Clayton is one the leading singers to emerge from Western Australia in recent years; he became a Young Artist with West Australian Opera in 2006 and 2007. James’ many roles for West Australian Opera have included the title role in The Marriage of Figaro, The King in Aida, Ashby in La fanciulla del West, Nourabad in The Pearlfishers, Schaunard in La bohème, Papageno in The Magic Flute, Steersman in Tristan und Isolde, Second Soldier in The Love of the Nightingale, Mars in Orpheus in the Underworld and Marullo in Rigoletto. For Autonomous Productions, he sang Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro.

She completed her Bachelor of Music at the Victorian College of the Arts in 2007.  While studying, she was the recipient of many awards including the Alice Amy McDonald Trust, the Sleath Lowrey Rotary Scholarship and the Marion Isobel Thomas Estate Award for the highest practical mark in the college.

Nicole has also participated in many youth operas with Victorian Opera - the title role in The Snow Queen in 2007 and Mrs Noye in their production of Noye’s Fludde in 2006.  She also performed with Oz Opera in The Beggars Opera in 2005. After completing baroque gesture studies, Nicole played the role of Pallas Athena in Early Music Australia’s The Judgment of Paris.

In 2007, Nicole Car won the Herald Sun Aria; she was also a finalist in the Australia Singing Competition where she was awarded the Symphony Australia Young Vocalist award.  She made her major role debut in 2009 performing Donna Anna in Victorian Opera’s Don Giovanni and covered Madama Butterfly for Oz Opera.

In 2010, Nicole was a Developing Artist with Victorian Opera.  She also sang the soprano solos in Das Klagende Lied for the Queensland Symphony Orchestra under Maestro Johannes Fritzsch and was the featured artist on ABC Classics’ Last Night of the Proms with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra.

For Opera Australia in 2011, she sang Donna Anna, Mimi in La bohème, Micaëla in Carmen and the Italian Singer in Capriccio; for the QSO, she appeared as soloist in Brahms’ Deutsches Requiem.  For her work in Carmen, Nicole was nominated for a Helpmann Award.

Her roles for Opera Australia in 2012 include Pamina in a new production of The Magic Flute, Valencienne in The Merry Widow and Léïla The Pearlfishers.  Nicole has also been engaged by the Tasmanian Symphony for their performances of Brahms’ Deutsches Requiem.

Nicole Car is a member of the Moffatt Oxenbould Young Artist Program sponsored by Australia Post and her performances are proudly sponsored by Jane Hemstritch.

Australian soprano Sharon Prero began her music career as a concert flautist. At 15, she toured New Zealand performing Bach's Suite in B Minor to great acclaim. Her love of the stage inspired her change of direction; she regularly performed in oratorio and recital whilst studying a double Voice/Flute major at the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music.

As a finalist in the Australian Singing Competition, Sharon was offered a scholarship to finish her studies at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music - from there, she was engaged as a Young Artist with Opera Queensland. During this time, she was a National Finalist in the ABC Young Performers’ Awards and appeared as soprano soloist in Les Illuminations with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. Other engagements included Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 and Vaughan Williams’ Sea Symphony with the QSO, Handel’s Messiah with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and Marguerite in Faust for Opera Queensland.

Later concert appearances have included Vaughan Williams’ Sinfonia Antarctica, the World Premiere of John Adams’ Grand Pianola Music, Louis Andriessons' De Staadt and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the TSO and various Opera Galas with both the QSO and TSO. Sharon was a guest artist for the Puccini Festival Australia in Le donne di Puccini and has given concerts in Noumea and Jakarta for the Conservatoire de Musique de la Nouvelle-Caledonie and the Indonesian Opera Society respectively.

Operatic roles have included Clorinda in Cenerentola for Canberra Opera, Pamina in The Magic Flute for State Opera of South Australia, Mimi in La bohème for Victoria State Opera, Berta in Il barbiere di Siviglia for both VSO and SOSA, Micaëla in Carmen and Musetta in La bohème for OzOpera and solo appearances in Madama Butterfly, Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi for Opera Australia. She also sang Nella in Gianni Schicchi for the Macau International Music Festival, Carlotta in The Phantom of the Opera for Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Group and Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance for the VSO (which was simulcast on ABC Television).

Sharon was a finalist in the German Operatic Awards and the Metropolitan Opera Awards and the winner of the Dame Mabel Brookes Fellowship. Recordings include soprano soloist in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 (Opera Australia/TSO) released by ABC Classics.

In 2011, Sharon sang Hanna Glawari in The Merry Widow for Singapore Lyric Opera – covering this same role for Opera Australia; she also appeared as Echo in The Love of the Nightingale for the national company.

In 2012, Sharon Prero sang Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte and Juliette in Die tote Stadt for Opera Australia.

A native of Asheville, North Carolina, Ariya graduated from the prestigious Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA) in Philadelphia where she studied with Ruth Golden.  She previously earned her bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG), where she studied voice with Dr. James Bumgardner.  While at AVA, she performed many leading roles including the title roles in Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta and Janacek’s Kat’a Kabanova, Tatyana in Eugene Onegin, Despina in Cosi fan tutte, Suzel in L’amico Fritz, Woglinde and Wellgunde in Das Rheingold, and Gilda in Rigoletto.

Most recently Ariya portrayed the role of Mimi in La bohème with Bozeman Opera in Bozeman, Montana.  Amongst her frequent appearances on the concert platform, she has sung the soprano solos in Orff’s Carmina Burana with the Bucks County Symphony, and Vivaldi’s Gloria with the Asheville Symphony Orchestra.

The recipient of many awards and scholarships, Ariya placed second in the Palm Beach Opera Vocal Competition where she performed in the Grand Winner’s Concert with the Palm Beach Opera Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Kamal Khan.  She has also received an encouragement award at the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, placed third in the Mario Lanza Competition in Philadelphia and was a 2007 finalist in the Loren L. Zachary Society National Vocal Competition.

In 2011, Ariya joined the principal ensemble of Opera Australia and appeared as soloist with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra.  In addition, she has been selected as one of five young singers to form Classical Spice – a dynamic operatic vocal quintet which will record exclusively for ABC Classics.

Born, Australia. Graduated with a Bachelor of Music Education at Edith Cowan University, WA.

OA repertoire: Clairon: Capriccio, Mercédès: Carmen, Kate: The Pirates of Penzance, Leila: Iolanthe and Spirit: Dido and Aeneas. Title role in Oz Opera’s national tours of Carmen.

Other Companies: Cornelia: Giulio Cesare, Marguerite: La Damnation de Faust (Victorian Opera); Ma: The Tenderlands, Der Trommler: Der Kaiser Von Altantis; Fricka: Die Walküre (New York Foundation of the Arts Wagner Theatre Program); Flora: La traviata (Melbourne Opera).

International concert work includes Haydn’s Mass in B Minor (Reading University Choir and Orchestra, London) and Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, Handel’s Messiah and Bach’s Christmas Oratorio (Japan’s Philharmonic Orchestra).

Sam graduated with a BMus. GradDip (Opera) from the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts in 2008. 

Awards: Winner Marianne Mathy Scholarship, Symphony Australia Young Vocalist Award, Christine Leaves Award, Radzyminski Family Prize, Parszos Prize, Australian Singing Competition. McCaw-Marsh Entry Scholarship, Lionel Edgerton Scholarship, The Joan Sutherland Society of Sydney Scholarship, Tinkler Encouragement Award, Rosina Raisbeck Encouragement Award. Finalist, McDonald’s Operatic Aria, Lady Fairfax New York Scholarship.

OA repertoire: Servant: Capriccio, Morales: Carmen, Yamadori/Commissioner: Madama Butterfly, Starvling: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Mikado, La traviata, Tosca, La sonnambula, Manon, Bliss, La fanciulla del West, Der Rosenkavalier, Rigoletto, La bohème, Les pêcheurs de perles, Macbeth.

Other Companies: Così fan tutte (Pacific Opera); Batavia, L'elisir d'amore (West Australian Opera); Candide, Street Scene, Angelique, A Midsummer Night's Dream (West Australian Academy of Performing Arts); Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen: Australia Ensemble, Sydney Symphony Youth Orchestra, Sydney Conservatorium Orchestra and Chorale, West Australian Symphony Orchestra, NSW Willoughby Symphony Orchestra

Recordings/Videos: ABC Classic FM Rising Stars, Sunday Live, ABC In Performance

Luke completed a Diploma of Performing Arts (1996) and Bachelor of Music Performance (1998) at the WA Conservatorium of Music, and a Graduate Diploma of Education at the Edith Cowan University (1999).  

He was a member of the West Australian Opera Chorus from 1998 until 2002, during which time he travelled to Italy to sing Masetto in Don Giovanni at the Opera Theatre and Music Festival of Lucca. In 2002, Luke became a member of the West Australian Opera Young Artist Program, and in the same year was also invited to be a Developing Artist of the Australian Opera Studio. Roles during this time included Count Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro, Demetrius in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Anthony in Sweeney Todd, Nardo in La Finta Giardiniera, Paris in Romeo et Juliette, Imperial Commissioner in Madama Butterfly, Melisso in Alcina, St Brioche in The Merry Widow, the Café Manager in Greek, Riccardo in The Sound Garden, and the Dryblower in Iain Grandage’s The Dryblower and the Water Girl (a new opera for children commissioned by the Australian Opera Studio).

Luke has been a finalist in many major singing competitions including the Covent Garden National Opera Studio Scholarship, the German Operatic Award, second place in the Metropolitan Opera Young Artist Study Award, second place in the National Operatic Aria Competition and the McDonald’s Aria.

In 2003, Luke sang the role of Escamillo in Carmen for Simply Opera, touring NSW and he subsequently became a member of Opera Australia’s chorus, singing the role of Narrator in the company’s OzOpera tour of Midnite in both Melbourne and Adelaide.

Luke made his principal debut with Opera Australia as Mercutio in Romeo et Juliette in 2005, and since then has sung the roles of Giuseppe in The Gondoliers, Fiorello and the title role in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Marco in Gianni Schicchi, Dancairo in Carmen, Donald in Billy Budd, and Yamadori in Madama Butterfly as well as Marcello in La bohème and the title role inThe Barber of Seville for West Australian Opera.

Luke’s 2009/2010 engagements included the role of the Count in The Marriage of Figaro and Silvio in Pagliacci for West Australian Opera; Aeneas in Dido & Aeneas, Sergeant of the Archers in Manon Lescaut, Pish Tush in The Mikado, Guglielmo in Così fan tutte, Sciarrone in Tosca, Demetrius in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and cover Marullo in Rigoletto all for Opera Australia.  

In 2011 Luke will cover the role of Figaro in The Barber of Seville and sing the roles of Dancairo in Carmen, Zurga in The Pearfishers, Frederic in Lakmé, Danilo in The Merry Widow, Slim in Of Mice and Men and the Marquis d’Obigny in La Traviata for Opera Australia.

Luke’s 2012 roles include Papageno in The Magic Flute, Demetrius in A Midsummer Nights Dream, Zurga in The Pearlfishers, and Second Nazarene in Salome for Opera Australia and the title role in the Oz Opera tour of Don Giovanni.

Adrian Tamburini is an Australian born bass.

Awards: Winner – Lygon Street Festa Aria Competition, 2003; Winner – Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Aria Award, 2007; Winner – Lythgo Trust Operatic Aria Award, 2007; Winner - Melbourne Welsh Male Voice Choir Singer of the Year Competition, 2007; Winner – John Tallis Singing Competition, 2008; Third Place – German Australian Opera Grant, Hessisches Staatstheater, Wiesbaden, 2008; Finalist – Lady Fairfax New York Scholarship, 2010.

OA repertoire: Assassin: Macbeth, Alcindoro: La bohème, Officer of the Watch: The Barber of Seville, Pickpocket: Lakmé, Bass Chorus: The Love of the Nightingale

Other Companies: Roles include: Lawyer/Doctor: Gianni Schicchi, Aeneas: Dido and Aeneas, Lillas Pastia: Carmen, Papageno/Sarastro: Magic Flute, Figaro/Bartolo: Le nozze di Figaro, Uberto: La Serva Padrona, Ceprano: Rigoletto, Leporello: Don Giovanni, Yakuside/Bonze/Commissioner: Madama Butterfly, Grenvil: La traviata, Colatinus: Rape of Lucretia; Figaro/Fiorello/Ambrogio: Il barbiere di Siviglia, Jervis: Nelson, Mr. Gobineau: The Medium, Dandini: La Cenerentola, Alfio: Cavalleria rusticana, Taddeo: L’italiana in Algeri, roles: Love of Three Oranges.

Oratorio repertoire includes Mozart’s, Faure’s and Verdi’s Requiems, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Handel’s Messiah, Haydn’s Creation and Seasons, Berlioz’s L’Enfance du Christ, Bach’s St. John’s Passion, Easter Oratorio, Magnificat and Ich Habe Genug.

He has performed throughout Australia and New Zealand and his concert repertoire includes Pilatus/Bass soloist in Johannes Passion and MozartRequiem. He has sung in concert with the TSO, MSO, ASO, WASO and the Auckland Philharmonic.

Since 2005, when Samuel made his operatic debut with Opera Queensland, he has gone on to perform with More than Opera, the AYO and has been involved with Victorian Opera both as a freelance artist and a member of the Artist Development program. Roles he has performed with VO include Guglielmo in Così fan tutte, Belcore in The Elixir of Love, theSecond Soldier in The Love of the Nightingale, Creon/The Messengerin Oedipus Rex and Chief Clerk inMetamorphosis, as well as Schaunard in the Puccini: The Sacred and Profane gala.

2009 saw Samuel make his role debut in the title role in Victorian Opera’s production of Don Giovanni. Other performances included Harlequin in Ariadne auf Naxos, also for Victorian Opera; bass soloist in Fauré Requiem for the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, the inaugural concert at the new Melbourne Recital Centre in Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music, Opera Australia’s annual Williamstown concert, and an Opera Gala concert in Morundah.

Samuel Dundas is a graduate of the Melba Conservatorium of Music and his performance experience encompasses opera, musical theatre and concerts. Since 2010, he has been a member of the Moffatt Oxenbould Young Artist program at Opera Australia.  In 2010 his roles included Doctor/Inquisitor/Judge/Stanislaus Candide, Handsome La Fanciulla del West, Starveling A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Ceprano Rigoletto.  In 2011 his roles include Yamadori in Madama Butterfly, Pish Tush in The Mikado, Cascada in Merry Widow and Masetto in Don Giovanni.

Other recent engagements have included Papageno The Magic Flute for Victorian Opera, the bass solos in Brahms Requiem with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Chorus and his debut with Sydney Sinfonia in a Discovery series concert at the City Recital Hall, Sydney.

Samuel’s 2012 roles include Guglielmo in Così fan tutte, Fiorello in The Barber of Seville, Yamadori in Madama Butterfly for Opera Australia and the Title role in Oz Opera’s tour of Don Giovanni.