2008
Valda Wilson (Soprano, NSW)

Valda was born in Sydney in 1982. She obtained a Bachelor of Science (Hons1) at the University of Sydney in 2004 before completing a Diploma of Opera at Sydney Conservatorium of Music in 2007 under the guidance of voice teacher Stephen Yalouris.

Principal roles with the Conservatorium Opera School were Rosina in La vera costanza (Haydn), Susan in A Dinner Engagement (Berkeley), Amore in Paride ed Elena (Gluck) and Geraldine in A Hand of Bridge (Barber). Other Conservatorium appearances were in Haydn's Il mondo della luna and La fedeltà premiata, and as Barbarina in scenes from Le nozze di Figaro. Valda has performed scenes as Musetta and Mimì in La Boheme, Pamina in The Magic Flute, and Blonde in Die Entführung aus dem Serail. Other full roles performed with various companies include Mabel and Edith in The Pirates of Penzance, Pitti-Sing in The Mikado, and Aline in The Sorceror.

During the past three years, Valda has regularly been a soloist in recitals throughout Sydney and regional NSW for groups such as Opera Foundation Australia, the Opera and Arts Support Group, the Joan Sutherland Society, the Schubert Society and the Royal Deaf and Blind Society. She has appeared as a soloist in both concerts and radio recitals with Pacific Opera, Orchestra-143, the Bourbaki Ensemble, the Conservatorium Early Music Ensemble and with the Sydneian Bach Choir and Orchestra.

In 2007 Valda was a finalist in the National Operatic Aria and in the City of Sydney Opera Awards, and received the Elizabeth Todd Award for Soprano Voice in the City of Sydney Eisteddfod. Further competition success has followed in 2008 including placing in the City of Sydney Opera Awards. Valda gratefully acknowledges financial support from the Ian Potter Cultural Trust, the Australian Music Foundation, the Tait Memorial Trust, the Opus 50 Charitable Trust, the Helpmann Family Trust, and the Opera and Arts Support Group. She is thrilled to be the recipient of Opera Foundation Australia's 2008 Rockend National Opera Studio London Scholarship and is extremely grateful to the Foundation for its ongoing support.

From March through September 2008 Valda plays Rosina in Opera Australia Schools' Touring Company production of Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia..

2007
Katja Webb (Soprano, WA)


Katja is one of the West Australian Opera Company’s Young Artists for 2007, and sang the role of Eurydice in Offenbach ’s ‘Orpheus in the Underworld’ in February this year. She made her debut singing the role of the First Spirit in Mozart’s ‘The Magic Flute’ and has also sung in the chorus of Mills’ ‘Batavia’, Gounod’s ‘Faust’, Bellini’s ‘Norma’, Mozart’s ‘Don Giovanni’, Bizet’s ‘Carmen’ and Verdi’s ‘Nabucco’. Last year Katja sang a duet with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa during her Perth concerts. She also came second in the Opera Foundation of Australia’s 2006 New York Study Award and was a finalist in the German Operatic Award and Barilla Italian Opera Award.

Katja completed her Bachelor of Science with a Diploma of Modern Languages in German in 2001 and her Advanced Diploma of Performing Arts in Classical voice at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts in 2004. While completing her first degree, she played principal roles in many theatrical performances around Perth, including Cosette in ‘Les Miserables’, Lily Craven in ‘The Secret Garden’, Eliza Doolittle in ‘My Fair Lady’, as well as Julia in ‘The Grand Duke’, Aline in ‘The Sorcerer’ and Princess Zara in ‘Utopia Ltd.’ with the Gilbert and Sullivan Society. Katja has also appeared as Proserpina in the Academy’s production of Monteverdi’s ‘L’Orfeo’, Anna Maurrant in Weill’s ‘Street Scene’ and Cunegonde in Bernstein’s ‘Candide’, as well as singing excerpts from Donizetti’s ‘Don Pasquale’ , Tchaikovsky’s ‘Eugene Onegin’ and Verdi’s ‘Rigoletto’ and ‘Falstaff’.

As a soloist, Katja has sung with choirs in Perth and in Germany , as well as performing recitals for the West Australian Lieder Society and Opera Lovers. Her repertoire includes Faure’s ‘Requiem’, Bach’s ‘Magnificat in D’, ‘Christmas Oratorio’ and ‘Mass in F’, Vivaldi’s ‘Dixit Dominus’ and ‘Gloria’, Handel’s ‘Messiah’ and ‘Acis and Galatea’, Mozart’s ‘Requiem’, ‘Coronation Mass’ and ‘Exsultate, Jubilate’, Haydn’s ‘Nelson Mass’, Dvorák’s ‘Mass in D’ and Rossini’s ‘Petite Messe Solenelle’.

2006
Christopher Hillier (Baritone, NSW)


Christopher Hillier is an Australian Baritone who was educated in Orange , N.S.W. and graduated from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. He currently studies with Frau Nentwig in Hannover .

After winning numerous scholarships and awards in Australia he won the Opera Foundation Scholarship in 2006 which enabled him to undertake further operatic studies in London at the National Opera Studio.

He has had wide experience in both opera and oratorio, performing with companies including Pacific Opera and Opera Australia. His operatic roles include Valentine in Gounod's Faust, Zurga in the Pearl Fishers, Germont in La traviata, Belcore in L'elisir d'amore, and Marcello in La Boheme. Concert repertoire includes Handel's Messiah, Schumann's Liederkreis op.24 and Dichterliebe and a large anthology of rarely performed Italian art song.

Christopher recently performed in the presence of Dame Joan Sutherland in celebration of her 80th Birthday and at a Gala Performance celebrating the 90th Birthday of Rosina Raisebeck.

2005
Paul O'Neill (Tenor, WA)

Paul O’Neill was born in Australia. He studied at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts where he completed a Bachelor of Performing Arts (Classical). In 2005 Paul was awarded Opera Foundation Australia’s Covent Garden National Opera Studio Scholarship and subsequently graduated from the National Opera Studio in 2006.

Prior to this Paul was a Young Artist at West Australian Opera where he sang solo tenor in Orff’s Carmina Burana and the roles of ‘Flavio’(Norma), ‘Monostatos’(Die Zauberflote), ‘Don Ottavio’(Don Giovanni) and ‘Gastone’(La Traviata). He has also performed in numerous sacred works including solo tenor in Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle and Stabat Mater, Handel’s Ode on Saint Cecilia’s Day, Mendelssohn’s Elijah and has performed with several of Australia’s major orchestras.

Paul played ‘Beppe’ in Donizetti’s Rita at the Perth International Arts Festival in 2003. He later recorded this performance for ABC Classic FM as well as his own solo recital.

In 2004 Paul was a finalist in the Metropolitan Opera Awards, the Australian Singing Competition's Opera Awards and the 2004 Mathy Awards in which he received four prestigious scholarships.

In 2006 Paul sang the roles of ‘Uldino’ (Attila) and ‘Bruno’ (I Puritani) for the Chelsea Opera Group and ‘Il Duca di Mantua’ (Rigoletto) for Opera Holland Park.

Paul is currently studying with Dennis O’Neill at his newly formed Voice Academy in Cardiff, Wales and returned to West Australian Opera to sing the role of the Duke in Rigoletto in August 2007. Upon completion of his studies at the Academy in Cardiff Paul will commence a two year engagement as a principal artist at the prestigious Deutsche Staatsoper, Unter den Linden, Berlin.