Jacqueline Dark
Mezzo Soprano (1968–2023)
Jacqueline Dark’s most recent performances included The Mother Abbess in the National Tour of The Sound of Music, Herodias in Opera Australia’s Salome and Fricka in their revival of Der Ring des Nibelungen, Santuzza in Cavalleria rusticana for State Opera of SA (Best Female Performance – ‘Curtain Call’ Awards), the title role in Rufus Wainwright’s Prima Donna for the Adelaide Festival, Berenice in Farnace for Pinchgut Opera, Mrs Sedley in Peter Grimes for the Brisbane Festival, The Old Lady in Candide for New Zealand Opera, Anne in Tom Waits’ Black Rider for Malthouse Theatre and Victorian Opera, and major concerts with the Sydney, Melbourne, West Australian and Darwin Symphony Orchestras, MONA and the New Zealand Symphony.
In 2019, Jacqui joined MSO to chair a discussion panel on music and physics, with the panel including esteemed physicist Brian Cox.
In 2022/2023, she was guest vocal soloist with The Australian Ballet in Anna Karenina and was due to return to the Sydney Symphony in Das Rheingold.
After completing a Bachelor of Physics degree, Jacqui attended the Opera Studio at the Victorian College of The Arts, graduating with First Class Honours.
Her performance experience encompassed opera, music theatre, cabaret and the concert platform – and includes the roles of The Composer (Ariadne auf Naxos), the title role in Carmen, Amneris (Aida), Dorabella (Così fan tutte), the title role and Tisbe in Cenerentola (for which she won a Green Room Award), Suzuki (Madama Butterfly), Rosmira (Partenope), Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni (Green Room Award), Lady Billows (Albert Herring), the title role in Iolanthe, Maddalena (Rigoletto), Emilia (Otello), Flora (La traviata), Annina (Der Rosenkavalier), Pitti-Sing/Katisha (The Mikado) and Mary (Der fliegender Holländer). A period as a Young Artist at the Wiener Staatsoper included the roles of Giovanna (Rigoletto), Grimgerde (Die Walküre), Mercedes (Carmen), Annina (La traviata), Ines (Il trovatore) and Countess Ceprano (Rigoletto).
She won a Helpmann Award for her portrayal of Herodias in Opera Australia’s new production of Salome, later singing the same role for Opera Hong Kong. In August 2014, Jacqui received her second consecutive Helpmann Award – for her work as Fricka in Opera Australia’s Der Ring des Nibelungen.
Jacqueline Dark appeared as a leading artist in many of Opera Australia’s internationally released CDs and DVDs – Le nozze di Figaro, Der Rosenkavalier, Don Giovanni and The Mikado.
Jacqui passed away in Sydney on October 3rd, 2023 after a long illness. Her death caused deep grief amongst the Australian music community. She was 55 years old.