Martin Buckingham
Tenor
Martin Thomas Buckingham has been described as ‘Electric’ in performance. His portrayal of Rodolfo prompted one reviewer to remark, that he “radiates charm and charisma as his beautiful tenor voice enchants the audience with Puccini’s romance.”
Martin has performed in Australia, the United Kingdom, Europe and China.
Martin began his studies as an actor and on the Music Theatre stage. He graduated from the Australian Institute of Music on full scholarship with a Bachelor of Music Theatre with 1st class honours. He later attended Charles Sturt University on a Commonwealth Scholarship obtaining a Masters in Visual and Performing Arts. After a short time at the Sydney Conservatorium Opera Studio, Martin, in 2008, began his work with Opera Australia. In his initial 4 years with the company, Martin appeared in over 40 productions, covering and performing some 13 assorted roles.
In 2015 Martin continues to perform with the company in the role of Pinkerton in Opera Australia’s Melbourne Season of Madama Butterfly as well as covering major roles in La Boheme, Faust, Turandot and La Traviata. He also features in their Great Opera Hits concert series which runs in the iconic Joan Sutherland Theatre from December 2014 till March 2015.
Operatic Roles performed with Opera Australia: Alfredo in La Traviata, Rodolfo in La Boheme, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, Spoletta in Tosca, Dance Master in Manon Lescaut, Foreman in Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, Gastone in La Traviata and First Prisoner in Fidelio.
Operatic Roles performed with other companies: Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Ferrando in Cosi fan tutte, Cecco in Il mondo della luna, Donald in Gallantry, Mozart in Mozart and Salieri, Prince Philip in A Dinner Engagement, Lechmere in Owen Wingrave and the title role in Candide.
Roles Covered: Title role in Faust, Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Valzacchi in Der Rosenkavalier, Nick in La fanciulla del West, Peppe in Pagliacci and Zimmer Kellner in Arabella.
Oratorio repertoire includes: Rossini's Petite messe solennelle, Mendelssohn's Elijah, Dvořák's The Spectre's Bride; Voices of Light; World Youth Day, Mass for the Common People & Beethoven’s Missa solemnis.
Martin has appeared in the Edinburgh, Melbourne and Sydney Festivals, toured Queensland, The Northern Territory and Western Australia, performed as soloist with the Beijing, Sydney, Melbourne, Strathfield, Penrith and Willoughby Symphony Orchestras; Orchestra Victoria, Sydney Youth Orchestra, Newcastle Festival Opera, Australian Youth Opera, Sydney Philharmonia Choirs and The Australian Tenors.