Nicole Dorigo

Nicole Dorigo is an accomplished music professional with a specialist interest in language. As Opera Australia’s in-house Language Coach since 2013, Nicole is responsible for French and Italian repertoire, including operas, concerts, major events on the harbour, and the national tours. A key member of the music staff, she coaches the company’s Australian singers, visiting international artists, and chorus on all aspects of language and libretto, including diction and interpretation.

Her remit at Opera Australia also includes working with singers in the Young Artist Program. Significantly, Nicole has been a passionate supporter of, and advocate for, emerging talent in Australia throughout her career. Her extensive experience with young singers includes her work with young artist programs, singing competitions, as well as coaching individual undergraduate and graduate students (Music and Voice) through her private studio.

In addition to her Opera Australia commitments, Nicole consults to other opera companies, music schools and projects in Australia, Europe and Asia, with recent international contracts having included productions with the Norwegian National Opera and the Shanghai Opera House. In all, her work spans over two decades of practical experience with these companies, and prior to joining Opera Australia, Nicole established the Sydney Conservatorium of Music’s Italian program, later expanding the institution’s curriculum to include French and German.

Nicole is a Churchill Fellow, having been the recipient of a Churchill Fellowship to undertake research as part of a project on language in opera at the Juilliard School and Metropolitan Opera in New York, and at the Istituto di Italianistica e Filologia Romanza in Venice, and is a graduate of The University of Sydney. As part of her formal language studies, she has been the recipient of a number of academic and government scholarships, including Italian Government scholarships and the Frederick May Foundation award.