Launch Concert
Young Artist Program
Sydney Opera HouseSunday 16 February, 1pm
Launch Concert
Young Artist Program
Sydney Opera HouseSunday 16 February, 1pm
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Free event
This is a free event. Tickets are essential for admission to the event.
Venue
Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House
Bennelong Point, Sydney
Running Time
Approximately 45 minutes.
Join us for an historic moment as we present the next generation of opera talent.
After an extensive national search enabled by the generous support of Principal Patron, Maureen Wheeler AO, six exceptional artists have been selected from a field of hundreds to join Opera Australia’s flagship Young Artist Program.
In their Opera Australia debut, our singers will present a special concert crafted and directed by Young Artist Director Claudia Osborne. Be part of this milestone moment as these remarkable artists begin their eighteen-month journey of intensive artistic development.
Meet the Young Artists
Chelsea Burns, Soprano
“I am so honoured to have been selected as a Young Artist for Opera Australia. The opportunity to work with and be mentored by people who are at the top of their fields is so amazing, and to do it whilst working with a professional company like Opera Australia is extraordinary. I cannot wait to be a part of this program, to grow as an artist and to take every opportunity that I am given as a chance to evolve into the artist that I want to be.”
Shikara Ringdahl, Mezzo-Soprano
“I’m incredibly grateful to be selected as a Young Artist and am excited for the opportunity to grow and experiment as an artist within a world-class environment. For me, I’m most looking forward to experimenting with ideas around my conception of opera in the modern age and how that influences me as a performer and engaging in further exploration with inspiring colleagues and peers.”
Elias Wilson, Tenor
“I am so immensely grateful to have been selected as a Young Artist for 2025-26. The opportunity to work with OA’s incredible artists and mentors in Australia is an absolute dream come true, especially as a First Nations performer who is keen to continue developing my practice with a uniquely Australian perspective. Having performed freelance since finishing my studies in 2021, I am so excited to continue to learn and grow in residence with our national company, and benefit from the world-class knowledge and experience its incredible team of creatives represent.”
Leon Vitogiannis, Baritone
“Being selected as a young artist with Opera Australia is a life changing opportunity in my journey as an artist. It’s inspiring to be part of a program that nurtures and develops emerging talent with a forward outlook on opera. I feel privileged to work alongside such esteemed coaches and colleagues, and I’m excited to embrace every challenge, grow as an artist, and contribute my voice to this incredible art form.”
Jem Herbert, Répétiteur
“Being selected as the Young Artist répétiteur for Opera Australia is an overwhelming privilege. Being trained by first-rate Music staff and immersed in the world of opera will unlock a future for me that feels really exciting. As a pianist who ventures into conducting, composition and singing, it is sometimes difficult to see how these musical pursuits fit together. OA has given me the chance to weave them all into the one dream job, with the support and means to grow into the best musician I can be.”
Claudia Osborne, Director
“Approaching opera from a theatre background, rather than a musical one, often feels like trying to run alongside a speeding train. I’m hoping this opportunity to spend eighteen months surrounded by brilliant artists and mentors, and fully immersed in a world of extraordinary music, language, and spectacle might mean I can throw myself aboard at the next station. I’m so thrilled to have the chance to delve into the unimaginably rich history of opera and find my own voice within it.”