Opera Australia Announces 2018 Regional Student Scholarship Winners

The four young winners of Opera Australia’s Regional Student Scholarships for 2018 have been announced and they are Bonnie Staude from Albany, WA, Maddie Stephens from the Gold Coast, QLD, Declan Ross from Cairns, QLD and Leah Bateman from Alice Springs, NT.

The four teenagers were selected from more than 30 finalists who auditioned during the 2017 regional tour of The Marriage of Figaro. They will fly to Sydney in January 2018 for a week-long first-hand experience with the national opera company gaining invaluable behind the scenes insight to the working life of an opera singer. This includes professional training from artistic, music, language and drama coaches at Opera Australia as well as spending time backstage at the Sydney Opera House.

Launched in 2014, the Regional Student Scholarship expands Opera Australia’s Regional Tour community engagement activities. Together with Opera Australia’s Regional Children’s Chorus and Education Workshops, Opera Australia presents a range of ways for students and families from remote and regional Australia to connect with opera, both as participants and as audiences. Applicants were short listed by Children’s Chorus Master Joshua van Konkelenberg, with the winners selected by Lyndon Terracini and Opera Australia’s Head of Music Tahu Matheson.