Byron Watson nominated for Helpmann Award

Byron Watson

Sydney-based barihunk Byron Watson, who is new to this site, has been nominated for a Helpmann Award for his performance in composer Gordon Kerry and librettist Louis Nowra’s chamber opera Midnight Son at the Victorian Opera. The award is the Australian equivalent of Broadway's Tony Awards and London's Laurence Olivier Awards. They recognise distinguished artistic achievement and excellence in live performances in Australia, including musical theatre, contemporary music, comedy, cabaret, opera, classical music, theatre, dance and physical theatre.

Byron Watson sings Ralph Vaughan-Williams' "Bright is the ring of words":

Watson was nominated as Best Male Performer in an Opera. Also nominated is Italian barihunk Giorgio Caoduro for his performance in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor at Opera Australia, Dmytro Popov for his performance in Carmen on Sydney Harbour with Opera Australia and John Wegner for his performance in Salome at Opera Australia. Barihunk Teddy Tahu Rhodes won a Helpmann Award in 2004 for Best Male Operatic Performer for Dead Man Walking at the State Opera of South Australia. Other famous Helpmann Award winners include Kylie Minogue, Cate Blanchett and Tim Minchin. The Helpmann Awards will be on July 29 at the Sydney Opera House.

Byron Watson sings Duparc's "Le manoir de rosemonde":

Watson dreamed of a career in music at age 17, when he auditioned for the Schools Spectacular. He completed an Honours Music degree at London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama (GSMD), and the Opera School of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD), both on full international scholarship.

Other roles in 2013 have included Chou En-lai in Nixon in China for Victorian Opera, the French premiere of Sweeney Todd at Le Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, Stubb in Moby Dick and Moralès in Carmen for the State Opera of South Australia.