NEWS FLASH: José Carbó wins Helpmann Award

José Carbó in Die Tote Stadt at Opera Australia

We just learned that barihunk José Carbó has won a prestigious Helpmann Award as "Best Male Performer in a Supporting Role in an Opera" for his performance in Korngold's Die Tote Stadt at Opera Australia. The award is the Australian equivalent of Broadway's Tony Awards and London's Laurence Olivier Awards. They recognize 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.

Also winning in the category of "Best Male Performer in Opera" was baritone John Wegman for his performance in Salome at Opera Australia.

Also nominated were Italian barihunk Giorgio Caoduro for his performance in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor at Opera Australia and Dmytro Popov for his performance in Carmen on Sydney Harbour with Opera Australia.

Click HERE for a complete list of winners.

Sam Dundas and José Carbó nominated for Helpmann Awards in supporting roles

Sam Dundas in La boheme

A little over a week ago, we posted about barihunks Bryan Watson and Giorgio Caoduro being nominated for Helpmann Awards for their performances in a leading role in opera. Also nominated in the category of "Best Male Performer in a Supporting Role in an Opera" were barihunks Sam Dundas for his portrayal of Marcello in La bohème at Opera Australia and José Carbó as Fritz in Die Tote Stadt at Opera Australia. Also nominated were, Wolf Matthias Friedrich for L'Orfeo at the Brisbane Festival and Douglas McNicol for Fidelio at the State Opera of South Australia. 

 

The Helpmann Awards are the Australian equivalent of Broadway's Tony Awards and London's Laurence Olivier Awards. They recognize 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. 

 

 José Carbó discusses and sings his aria 'Tanzlied des Pierrots' from Die tote Stadt:

Dundas was a member of the Moffatt Oxenbould Young Artist program at Opera Australia. In 2009, he made his role debut as Don Giovanni in Victorian Opera’s production of the Mozart classic. He is currently performing as the Jailer in Puccini's Tosca at Opera Australia. which runs through August 31st. He then is featured in a number of consecutive performances at Opera Australia. He opens next week as Dr. Malatesta in Donizetti's Don Pasquale, which will run from July 18-August 15. The day after that run wraps up, he opens as Sid in Benjamin Britten's Albert Herring.

 

Dundas is also featured on a new recording of Brahms' German Requiem with the ChorusOz® Choir & the Sydney Philharmonia Orchestra. Click HERE to order your copy.  

 

José Carbó can be seen as Giorgio Germont in Verdi's La traviata at Opera Australia, which runs from July 30-August 31.

 

The Helpmann Awards will be on July 29 at the Sydney Opera House. 

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.

Grant Doyle Nominated for Helpmann Award

Grant Doyle as Starbuck (left)

Australian barihunk Grant Doyle has been nominated for a Helpmann Award in the category "Best Male Performer in a Supporting Role in an Opera." Doyle's nomination is for his portrayal of Starbuck in Jake Heggie's "Moby-Dick" at the State Opera of South Australia.

The Helpmann awards are Australia's equivalent of the Tony Awards, with awards given out for musicals, theater, opera, classical music, cabaret, dance and comedy. 

Other nominees in the category include baritone James Clayton for The Tales of Hoffmann at West Australian Opera, bass Conal Coad for The Marriage of Figaro at Opera Australia and baritone Douglas McNicol in La Fanciulla del West at Opera Queensland. We should also mention that Matthias Goerne was nominated for "Best Individual Classical Performance" for his performance of Die Winterreise at the Melbourne Recital Centre. The "Honorable Godmother of Barihunks" Francesca Zambello was also nominated for "Best Direction of an Opera" for her La Traviata at Sydney Harbor with Opera Australia. You can get a complete list of nominees at the Helpmann Awards website.

Doyle sings "O Nadir, tendre ami de mon jeune âge" from Bizet's Les pêcheurs de Perles:

The 2012 Helpmann Awards Ceremony will be held on Monday, September 24th at 8pm at the Opera Theatre in the Sydney Opera House. The Helpmann Awards will be broadcast exclusively the following night on Australia’s arts and entertainment channel STUDIO – channel 132 on Foxtel.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Tuesday, August 7th and can be purchased from the Sydney Opera House Box Office at 02 9250 7777 or online.