Barihunk Paull-Anthony Keightley has been named one of five finalists at the 2017 IFAC Handa Australian Singing Competition. He'll be joined by Damian Arnold, Daniel Carison, Filipe Manu, and Shikara Ringdahl.
The finalists will compete for over $200,000 in prizes at the July 15th Finals Concert.
Paull-Anthony Keightley made his principal debut with West Australian Opera in Puccini's Gianni Schicchi while he was the 2016 Wesfarmers Young Artist. He recently appeared as Sciarrone in company’s production of Puccini's Tosca while continuing as a member of the Young Artist Programme. Upcoming engagements include the baritone soloist in Faure’s Requiem with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, bass soloist in Bach’s Cantata BWV. 147 with the Perth Symphonic Chorus, Colline in Puccini's La bohème with Freeze Frame Opera and Zuniga in Bizet's Carmen with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra.
Paull-Anthony Keightley will be a semi-finalist in the 2017 Australian Singing Competition, which has a top prize of AUD $30,000. The money can be used for to assist with a program of study and/or singing activity. Other prizes include an audition with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, a one-hour studio recording from FIne Music 102.5, a Vocal Training Course at the Guildahall School of Music, one year’s study at the Royal Northern College of Music , a AUD $2,000 scholarsip from the Royal Over-Seas League, a cash grant of AUD $8,000 to enable the recipient to study the Italian language in Italy, a scholarship of up to AUD $7,000 to fund travel and accommodation to attend theIsraeli Opera Young Artist Program, a three-week program at State Opera House of Saarbrücken, and many additional prizes.
A number of barihunks who are familiar to readers have also reached the semi-finals, including Morgan Pearse, Hadleigh Adams, Sam Roberts-Smith (who won in 2009), Duncan Rock (who won in 2006) and Paul Whelan (who won in 1987). The semi-finals concert will be held on June 4 and the finals on July 15. Tickets are available online.
West Australian Opera's feature on Paull-Anthony Keightley
Keightely made his principal debut with West Australian Opera in Puccini'sGianni Schicchiwhile he was the 2016 Wesfarmers Young Artist. He recently appeared as Sciarrone in company’s production of Puccini'sToscawhile continuing as a member of the Young Artist Programme.
Keightely’s other operatic credits include Leporello inDon Giovanni,Papageno inDie Zauberflöte, Frank in DieFledermaus, Fiorello inIl barbiere di Siviglia, Pasquale inOrlando Paladinoand Don Andronico inDon Procopio.
Paull-Anthony Keightley is a graduate of Manhattan School of Music and the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA).
Upcoming engagements include the baritone soloist in Faure’sRequiem with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, bass soloist in Bach’sCantata BWV. 147 with the Perth Symphonic Chorus, Colline in Puccini'sLa Bohèmewith Freeze Frame Opera and Zuniga in Bizet'sCarmenwith the Queensland Symphony Orchestra.
Teddy Tahu Rhodes will return to the Western Australia Opera as Scarpia six years after making his role debut in Puccini's "shabby little shocker." In 2011, conservative Aussie critics didn't respond warmly to Christopher Alden’s dark and modern production, so they've returned to their previous production with set designs by Jan Ubels and costumes by Elizabeth Whiting.
Joining Tahu Rhodes will be soloists soprano Antoinette Halloran as
Tosca and tenor Paul O’Neill as Cavaradossi, as well as fellow barihunk Paull-Anthony Keightley as Sciarrone.
Tosca is on at His Majesty’s Theatre on March 28, 30, April 1, 4, 6, 8. Tickets are available online.
In May, Tahu Rhodes will appear in the U.S. as Daland in Richard Wagner's Der fliegende Holländer with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra along with Marjorie Owens as Senta and Alan Held in the title role. Performances are on May 4 and 6.
Our favorite thing about posting Reader Submissions, is that it inevitably prompts more submissions. When we posted Aussie barihunk Adrian Tamburini a reader quickly alerted us to Paull-Anthony Keightley who also has eluded our notice.
Keightley is a recent graduate of the Manhattan School of Music, which he
attended after completing his undergraduate studies at the Western
Australian Academy of Performing Arts. He was a finalist in the Fremantle Eisteddfod Open Aria competition and
won first place at the North of Perth Eisteddfod. He was awarded the
Royal Schools of Music Club Anniversary scholarship and won the Royal
Over-Seas League Singing Competition. He is the recipient of awards from
the Dame Joan Sutherland Fund and the Australian Music Foundation.
In February, he made his solo debut with the Western Australian Opera as Pinenello in Puccini's Gianni Schicchi. On May 28th, he'll join soprano Claire Condipodero and mezzo-soprano Chelsea Burns at the Fremantle Heritage Festival for a concert of music from composers from Western Australia.
In Australia and America Paull-Anthony’s operatic credits include Frank in Johann Strauss' Die Fledermaus, Leporello in Mozart's Don Giovanni, Papageno in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, Baptista in the Australian Premier of Goetz’s The Taming of the Shrew, Fiorello in Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia and Gloster Heming in Virgil Thomson's The Mother of us All.
Since returning to Australia, Mr. Keightley participated in the WAAPA International Art Song Festival and appeared in productions of Faust, L’elisir d’amore and Les pêcheurs de perles.
