Seven strive for big opera break

Fleuranne Brockway.

THE bi-annual Dame Joan Sutherland Award Competition will be held over the Noosa Long Weekend.
Be enthralled by spine-tingling performances from Australia’s best emerging opera divas and a tenor as seven hopefuls battle for the top prize of $15,000.
The bi-annual DJSA is regional Australia’s richest and most prestigious opera award, founded by Noosa Federation of the Arts (NFA) to help further the careers of Australian opera singers aged 20-34 in all categories from soprano to bass.
For the first time in the DJSA’s 22-year history, seven contestants (instead of six) will proceed to the exciting finals showdown.
NFA artistic director Brad Jarrett said the calibre of singers this year was “exceptional” and it was tough at the auditions in Brisbane in June to whittle the number of entrants from 26 down to seven finalists.
The competition will be a battle of origins with Tabatha McFayden, Bronwyn Douglass, Zoe Drummond and Kathryn Williams of New South Wales battling it out against Iain Henderson, Anastasia Bickel and Fleuranne Brockway of Queensland.
Don’t miss out on the exciting finals showdown at the Good Shepherd Lutheran College, Noosaville, on Friday 22 July from 5pm. Book your tickets online at www.thej.com.au or phone The J booking office 5329 6560.