TAMWORTH soprano Amanda Windred is a finalist in the highly prestigious Sydney Eisteddfod McDonald’s Operatic Aria.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
This stands her in good stead to become the first Wagnerian soprano to ever emerge from Australia’s Country Music Capital.
Carrying a total prize value of more than $58,000, plus the opportunity to perform accompanied by the North Sydney Symphony Orchestra under the baton of maestro Steven Hillinger, the Sydney Eisteddfod McDonald’s Operatic Aria attracts the finest voices from all over Australia and New Zealand.
Windred, who also competed in the 2014 final, is thrilled to be making a second appearance.
A regular entrant at the annual Sydney Eisteddfod, Windred sees every performance opportunity as a stepping stone towards a career.
“You will not always get the result you want, but every time you go on stage you are advancing yourself and learning something new,” she said.
In 2012, Windred attended the Lisa Gasteen National Opera School in Brisbane.
As Professor Gasteen is regarded as the finest Wagnerian soprano of her generation, Windred gained much insight. At the Sydney Eisteddfod last year she won a Special Voice Award for giving the best performance of a Wagnerian song or aria.
Last year she completed her masters of music with academic excellence.
Over the past 12 months, she has performed Zwed Magd with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in its production of Elektra by Richard Strauss, and as La luce Langue in Verdi’s Macbeth with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra.
Earlier this year, she visited Florida to perform in the Marcello Giordani Foundation International Vocal Competition, and, for the winter season, she is covering the title role in Puccini’s Turandot for Opera Australia.
The Sydney Eisteddfod Operatic Aria event will showcase the opera stars of tomorrow on July 19 at The Concourse, Chatswood.