Bronwyn Douglass Wins 2017 Lady Fairfax New York Scholarship

The Opera Foundation for young Australians has announced mezzo-soprano Bronwyn Douglass (28), from New South Wales as the winner of the 2017 Lady Fairfax New York Scholarship,

Ms Douglass was announced as the 53rd winner of this prestigious scholarship in the presence of His Excellency General, The Hon. David Hurley,Governor of NSW, and Mrs Hurley, at a public recital given by the five finalists on Sunday 29th October 2017 at the Verbrugghen Hall of Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Bronwyn plans to study in New York with internationally acclaimed vocal, language and movement coaches and this scholarship is valued at $43,000.

Anna Cleary, Chair of The Opera Foundation for young Australians says “This signature Scholarship was the first ever offered by the Foundation that was founded by my mother in 1963. Each year we offer a portfolio of Awards and Scholarships that open the doors to the world of opera for all young Australian operatic performers, conductors, designers, directors and repetiteurs. Our alumni continue to enhance the operatic world across the globe and in Australia.” The sponsor of this Award is Lady Fairfax AC OBE. The Foundation receives no government funding and relies on the generosity of philanthropic individuals & foundations to support other awards, scholarships & special initiatives.

Anke Höppner, 2017 Head Adjudicator and Member of the Foundation’s Music Advisory Council says: “We had five very different performers presenting their best. All performers would have been worthy recipients of the Award. The ease with which Bronwyn presented her contrasting arias, her adhesion to the style of the repertoire combined with her advanced vocal technique and her charming stage presence convinced us that she deserved most to win.”

Born in Sydney, Bronwyn Douglass grew up in Milton. She is an alumna of the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University and the Lisa Gasteen National Opera School. She is the proud recipient of the 2017 Joan Sutherland and Richard Bonynge Bel Canto Award and the Amelia Joscelyne Memorial Scholarship with the Melba Opera Trust since 2016. This year Bronwyn performed the role of Olga in Eugene Onegin for CoOpera as well as performing in the Opera Australia Chorus for the winter season. She recently performed in Tudor Portraits with Sydney Philharmonia Choirs and last year performed Handel’s Messiah with both the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic and Queensland Symphony Orchestras.

Other winners announced were the 2017 Vienna State Opera Award for a stage experienced opera singer – soprano Fiona Jopson from Victoria, 2017 Berlin New Music Opera Award winner Sydney-based director – Priscilla Jackman, 2017 Dalwood-Wylie American Institute of Musical Studies Award & AIMS Sundell Award Winner – soprano – Livia Brash from Sydney and Paull-Anthony Keightley, bass-baritone from Western Australia winning the 2017 Deutsche Oper Berlin Award (10 month contract Deutsche Oper Berlin).

The Opera Foundation for young Australians was founded in 1963 by Lady Fairfax and has been in operation for over 50 years. The Opera Foundation for young Australians provides international Awards & Scholarships to renowned opera houses & institutions in the world to young Australian artists. The Awards and Scholarships offered by The Opera Foundation for young Australians have provided the springboard for launching the successful international careers of many Australian opera singers for more than 50 years. Since 1963 the Foundation has provided over $5 million in funding and support and offered over 300 Awards and Scholarships.