Our Artists
MICHAEL LEWIS
Background: Studied at the London Opera Centre after winning the Metropolitan Opera Competition (1973) and an Arts Council Scholarship. Made his major debut at the Wexford Festival (1976) which launched his career as one of Australia’s leading baritones. Has performed in the UK, Europe, America, Mexico, Asia, Australia and New Zealand in diverse repertoire ranging from Mozart to Wagner to contemporary compositions. In 2008, was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM). For Opera Queensland: Title roles in Nabucco and Rigoletto, Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor, Ford in Falstaff, Zurga in The Pearl Fishers, Giorgio Germont in La traviata, Count di Luna in Il trovatore, Count Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro. Other engagements: Has garnered much recognition for his interpretations of the works of Verdi, having performed 12 of the composer’s great baritone roles, and finding particular success singing the title role in Rigoletto. Has appeared in 11 different interpretations of Rigoletto including productions by Jonathan Miller (in London), Elijah Moshinsky (Opera Australia) and John Copley (Opera Australia, for which he won a Green Room Award), as well as a concert production at Opera in the Domain which featured Dame Joan Sutherland in her last performance as Gilda. Other performance highlights include the world premières of Richard Mills’ Batavia (as Jeronimus Cornelisz) and John Haddock’s Madeline Lee (as The Major), and making his debut as Sixtus Beckmesser in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (all for Opera Australia). Concert engagements: Has appeared with leading orchestras around the world and all of Australia’s principal orchestras. Repertoire encompasses all the major baritone works including Orff’s Carmina Burana, Handel’s Messiah, Britten’s A War Requiem, Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast, Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius, Adams’ The Wound Dresser, Mahler’s Eighth Symphony, Kindertotenlieder and Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, Fauré’s Requiem, Rachmaninov’s The Bells, Mussorgsky’s Songs and Dances of Death. Upcoming engagements: Title role in Macbeth in Concert (Opera Queensland), Count Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro, Sharpless in Madama Butterfly (Opera Australia).