Artists

Ghillian Sullivan has been a leading soprano in the international field for many years, and now resides in Newcastle. She has more than 40 leading roles in her repertoire, and a wide knowledge of German Lieder, French Chanson, English and American song. She has extensive experience in Musical Comedy, American Musicals, Gilbert & Sullivan Operas, and Viennese Operetta. After a long career in the U.K. and Europe, singing principle roles in leading Opera Houses, Ghillian returned to Australia with her young family. She has been a principle Guest Artist with Opera Australia since her debut there in the 1980s, while still based in Europe.   She created roles in many new productions including, La Traviata, Gilda in Rigoletto, Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, Susanna  in The Marriage of Figaro, Leila in The Pearlfishers, Adina in The Elixir or Love, Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus opposite Anthony Warlow, Marguerite in Faust, Ann Truelove in The Rake’s Progress,& Olive in The Summer of the 17^th Doll.  Among her favourite roles are The Governess in Turn of the Screw, which she sang for English National Opera in London and then on their tour of U.S.S.R., Mimi in La Boheme, Tytania, Konstanze, Donna Elvira & Fiordiligi in Cosi fan tutte & Countess Almaviva. Ghillian began a career in Directing in 2004 with The Marriage of Figaro in the Outback , which was purchased by the Queensland Music Festival for the 2005 Festival. Don Giovanni for Opera Hunter followed   and Cosi fan tutte for University of Southern Queensland in 2006 and NFO last year. Ghillian is completing a Masters in Creative Arts in translation of opera into English, teaches privately and for Griffith University Post-grad Opera Course, and is an Australia Day Ambassador. 

 



Ian Cook

Ian Cook is currently a full-time lecturer in Clarinet and the Conductor of the Wind Orchestra at The Conservatorium, University of Newcastle. He has been the Director of The University of Newcastle Wind Orchestra since 1981. Formerly a graduate from both Newcastle Conservatorium and the Sydney Conservatorium Ian completed his Master of Music at the University of Newcastle in 1999 specializing in conducting. His mentor has been Myer Fredman former Head of the Music Staff at Glyndebourne Opera (UK) and Head the Opera School, Sydney Conservatorium. Maestro Fredman is a leading authority in the interpretation of Mozart operas. In addition to his work at The Conservatorium Ian is actively involved with guest conducting and workshops relating to wind bands. His other interests include music- theatre and opera. He has conducted a number major works from the repertoire. Ian conducted The Magic Flute for Opera Hunter, The Mikado for Newcastle Gilbert and Sullivan Players, Offenbach’s La Belle Hélène and The Pirates of Penzance. In 2002 he conducted Verdi’s masterpiece Rigoletto. His most recent operas are Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd, The Marriage of Figaro in the Outback with a performance for the Queensland Music Festival in 2005 and Don Giovanni in 2006. Ian conducted Rhonda Burchmore in Music and Moonlight 2006, King Edward Park, and Peter Cousens in 2005. In 2008, Ian conducted the Australian premiere of Leonard Bernstein’s concert version of Wonderful Town.
 

Simone Easthope

Simone Easthope graduated from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in 2006 with a Bachelor of Music Degree majoring in performance. She studies with Maree Ryan. She commenced further operatic study this year at the Conservatorium Opera School. Simone is an experienced concert performer, and has worked with many distinguished artists. She performs regularly at the Conservatorium and in chamber music concerts around Sydney and NSW. Credits include soloist in Handel’s Messiah with the Combined Churches Choir and the Sydney University Graduate Choir, and soloist in Mozart’s Mass in C Minor with the Conservatorium Choir and Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Neil McEwan. Future engagements include Lola in Gallantry – A Soap Opera, by Douglas Moore and Fiammetta in The Prima Donna by Arthur Benjamin for the Opera School, Despina in Newcastle Festival Opera’s production of Cosí fan tutte, and the soprano soloist in Orff’s Carmina Burana with the Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra and Choir. Simone is the recipient of numerous scholarships and awards, and was included on the Dean’s list of distinguished achievers in 2004. She has supplemented her vocal training with intensive studies in language over the past four years, travelling to Florence, Italy, and Munich. She has been a prize-winner in numerous eisteddfodau, including the McDonalds Performing Arts Challenge. After completing her studies at the Conservatorium, Simone hopes to pursue an international singing career.




Javier Vilarino

Javier Vilarino commenced his studies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music’s Opera School in 2003 under the tutelage of Maree Ryan.  In 2004 he attended the Michelangelo School of Language and Culture in Florence, Italy. Javier has performed operatic roles which include Fernando in IL Trovatore, Colline in La Boheme, Leporello in Don Giovanni and Osmin in The Abduction from the Seraglio with Sydney Opera. His other roles include Captain Miles Gloriosus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and Antonio (in the Sydney Conservatorium Opera School’s production of The Marriage of Figaro).  Javier has performed in recitals both in Australia and abroad and has joined ‘Encore’….a vocal group dedicated to performing the Broadway and Musicals repertoire. Javier played Don Alfonso in Cosi on the Gold Coast for NFO in 2007.

Ashley Giles

Ashley Giles Newcastle born Bass Baritone, Ashley, commenced a Bachelor of Music at the Newcastle Conservatorium in 1998 with vocal tuition from Ghillian Sullivan. After completing his degree Ashley relocated to Melbourne to study at the Victorian College of the Arts Opera Studio, graduating with a Graduate Diploma in Opera in 2004. During this time Ashley trained with Peter Mander and Lucas de Jong. Ashley has become an experienced and versatile young performer with some 26 Opera, Operetta and Musical roles to date. Some highlights include The Vicar Albert Herring, Antonio Il Viaggio a Reims, The Pirate King The Pirates of Penzance, Pluto Orpheus in the Underworld, Svengali in the world premiere of Trilby, Nick Shadow and Father Truelove The Rakes Progress, Publio La Clemenza di Tito, Papageno The Magic Flute  and Guglielmo Cosi fan tutte. For the last three years Ashley has been touring as a principal artist with OzOpera, for Opera Australia, throughout Victoria and New South Wales. This year Ashley is performing the roles of Figaro & Count Almaviva in The Barber of Seville. In addition to his busy touring schedule Ashley performs regularly with Cantillation and enjoys performing as a soloist in a wide range of concerts and choral works spanning Faure’s Requiem, Bach Cantatas through to Byrd’s Mass for 3 Voices. During 2008, Ashley has also performed in several recordings, most recently Gianluigi Gelmetti’s Cantata della vita with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. These performances of The Merry Widow are very exciting for Ashley as he plays opposite one of Australia’s most experienced leading ladies, his teacher, mentor and friend, Ghilly. Ashley’s next operatic performance will be with Pinchgut Opera December 2008 in Charpentier’s David & Jonathan.