BOYD OWEN

Boyd Owen began his most recent season in Australia, debuting the role of Rodolfo in Puccini’s La Bohème, with Melbourne Opera. He then joined The Ten Tenors for their 30th Anniversary Celebration Tour through Germany and Australia; and along with other members of the ensemble, he was presented with the Keys to the City of Brisbane in recognition of his contribution to the 30-year legacy of the group.

Previous seasons saw him perform the role of Normanno, in Donizetti’s Lucia Di Lammermoor, with Melbourne Opera. In Aotearoa/New Zealand, he was involved in assisting and advising on the inauguration of the new opera company, Wellington Opera. He then worked as the Italian language and diction coach for their inaugural production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni.

In Wuhan, China, he sang his first Alfredo in Verdi’s La Traviata, for Melbourne Opera’s New Year China tour, and in Shanghai he debuted the role of the Evangelist in Bach’s St John’s Passion, with conductor Fred Sjöberg and the Shanghai International Choral League. He then joined the Spazio Musica Summer Festival in Orvieto, Italy, to sing his first Elvino in Bellini’s La Sonnambula, with conductor Maurizio Arena; before performing as Rodrigo in the Australian première of Rossini’s Otello, with Melbourne Opera. He then returned to Aotearoa/New Zealand, to make his debut as the Duke of Mantua in Verdi’s Rigoletto, with Eternity Opera in Wellington. He sang the tenor solo in Orff’s Carmina Burana at Carnegie Hall in New York, USA; and in Mendelssohn’s Elijah in Shanghai, China.

He performed with Australia group The Ten Tenors, in various tours, over 16 years. His time with the group included numerous highlights: TV appearances such as the Jerry Lewis Telethon, USA; Carols by Candlelight, Australia; Verstehen sie Spass, Germany; and the Allsång festivals in Norway and Sweden; as well as recording many albums and concerts including the live performance recording of Amigos Para Siempre in Madrid with the RTVE orchestra. He was the singing voice behind the Foster’s Carlton Draught ad campaign Slow Motion – Made from Beer.

Other Performances. Opera: (Italy) Lindoro, Rossini, L’Italiana in Algeri  (Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Florence). Don Narciso, Rossini, Il Turco in Italia (Teatro Municipale di Piacenza and Teatro Alighieri di Ravenna). Ernesto, Donizetti, Don Pasquale; Quint, Britten, Turn of the Screw (Teatro Comunale di Bologna). Ramiro, Rossini, La Cenerentola (Teatro dell’Opera Giocosa, Savona). Nemorino, Donizetti, L’Elisir D’Amore;  Don Basilio, Mozart, The Marriage of Figaro (Spazio Musica, Orvieto). (Australia) Percy, Donizetti, Anna Bolena (Melbourne Opera). Symphonic Concert: (China) Handel, Messiah; Orff, Carmina Burana; Puccini, Messa Di Gloria (Shanghai). (Italy) Britten, Ballad of Heroes (Teatro Comunale di Bologna). Schubert, Mass in G Major (Alessandria). Vocal Competitions: 1st Prize, Sydney Eisteddfod Opera Scholarship (Sydney, Australia). 1st Prize, 18th International Spazio Musica Singing Competition (Orvieto, Italy). 2nd Prize, Herald Sun Aria (Melbourne, Australia). 2nd Prize, New Zealand Aria (Rotorua, New Zealand). Semi-Finalist, Hans Gabor Belvedere Competition (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

Boyd is a proud citizen of both Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand, (Māori Iwi: Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Kahungunu). His undergraduate studies were with Peter Mander at the Melba Conservatorium of Music (Melbourne, Australia); and he is currently completing a Master of Music, studying the performance practice of Rossini’s tenors arias, with professor Qilian Chen at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music (Shanghai, China).