Biography

Amelia Farrugia is regarded as one of the brightest stars of opera in Australia. Amelia has had a highly successful and varied Australian & International career in Opera, Music Theatre, Symphony Concert, Recital, Corporate Events, Large-Scale Outdoor Events, Recording & Television.

Amelia Farrugia’s auspicious debut solo recording, Joie de vivre! was released by Universal Music Australia in December 2005 and released in the UK October 2006. Recorded in the UK with the BBC Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Alexander Briger, Joie de vivre! was nominated for a Classical Aria Award (2006). The first Australian solo artist to record on the prestigious Decca label since Dame Joan Sutherland in 1959, Amelia was featured on national television’s ABC news, The Today Show, Good Morning Australia, Carols in the Domain and on radio as ABC Classic FM’s CD of the week and 2MBS FM’s CD of the month.

In 2017 Amelia appeared in the world-premiere of DIVA! (City Recital Hall, Sydney). An uplifting celebration of great Australian Divas, June Bronhill & Dame Joan Sutherland with original music scored by Elena Kats-Chernin.

In 2022, Amelia will be performing with renowned Maltese tenor, Joseph Calleja.

Amelia Farrugia runs her own business, Sydney Sings Pty Ltd, teaching singing in her elite studio, sponsored by the SBW FOUNDATION in Neutral Bay. Sydney Sings was founded in 2015. Since that time, three of Amelia’s high achieving HSC students have commenced studies in New York at The Juilliard School of Music, Parsons the New School and in New York University. Her students regularly win major singing competitions and score the highest marks in AMEB exams and school assessments. For more information or to enquire about Masterclasses and workshops: www.sydney-sings.com.au

RECORDINGS

Debut solo album released in Australia and UK Joie de vivre! BBC Symphony Orchestra / Alexander Briger (Decca/Universal Music); Receive The Power, The Album, 2007 Sony BMG Music Entertainment (Australia Pty Ltd) & WYD 2008; Bravo Act 2 (Sony BMG); Encore! (ABC Classics/UMA); Café Vienna (Deutsche Grammophon/ UMA); The Saint of Bleecker Street, Menotti (Chandos UK). Videos: Fledermaus (OA/ ABC Classics); World Youth Day 2008 Final Mass (DVD); The Opera Show (ABC Classics 2012); The Chimney Sweep, Mrs Hawk, Pinchgut (2014)

INTERNATIONAL OPERA ROLES

Amelia Farrugia joined the roster of solo artists for The Metropolitan Opera in New York in 2012, covering Ms Anna Netrebko & Ms Diana Damrau in the title role of Massenet’s MANON (2012 & 2015). She covered Ms Renee Fleming & Ms Susan Graham as The Merry Widow (2015).

As Musetta in La Boheme for Opera Hong Kong (2010). Amelia performed the role of Adele, Die Fledermaus for Glyndebourne Touring Opera in the UK (2006). Amelia made her UK opera debut for Glyndebourne Festival Opera in 2004, performing Jano, Jenufa and covering the Queen of the Night, Die Zauberflote while joining the female chorus of Carmen.

Amelia made a significant international debut in an opera of The Spoleto Festival (Italy) in 2001, directed by the composer himself, Gian Carlo Menotti and the conductor Maestro Richard Hickox; The Saint of Bleecker Street, in the role of Maria Corona. (Released on CD by Chandos UK).

OPERA AUSTRALIA

Amelia Farrugia made her debut with Opera Australia as Casilda, The Gondoliers in 1994.

Title role, The Merry Widow; Alice Ford, Falstaff; Title role, Manon (Massenet); Nedda, Pagliacci; Adina, L’elisir d’amore; Rosina, Barber of Seville; Oscar, Ballo in maschera; Musetta, La bohème (conducted by Maestro Carlo Felice Cillario); Tytania, A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Zerlina, (& cover Donna Anna) Don Giovanni; Eurydice, Orpheus in the Underworld; Nannetta, Falstaff (with Bryn Terfel); Adele, Die Fledermaus (released on ABC video); Despina, Così fan tutte; Barbarina & Susanna, Le nozze di Figaro; Papagena and The Queen of the Night, Die Zauberflote; Clorinda, La Cenerentola; Second Niece, Peter Grimes; Second Novice, Suor Angelica; Emmie, Albert Herring; Damigella, L’incoronazione di Poppea; Zwaantie Hendricx, Batavia (Richard Mills).

AUSTRALIAN OPERA COMPANIES

Adele, Die Fledermaus (State Opera of South Australia, Opera Queensland); Norina, Don Pasquale (State Opera of South Australia and Opera Queensland); Eurydice, Orpheus in the Underworld (State Opera of South Australia); Cunegonde, Candide (Opera Queensland); Genio, Orfeo ed Eurydice (Sydney Conservatorium of music under Maestro Richard Bonynge); Mrs Hawk, The Chimney Sweep (Pinchgut).

SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CONCERTS

Amelia Farrugia is in high demand as a concert artist, having appeared with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (under Edo de Waart), all of the ABC Symphony Orchestras, Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra, and Australian Philharmonic Orchestra. Amelia performed for Opera Australia in conjunction with the Peking Opera, in the Opening ceremony of the 11th Meet in Beijing Arts Festival, attended by Prime Minister Julia Gillard. This was televised for CCTV China (2011).

Amelia performed Violetta in La Traviata in concert for Opera Queensland with the Queensland Orchestra and Brisbane Arts Festival (2011); most recently in concert with Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra (2016) & Darwin Symphony Orchestra (2016).

2019 Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Lunar New Years Eve concert, Qigang Chen, Iris devoilee.

CONCERT REPERTOIRE

Internationally televised concert with Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Strauss’ Fruhlingstimmen Waltz, The Laughing Song & Lehar’s Vilja (New Years Eve 2004); Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, Haydn Scottish Songs and Mozart Vorrei Spiegarvi, O Dio (2002); MSO, Classical Spectacular (2006), Carmina Burana, All-Strauss program (1997, 1999 & 2001) and guest soloist in Valentine’s Day concert at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl (1998); SSO, Carmina Burana (2009), Christmas concert (2004 & 1996) Chamber Music Series (Schubert Shepherd on a Rock) Corporate Event, The Phantom of the Opera (2004); QPO, Mozart Vespers (1998); TSO, Mozart Gala (1998), Viennese Gala (2005); Recital with virtuoso harpist Ieuan Jones; Mozart by Moonlight (1995); Twilight at Taronga (1996, 1998, 1999 & 2001); Opera in the Vineyards (1997 & 2007 & 2016); Centenary of Federation concert in Canberra (2001); The Castlemaine Festival (Victoria); Australian Philharmonic Orchestra, Deep in my Heart (2003), national tour Best of British (2001), New Years Eve concert, Springtime in Paris (2002), From Gershwin to Lloyd Weber; Opera Australia, Fanfare for the New Millennium, Opera in the Park as Musetta, La bohème, New Years Eve Gala (2005, 2008), Olympic Gala and Tribute to Dame Joan Sutherland and Richard Bonynge (2004), Christmas At The House, OA (2005); Recital at Government House for the Victor Chang Institute (2003); Recital with Sharolyn Kimmorley at the Art Gallery of NSW (2003). Amelia was also invited to perform in a fundraising recital for OA with Bryn Terfel; The Queensland Orchestra, Richard Mills St Mark’s Passion (2009); Opera in the Arboretum (2010); Huntington Festival (2010); Carmina Burana & Gershwin, Sydney Philharmonia Choir (2011); Gilbert & Sullivan, Sydney Symphony Orchestra (2011); Newcastle Festival Opera (2011); Artsong NSW, The Christmas Cracker Concert (2013); Australia Club Sydney, Christmas recital (2013 & 2016); Home Sweet Home, Tribute to Australia Divas & Songbird with Jane Rutter (flute) (2014 & 2016); La Stupenda – A Voice Eternal, Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre (2015)

International engagements have included a recital at the Australian Consulate in New York (2000) and her European concert debut in a Christmas recital at Teatru Manoel, Malta (1998). Recital for Linari Festival in Florence (2008); The Faces of Mercy, Original Sacred work by Justice George Palmer, Chapel in Rome (2016).

EDUCATION

Amelia graduated in 1992 from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music with a Bachelor of Music Education and High Distinction in Voice. While in her final year, she was invited to perform the role of La fee in the opera school production of Massenet’s Cendrillon. Other studies included Licentiate of Music in Voice, piano, musicianship and 10 years of classical ballet (honours).

MUSIC THEATRE

Amelia began her performing career in musical theatre, performing in The Buddy Holly Story (1990) and in the Melbourne and Sydney seasons of The Phantom of the Opera as the alternate Christine (1992-1994). Her music theatre experience also includes Maria in West Side Story and Josephine in HMS Pinafore.

COMPETITIONS

Amelia Farrugia was a winner of the 1995 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in New York and has won many major singing competitions in Australia: In the 1992 City of Sydney Eisteddfod, she won the Open Operatic Aria, Mozart Soprano Aria and Lyric Soprano Awards; In 1993, she won the Australian Singing Competition Marianne Mathy Scholarship, Commonwealth Bank Award and EMI recording prize; In 1994, Amelia won the McDonald’s Aria in the City of Sydney Eisteddfod, the Herald Sun Aria in Melbourne and the Australian Finals of the Metropolitan Opera Auditions Competition; In 1996, she won the Opera Award in the Australian Singing Competition and In 1999, she was the recipient of the Marten Bequest Travelling Scholarship; In 2001, Amelia represented her country and competed in the nationally televised finals of the International Singing Contest “New Voices” in Gϋtersloh, Germany.

AWARDS

Amelia became the NSW Young Achiever of the Year (1996); She has received a Green Room Award for Oscar in Opera Australia's A Masked Ball (2009); Amelia has been nominated for a Classical Aria (2006); four-times nominated for Opera Australia’s Remy Martin Award and four-times nominated for a Green Room Award for her leading roles; title role Manon, Adina, L’elisir d’amore, Susanna, Le nozze di Figaro and her supporting role as Papagena, Die Zauberflote. Nominated for a Helpmann Award for Musetta , La Boheme (2005), nominated for a MO Award in 2007 & 2008.

TELEVISION

Amelia’s numerous television appearances have included: The Today Show (2003 & 2005), Mornings with Kerri-Anne (2003), Carols in the Domain (2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2011), In-Entertainment (2003), Good Morning Australia (2000 & 2005), Compass, Nightline (1998), The Midday Show with Ray Martin, Who Dares Wins, Ernie & Denise and the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal, Musetta in La Boheme live on ABC 2 (2008), Studio 10 (2013).

CORPORATE EVENTS

Amelia is one of Australia’s Celebrity Speakers, performing at various corporate events. Her corporate clients include The Commonwealth Bank of Australia, McDonald’s Australia, Orlando Wyndham, Veuve Clicquot, Citibank, The AIDS Trust of Australia, Honda, Queensland Rail, Children’s Cancer Institute Australia, SAAB, Leighton Contractors, Dom Perignon, National Breast Cancer Foundation, ASX Reuters and Piaget (Shanghai), Victor Chang Institute in the presence of in the presence of HRH Crown Princess Mary and HRH Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark.

HONOURS

Amelia was invited to sing for Pope Benedict XVI in the Final Mass for World Youth Day 2008. Amelia Farrugia was named an Australia Day Ambassador in 2005 and was invited to perform the Australian National Anthem at Government House. Amelia was honoured as the very first Ambassador for the Sydney Eisteddfod (2003) and became an Ambassador for St Lucy’s School Wahroongah (2007). She joined the Council of Patrons for Pacific Opera (2008) and the Board of Directors for Pacific Opera (2012). She joined the Board of Directors for Opera Foundation Australia in 2010.