2026 UQ Opera Gala

Dr Shaun Brown

Distinguished Australian baritone Dr Shaun Brown has forged an extensive international career across opera, oratorio and recital, performing throughout Europe, the United States, New Zealand and Australia. His international engagements include Opéra de Lyon, Freiburg Opera, L’Atelier du Rhin and New York's Center for Contemporary Opera, where he has performed works by celebrated American composer Jake Heggie. A former Opera Queensland Young Artist, Shaun has enjoyed an extraordinary association with the company spanning more than three decades and over fifty productions. His operatic repertoire encompasses Don Giovanni, Le nozze di Figaro, Così fan tutte, Carmen, La bohème, Die Fledermaus and La traviata. An acclaimed concert soloist, Shaun has performed major works including Britten's War Requiem, Bach's St Matthew Passion and Christmas Oratorio, Handel's Messiah, Mendelssohn's Elijah and Walton's Belshazzar's Feast, earning recognition for his versatility across musical styles. Shaun holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of North Texas, where he studied with renowned voice pedagogue Dr Stephen Austin, and has undertaken specialist training in vocology at the University of Utah. He is Director of Performance and Vocal Performance Fellow at The University of Queensland School of Music, combining a distinguished performing career with artistic leadership and the mentorship of emerging professional singers.

Kinnane Professor of Music Paul Dean

Brisbane born and bred clarinettist Paul Dean is widely regarded as one of Australia’s foremost musicians in his multiple capacities as soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, composer and Artistic Director. As the Kinnane Professor of Music at The University of Queensland, Paul teaches composition, clarinet, music history and leads The University of Queensland Symphony Orchestra. Paul Dean has gained a reputation as one of Australia’s most significant composers, winning the coveted 2022 Paul Lowin Prize for his Symphony No. 1 “Black Summer” and the 2023 APRA Work of the Year – Large Ensemble for his Double Bass Concerto. His first Symphony was commissioned and performed to great acclaim by the Australian World Orchestra in their 2021 season and subsequently recorded and performed by the Queensland and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras. Paul’s works have been performed widely across Australia and beyond with recent premieres and commissions from the Hong Kong and Oslo Philharmonic Orchestras, along with a new opera for Opera Queensland. His 4th Symphony was premiered in August 2025. Paul was the Artistic Director of the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) from 2010 to 2015 and a Principal Clarinet with the Australian World Orchestra. Paul was the Artistic Director of the Four Winds Festival and the Tutti Beijing International Youth Music Festival and was also the founder and Artistic Director of the Southern Cross Soloists, the Endeavour Trio, the Bangalow Music Festival and the Sunwater and Stanwell Winter Music School. Paul is co-Artistic Director of Ensemble Q with cellist, Trish Dean. Between 1987 and 2000, he was Principal Clarinet with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and has appeared as soloist with the Orchestra on over 40 occasions. He is a founding member of the Australian World Orchestra. Paul has performed as soloist with the Queensland, Melbourne, West Australian, Adelaide and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras, the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonia and Southern Sinfonia in NZ, and the Trondheim Symfoniker (Norway). As a chamber musician he has been guest artist with the Navarra Quartet, the Doric Quartet, the Heath Quartet, the Australian String Quartet, the Goldner String Quartet, the Grainger Quartet, the Flinders Quartet, and the Tinalley Quartet. He has performed at many major venues and festivals throughout the world including the Oxford May Music Festival, the Huntington Music Festival, Alpine Classic Switzerland, the Australian Festival of Chamber Music, Trondheim Chamber Music Festival, and the Melbourne, Christchurch, Brisbane, Queensland, Perth, and Sydney Festivals. Paul’s recording of the Mozart and Brahms clarinet works for the Melba label, and the clarinet music of English composer Benjamin Frankel for German label CPO have won high praise from critics around the world.

Kate Woodford (as Rosalinde)

Kate Woodford, a third-year Bachelor of Music (Honours) student at the University of Queensland, is quickly making a name for herself under the tutelage of renowned soprano Sarah Crane. Hailing from Townsville, Kate's exceptional talent and dedication were recognized with the prestigious Paula and Tony Kinnane Music Scholarship. In Kate’s first year, she made her operatic debut in the University of Queensland's production as Susanna in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro and has since appeared in each of the University of Queensland's annual Opera Scenes productions and Galas, portraying Clizia (Teseo), Maria Bertram (Mansfield Park), Iolanta (Iolanta), Marzelline (Fidelio), and Elisetta (Il matrimonio segreto). In 2025, Kate had the privilege of representing the University of Queensland in performances at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. She was later selected as an Emerging Artist in the Queensland Art Song Festival alongside her collaborative partner Lachlan Leow. This year, Kate was selected to perform with Opera Queensland as part of the Festival of Outback Opera, appearing in concerts across regional Queensland. Kate had the opportunity to take part in the UQ School of Music’s Italian Concert, portraying Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni) and Elisetta. This concert was the result of a valued two week intensive working with international voice coaches and musicians Otello Visconti and Lucia Casbarra who specialise in the traditional Bel Canto style and technique. In October, Kate made her debut at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre where she performed the soprano solo in Bruckner’s Te Deum in the University of Queensland’s Last Words Concert. Kate has been a finalist in both the Ethel Osborne Prize and the Margaret Nickson Prize each year of her undergraduate studies, reflecting her consistent artistic achievement. Kate looks forward to continuing her studies at the University of Queensland with its many performance opportunities and industry experiences.

Jade Okey (as Rosalinde)

New Zealand coloratura soprano Jade Okey brings a flair for vocal brilliance, a love of soaring melodies and a keen instinct for operatic storytelling to the stage. She is currently undertaking a Master of Music at the University of Queensland, having previously completed her Graduate Certificate studies at UQ, and continues to refine her artistry under the guidance of acclaimed soprano Sarah Crane. Jade’s recent performance highlights include Opera Queensland’s Festival of Outback Opera, the 2025 UQ Opera Gala and a featured soloist appearance in the 2026 Italian Concert, working alongside distinguished artists Otello Visconti and Lucia Casbarra. These collaborations have offered valuable opportunities to immerse herself in the Italian vocal tradition, exploring the stylistic elegance, expressive nuance and dramatic vitality at the heart of great operatic performance. Her experience also includes performances with New Zealand Opera and presenting repertoire from Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda at the Brisbane Lord Mayor’s Concert at Brisbane City Hall. Thrilled to take on the role of Rosalinde in UQ’s production of Johann Strauss II’s Die Fledermaus, Jade looks forward to embracing this sparkling operetta’s irresistible blend of vocal fireworks, romantic intrigue and delicious theatrical mischief.

Aarya Dath (as Eisenstein)

Aarya Dath is a Brisbane-based vocalist, composer and sound designer who has been studying a Bachelor of Music (Honours) and Bachelor of Mathematics at The University of Queensland since 2022, majoring in voice and composition. At UQ, he has studied voice with Dr Shaun Brown and Gregory Massingham, and composition with Dr Robert Davidson. Aarya directs, composes and performs with Aura Ensemble, a ten-voice chamber vocal group comprising UQ students and alumni. In 2024, the ensemble won the Sid Page Memorial Chamber Music Prize performing his composition Rain in the Mountains, which was also shortlisted for the Willgoss Choral Composition Prize. Passionate about art song, Aarya’s Honours capstone project featured his original song cycle, Songs Before We Go. Aarya has performed several operatic roles at UQ, including Monostatos in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte (2022), under conductor Dane Lam and director Shaun Brown; Caramello in Strauss’s Eine Nacht in Venedig (2023), under Shaun Brown; and Basilio in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro (2024), under conductor Nathan Aspinall and director Shaun Brown. His concert appearances include tenor soloist in Haydn’s Paukenmesse (2024), conducted by Debra Shearer-Dirie; Schubert’s Mass in G major (2024), conducted by Neil Flottmann; Mozart’s Requiem (2024), conducted by Dane Lam; and Bruckner’s Te Deum (2026), conducted by Paul Dean. He was a finalist in the 2023 and 2024 Ethel Osborne Prizes and the 2022 and 2024 Nickson Prizes. In this production of Johann Strauss II’s Die Fledermaus, Aarya makes his debut as Eisenstein.

Eline van Bruggen (as Adele)

Eline van Bruggen is a Dutch-Australian soprano undertaking a Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Arts at The University of Queensland (UQ), majoring in Classical Vocal Performance, Linguistics, and Professional Writing and Communication. She studies voice with Sarah Crane and is establishing herself as an exciting young artist across opera, orchestral performance and art song. Eline has appeared frequently as a soloist with the University of Queensland Symphony Orchestra, including performances in Poulenc’s Gloria (2025) and Mozart’s Requiem (2024). In September 2026, she rejoined the orchestra as soloist in Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915, under the baton of Paul Dean. Eline was a performing artist at the Queensland Art Song Festival in 2024 and 2025, and recently won first prize in both the English Art Song and Collaborative Art Song sections of the Queensland Vocal Competition, alongside pianist Mac Johnson. In 2026, she participated in the Internationale Sächsische Sängerakademie, winning the Town of Torgau Prize. She has also toured with Opera Queensland to Longreach and Winton for the 2023, 2024 and 2026 Festivals of Outback Opera. Her operatic experience includes her debut as Susanna in UQ’s production of Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro, a role she subsequently reprised in Vienna with the United Europe Orchestra under Gregory Buchalter. In 2025, she performed as Nannetta in excerpts from Verdi’s Falstaff at the UQ Opera Gala and looks forward to appearing as Adele in UQ’s 2026 production of Johann Strauss II’s Die Fledermaus.

Annabelle Julien (as Prince Orlovsky)

Nic Wallace (as Falke)

Jackson Eastwood (as Alfredo)

Australian tenor Jackson Eastwood is currently completing his vocal studies at the University of Queensland under the tutelage of Dr Shaun Brown. Currently undertaking advanced vocal training, Jackson is developing a repertoire centred on the Italian Bel Canto tradition while gaining experience in both professional and university productions. Jackson made his operatic debut as Don Curzio in Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro and has since appeared in University of Queensland productions of The Magic Flute and Eine Nacht in Venedig. His concert appearances include performances of Mozart’s, Verdi’s, Fauré’s, and Duruflé’s Requiems, Poulenc’s Gloria, and covering the tenor solo in Opera Queensland’s production of Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle. As a regular performer with the UQ Singers, Jackson has performed scenes and excerpts from a broad range of the lyric tenor repertoire. Some of his notable roles include Lensky (Eugene Onegin), Alfredo (La Traviata), Prince Ramiro (La Cenerentola), Fenton (Falstaff), Vaudémont (Iolanta), Ruggero and Prunier (La Rondine), Tonio (La Fille du Régiment), Candide (Candide), Lippo (Street Scene), and Nadir (Les Pêcheurs de perles). Collaborating with Opera Queensland, Jackson performed at the Festival of Outback Opera in 2024, 2025, and 2026, gaining invaluable professional experience while helping bring opera to communities across regional Queensland. In 2026, he was also a finalist in the Ethel Osborne Competition. As he continues his artistic development, Jackson is building a repertoire that spans the core lyric tenor canon, with a particular focus on the Bel Canto repertoire of the 19th and 20th centuries. He is currently preparing for his debut as Alfred in Johann Strauss II’s Die Fledermaus and looks forward to continuing his artistic development through further professional performance opportunities.

Oliver King (as Frank)

Oliver King is an emerging classically trained tenor currently studying a combined Bachelor of Music (Honours) / Bachelor of Science (Chemistry) at the University of Queensland, under the tutelage of Shaun Brown. Originally from Toowoomba, he was awarded the UQ Paula and Tony Kinnane Music Scholarship, and received his AmusA for classical voice. On the operatic stage, he has sung the roles of Dr Cajus (Verdi’s Falstaff), Mr Rushworth (Dove’s Mansfield Park), Remendado (Bizet’s Carmen) and Jaquino (Beethoven’s Fidelio) in staged excerpts. He was a member of the chorus in UQ’s production of Eine Nacht in Venedig and played trumpet in the Le Nozze di Figaro orchestra. Earlier this year he performed Frederic in a Brisbane production of Pirates of Penzance. He has participated in the Cuskelly College of Music summer school (2025) and performed with Opera Queensland in Longreach and Winton for their Festival of Outback Opera (2025, 2026). He has performed the tenor solo in Vivaldi’s Magnificat and Beatus Vir with the Brisbane Chamber Choir, Beethoven’s Mass in C with Brisbane Chorale, Stainer’s Crucifixion with St. Pauls Ipswich and Bach’s Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland with the St. John’s Cathedral choir. Next year he looks forward to completing his honours, combining his interests in analytical chemistry, speech pathology and music to investigate how beverage properties, such as acidity and osmolarity, influence vocal function and performance.

Timothy Nielson (as Frosch)

Angus Brosnan (as Blind)

Angus Brosnan is a tenor in his second year of a Bachelor of Music at the University of Queensland, where he studies classical voice under the tutelage of Dr Shaun Brown. During his studies, Angus has developed a strong interest in opera and concert performance, gaining valuable experience across a diverse range of vocal repertoire and performance settings. At UQ, Angus has appeared as a chorus member in several staged vocal productions and concerts, including Love, Laughter & Loss, the UQ Opera Gala and Italian Opera at UQ. He has also performed in a number of major choral works, including Poulenc’s Gloria, Verdi’s Requiem, Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle, Rutter’s Gloria and Bruckner’s Te Deum, working alongside fellow student musicians and professional artists in large-scale concert performances. In 2026, Angus expanded his operatic experience through the Cuskelly College of Music Summer School, performing the roles of Boccaccio in Suppé’s Boccaccio, Silango in Gluck’s Le Cinesi and Onuphrie in Millöcker’s Der Bettelstudent. He also toured with Opera Queensland to Longreach and Winton as part of the annual Festival of Outback Opera, performing for regional communities and participating in an initiative that brings opera and classical music to audiences throughout Queensland. Through these varied experiences, Angus continues to develop his vocal artistry, stagecraft and versatility as a young tenor, building a strong foundation for his future in operatic and concert performance.

UQ Singers

Soprano Dakotah Briggs, Julie Chatel, Taylor Francis, Wangyi Hang, Yicheng Huang, Yuchen Jin, Indigo Jones, Fanyi Li, Rachael McFarlane, Veronica McGovern, Melody Ng, Scarlett Nye, Jade Okey, Annika Reed, Katia Reid, Maclyn Scarborough, Yifan Suo, Yuduo Yao, Camellia Tran, Kate Woodford, Yunuo Wu, Meng Zhang, Julia Zhu Mezzo-soprano Anna Fazackerley, Bella Franze, Annabelle Julien, Cherish Mueller, Piper Ramsey Tenor Jack Baguley, Angus Brosnan, Aarya Dath, Jackson Eastwood, Oliver King, Shuanghao Wu Bass / Baritone Jacob Fowler, Riley Morton, Abel Mueller, Timothy Nielson, Guy Gorwood, Senal Silva, Malcolm Strong

UQ Symphony Orchestra

The University of Queensland Symphony Orchestra (UQSO) is conducted by Paul Dean and is one of the southern hemisphere’s leading youth ensembles. It is comprised mainly of students from the Bachelor of Music (Honours) program and includes performers from other schools within the University, making the orchestra a truly collaborative ensemble. The orchestra’s repertoire includes full symphonic works, concertos with students, staff or guest soloists, compositions by students of the School, and repertoire related to conducting workshops. Combined choral/orchestral performances take place together with UQ vocal ensembles and invited secondary school performance partners.