Sacred Arias

Themes of faith, love, and hope await to transport you, with the thrill of musical excellence by master composers. Soprano Jacqueline Ward and tenor Robb Dennis present this program with pianist Karen Smithies for the Christmas season, featuring solo arias from famous oratorios, cantatas, masses, and more.

Hear stunning favourites from Handel's Messiah,
Bach's Christmas Oratorio,
Mozart's Exsultate Jubilate!
Haydn's The Creation,
plus others from Vivaldi, Beethoven, Fauré, Wolf and more.

ABOUT THE MUSICIANS

JACQUELINE WARD is an operatic soprano specialising in concert performance. She has performed with orchestras and choirs and in solo recital along the east coast of Australia, delighting audiences here and overseas with a voice described as “honey sliding down crystal” (The Courier Mail).

During her masters research at Sydney Conservatorium, Jacqueline recorded from a historic songbook for The Museum of Sydney’s exhibition Songs of Home. Also a composer, she has received commissions for the National Maritime Museum’s 150th Anniversary, Hourglass Ensemble, and a number of choirs, and has won the Australian Songwriting Contest.

Recently, Jacqueline has become a supporter of the Amy Sherwin Fund in Hobart, and she is undertaking research in the field of voice science. Jacqueline was elated to officially return to the stage in 2023, following major spinal, chest, and leg injuries, wowing audiences with her “formidable musicianship” in recital for premiere Tasmanian orchestra Van Diemen’s Band, and taking home a handful of awards from the Hobart Eisteddfod. She now resides in Northwest Tasmania with her family and is anticipating the relaunch of her teaching studio in the new year.

ROBB DENNIS is a tenor, conductor, and educator. He has given acclaimed performances as principal tenor with the Repertory Opera of Los Angeles, West Coast Opera Theatre, and Australia’s Opera Hunter. He has appeared in the Mormon Tabernacle with the Oratorio Society of Utah, with the Los Angeles Master Chorale, and Riverside Master Chorale. With a DMA in vocal performance, he has shared his experience as a senior lecturer in voice at Claremont Graduate University and San Bernardino Valley College.

Applying his voice expertise in an ensemble setting, Robb has worked with critically acclaimed choirs. His Sydney-based chamber choir Aurora Choralis won the Sydney and National Eisteddfods, and was actively involved in ensemble collaborations. He has led ensembles from high school through to professional and has prepared choirs for Maestri Carlo Ponti and Jon Robertson. Robb has conducted a number of orchestras including the San Bernardino Symphony and Riverside Youth Symphony.

In 2022, Robb relocated to Tasmania with his family, where he now conducts the Cradle Coast Orchestra and Hellyer Community Choir, plays French horn and continues to perform as a soloist.

Karen Smithies’ bio is on its way ;)