A SYDNEY engineer with a rare bass voice last night won the ABC's reality TV show for budding opera stars, Operatunity Oz.
Tomorrow, it's straight on to the stage of the Sydney Opera House for David Parkin, who will make his debut with Opera Australia in Verdi's Rigoletto. Parkin, 27, said his emotions were teetering between excitement and terror.
He has booked 40 seats for family and friends, including his Frisbee club, to see him sing the role of the hitman Sparafucile.
Oh my god, I'm going to be on the Opera House stage next week, he said at his home in Sydney's inner-west.
Last night's episode was filmed earlier in the year, giving Parkin time to rehearse his role and to record a CD with ABC Classics.
A true bass is rare -- it is the deepest of voice types -- but Operatunity judge Richard Gill said Parkin had the goods.
It was naturally produced, had good strong sound, and wonderful potential , the conductor said.
Operatunity Oz has been screening for the past three Sundays, last week with a national audience of 800,000.
More than 2000 people sent in audition tapes last year and 20 were chosen to take part in the series: a combination of masterclasses, workshops and elimination rounds.
The two runners-up: tenor Roy Best and soprano Emily Burke, both from Melbourne, will also sing in Act II of tomorrow's performance.
Other contestants in the show included John Roehrig, a plumber from Brisbane, and Elvis impersonator Nick Savas.
Parkin, whose sister Jane Parkin is a soprano with Opera Australia, said he had only about 20 singing lessons in the past five years.
I knew I was a proper bass -- I had enough people tell me that over the years, he said. Basses can start a career at 35 and go on to big things.
Parkin had taken some unpaid leave from his job -- he is a technical analyst for a city law firm -- to devote to rehearsals.
But he was under no illusions that an opera career was there for the taking.
It would be naive to think I can just take to the stage now, without any of the requisite training, said Parkin, who is open-minded about a career in opera.
As a baby opera singer, I have not got the vocal stamina: it's like asking a 100m sprinter to do a 10km race.
He was learning to protect his voice before a performance, which meant no alcohol, no spicy food and no shouting at Sydney FC matches.
Parkin's performance in Rigoletto can be seen on Operatunity Oz next Sunday.
News RSS