Cheryl Ruth BarkerAO (born 22 April 1960, Sydney) is an Australianoperaticsoprano who has had an active international career since the late 1980s. She has sung on several complete opera recordings withChandos Records, including the title roles in Dvořák'sRusalka, Janáček'sKáťa Kabanová and Puccini'sMadama Butterfly, and Emilia Marty in Janáček'sThe Makropulos Case. She has also made two solo recordings of opera arias, one with theLondon Philharmonic Orchestra under conductorDavid Parry and the other withOrchestra Victoria and conductorRichard Bonynge. On the stage she has had partnerships with theEnglish National Opera (ENO) andOpera Australia.
Barker studied with DameJoan Hammond at theVictorian College of the Arts and began her career as a member of the opera chorus at theVictoria State Opera at the age of 19. She made her first solo appearance at that house as Blondchen in Mozart'sDie Entführung aus dem Serail at the age of 23.
In 1984, Barker moved with her husband,baritonePeter Coleman-Wright, to London, so that he could assume his new position as a member of the choir at theGlyndebourne Festival. Two weeks after their arrival, Barker auditioned for and was accepted as a member of the opera chorus at theWelsh National Opera. She stayed there for the next year and a half, occasionally substituting for ailing singers in larger parts and performing the occasionalcomprimario role in addition to singing in the chorus.
In 1986, Barker was awarded the Dame Mabel Brookes Fellowship and was a finalist in theMetropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. These accolades helped her to launch a solo career with minor opera companies during the late 1980s. She performed the roles of Marzelline inFidelio and Cherubino inThe Marriage of Figaro with theEnglish Touring Opera. In 1989 she won theRoyal Over-Seas League Competition in London. Her first major critical success came in 1990 at her debut at theSydney Opera House as Mimì in Puccini'sLa bohème, directed byBaz Luhrmann.[1]
Since the early 1990s Barker has been a regular performer with all of the major opera companies in Australia. With theState Opera of South Australia she has sung Blondchen and Mimì. At the Victoria State Opera she has appeared as Antonia inThe Tales of Hoffmann, the First Lady inThe Magic Flute, and Mimì. She has portrayed Tatyana inEugene Onegin at theLyric Opera of Queensland and Cio-Cio San inMadama Butterfly withAuckland Opera. WithOpera Australia she has performed Countess Almaviva inThe Marriage of Figaro, Cio-Cio San, Desdemona inOtello, Emilia Marty inThe Makropulos Affair, Lauretta inGianni Schicchi, Marie/Mariette in the Australian premiere, directed byBruce Beresford, ofDie tote Stadt, the Marschallin inDer Rosenkavalier, Marzelline inFidelio, Nedda inPagliacci, and the title roles inArabella,Manon Lescaut,Salome andSuor Angelica.
In 2011, Barker sang the title role in Opera Queensland's production ofTosca, a role she had portrayed before in London and Sydney.[2] After withdrawing from a 2010 production ofTosca by Opera Australia,[3] she sang this role for the second half of Opera Australia's production in August 2013.[4] Later that year, she reprised the role of Desdemona with Opera Queensland.
Barker's appearances with the English National Opera include Donna Elvira inDon Giovanni, the Foreign Princess inRusalka, The Governess and Miss Jessel inThe Turn of the Screw, Oksana inChristmas Eve, Musetta, Tosca, and the title role inRichard Strauss'sSalome.
As a guest artist Barker has appeared atDe Nederlandse Opera (Cio-Cio San, Emilia Marty), theRoyal Opera, London (Jenifer inThe Midsummer Marriage), theScottish Opera (Adina inL'elisir d'amore, Annius inLa clemenza di Tito, and Tatyana), theVlaamse Opera (Suor Angelica, Liù inTurandot), and the Welsh National Opera (Káťa Kabanová). In 2004 she portrayed Sarah Miles in the world premiere ofJake Heggie'sThe End of the Affair at theHouston Grand Opera with her husband Peter Coleman-Wright as her role-husband andTeddy Tahu Rhodes as her lover. In 2009 she sang Cio-Cio San for her first appearance with theParis Opera.[5]
The inaugural Australian cruise of the performing arts on theMS Radiance of the Seas in November 2014 included Barker as well as, among others,David Hobson,Colin Lane,Teddy Tahu Rhodes,Simon Tedeschi,Elaine Paige,Marina Prior, andJonathon Welch.[6]
The Australian premiere ofBrett Dean's operaHamlet at the 2018Adelaide Festival featured Barker as Gertrude.[7]
Barker has one son, Gabriel, with her husband Peter Coleman-Wright. The couple have performed together in several productions:Tosca (2002, ENO and 2005, Opera Australia),[8][9][10]The End of the Affair (2004, Houston Grand Opera),[11]Arabella (2008, Opera Australia,Sydney Opera House andState Theatre (Melbourne)),[12][13] concert recitals (2008 in Sydney withPiers Lane, 2012 in Melbourne),[14][15] and a semi-staged performance ofKiss Me, Kate at QPAC in Brisbane.[16] In 2021, Barker sang Juno inNeil Armfield's production of Rameau'sPlatée forPinchgut Opera opposite Coleman-Wright's Jupiter.[17]
Additionally, Barker is represented on several opera compilations albums, e.g. on some ofABC Classic FM'sClassic 100 Countdown collections.[18]
In 2008, Barker and her husband were awardedhonorary doctorates from theUniversity of Melbourne.[19] In the2015 Queen's Birthday Honours, Barker was appointed an Officer of theOrder of Australia, as was her husband.[20]
Barker and her husband were appointed artistic directors ofPacific Opera, Sydney, in 2020.[21]
TheHelpmann Awards is an awards show, celebrating live entertainment and performing arts in Australia, presented by industry groupLive Performance Australia since 2001.[22] Note: 2020 and 2021 were cancelled due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Cheryl Barker -Tosca | Helpmann Award for Best Female Performer in an Opera | Nominated | [23] |
| 2007 | Cheryl Barker -Rusalka | Best Female Performer in an Opera | Nominated | [24] |
| 2008 | Cheryl Barker -Arabella | Best Female Performer in an Opera | Won | [25] |
| 2009 | Cheryl Barker -The Makropoulos Secret | Best Female Performer in an Opera | Nominated | [26] |
| 2013 | Cheryl Barker -Salome | Best Female Performer in an Opera | Won | [27] |
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