Perth born Roberto Abate Roberto has just covered the role of Don José for The Grange Festival and will be making his European debut in Holland, also as Don José for the International Bel Canto Academy.
He has performed with the West Australian Opera in roles such as Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore for WA Opera’s Opera in the Park, which marked his lead role debut. Other principal roles he has performed with the company are
Biography
ROBERTO
ABATE
TENOR
Parpignol (La bohème), 1st Priest (Die Zauberflöte), Harry (La Fanciulla del West), Bob Bowles (Peter Grimes), Nanki – Poo (Mikado) and Beppe (Pagliacci), as well as covering Don José (Carmen) and Nadir (Les Pêcheurs des Perles).
In addition to this, Roberto sang in the company’s Young Artist Concert Series from the 2007 inaugural year and was a member of the Young Artist Program from 2008. He was awarded the Bendat Scholarship in 2009 and the Wesfarmers Arts Young Artist full-time position with WA Opera for 2010. Roberto has also been the recipient of the Royal Schools of Music Young Singer Competition, the Michelle Robinson Scholarship for Most Outstanding Classical Singer (WAAPA), and finalist in the Herald Sun Aria Competition in Melbourne in 2012 and the Bel Canto Award run by the Joan Sutherland Society in Sydney, both in 2012 and 2013.
While studying Classical Voice and Music Theatre at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), his classical roles included Rodolfo (La bohème) in the annual Opera Scenes and Don Basilio in Autonomous Productions’ The Marriage of Figaro.
In 2011 Roberto created the role of Adam in a new English Opera by accomplished young composer Tom Floyd called Shadow of the Wave. Subsequently he was asked to revive the role for the Tête à Tête festival in London in 2012.
Roberto has also sung the tenor solos in Verdi's Requiem, Dvorak’s Stabat Mater, Beethoven’s Symphony no. 9, Mendelssohn’s Hymn of Praise, Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s Mass in B minor, and appeared as soloist in the West Australian Symphony Orchestra’s Gala Concert with Sumi Jo in 2010, and Opera Gala with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Dennis O’Neill at the Wales Millennium Centre in 2012.
As the recipient of the Australian International Opera Awards scholarship and the Frank and Viola Tait Award from the Tait Memorial Trust, Roberto completed his masters in Advanced Vocal Technique with Dennis O’Neill at the Wales International Academy of Voice in Cardiff.
In 2013 Roberto performed the role of Alfred in Die Fledermaus on tour in Malaysia with Co-Opera.
Other Roles in the UK have included Bandit Don Quixote, Parpignol, and First Philistine Samson et Dalila (Grange Park Opera), Don José (Opera Up Close), Rodolfo La Boheme (Regents Opera/ King's Head Theatre), Fenton Falstaff (Fulham Opera/ Grimeborn/ Woodhouse Opera/ Wilton’s Music Hall), Luigi Il Tabarro (Opera Vera/ Fulham Opera), King Gustavus Masked Ball (Burry Port Opera) and Act Two of Samson Samson and Delilah (Palace Opera) in a concert version. He was the recipient of the Sylvia Fisher Fund from the Australian Communities Foundation in 2015.