David Hobson (born 18 November 1960) is an Australian

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...

tenor A tenor is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The low extreme for tenors is wide ...

and composer.

Career

Born in

Ballarat Ballarat ( ) is a city in the Central Highlands of Victoria, Australia. At the 2021 Census, Ballarat had a population of 116,201, making it the third largest city in Victoria. Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018. Within months of Vi ...

, Australia, Hobson sang with church and school choirs and local music groups as a child, but he was still vocally untrained when he performed as lead singer and bass guitarist with

rock band A rock band or pop band is a small musical ensemble that performs rock music, pop music, or a related genre. A four-piece band is the most common configuration in rock and pop music. In the early years, the configuration was typically two gui ...

s while studying at the

University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb ...

. However, despite the lack of a demonstration tape of ''Macbeth'' (see below) he was invited to join the

Victoria State Opera The Victoria State Opera (VSO), based in Melbourne, Australia, was founded in Melbourne in 1962. The company, founded by Leonard Spira, was a move into grand opera by the then amateur Gilbert and Sullivan-oriented Victorian Light Opera Co. The na ...

, understudying the role of Frederic in the VSO's

Joseph Papp Joseph Papp (born Joseph Papirofsky; June 22, 1921 – October 31, 1991) was an American theatrical producer and director. He established The Public Theater in what had been the Astor Library Building in Lower Manhattan. There Papp created a ...

(Broadway) version of ''

The Pirates of Penzance ''The Pirates of Penzance; or, The Slave of Duty'' is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. Its official premiere was at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York City on 31 December 187 ...

'' in 1986. This led to his becoming a member of the company's Young Artists Programme, and making his debut as Rodolfo in a Victorian country tour production of ''

La bohème ''La bohème'' (; ) is an opera in four acts,Puccini called the divisions '' quadri'', '' tableaux'' or "images", rather than ''atti'' (acts). composed by Giacomo Puccini between 1893 and 1895 to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giusep ...

'' in 1987. In 1988 he made his debut with The Australian Opera (now

Opera Australia Opera Australia is the principal opera company in Australia. Based in Sydney, its performance season at the Sydney Opera House accompanied by the Opera Australia Orchestra runs for approximately eight months of the year, with the remainder ...

) when he created the role of Lawrence in the world premiere of Brian Howard's opera ''Whitsunday''. He is the

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Def ...

of ''Macbeth'' (a 1985 music theatre piece), ''Remembering Rosie'' (2001 chamber opera), ''The Loch Ard Suite'' (for the 2002 light/sound installation ''Shipwrecked'' at Warrnambool) and the award-winning 2004 orchestral score for the Australian film '' One Perfect Day'', as well as a number of songs including ''Inside This Room'' and the title song for ''One Perfect Day''. Cheryl Barker - David Hobson

In 1990, he reprised the role of Rodolfo, opposite Cheryl Barker as Mimì, in a new production of ''La bohème'' for The Australian Opera, directed by

Baz Luhrmann Mark Anthony Luhrmann (born 17 September 1962), known professionally as Baz Luhrmann, is an Australian film director, producer, writer and actor. With projects spanning film, television, opera, theatre, music and recording industries, he is re ...

; this went on to become one of the company's most successful productions. It was filmed during its 1993 return season and broadcast on ABC TV several times. Released on VHS in 1994, it was to become the first opera available on DVD (1998) and continues to be a best seller worldwide. Hobson's

Gilbert and Sullivan Gilbert and Sullivan was a Victorian era, Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the dramatist W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and the composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900), who jointly created fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which ...

roles with Opera Australia include Nanki-Poo in ''

The Mikado ''The Mikado; or, The Town of Titipu'' is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert, their ninth of fourteen operatic collaborations. It opened on 14 March 1885, in London, where it ran at the ...

'', Marco Palmieri in ''

The Gondoliers ''The Gondoliers; or, The King of Barataria'' is a Savoy Opera, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It premiered at the Savoy Theatre on 7 December 1889 and ran for a very successful 554 performances (at that time the ...

'', Ralph Rackstraw in ''

H.M.S. Pinafore ''H.M.S. Pinafore; or, The Lass That Loved a Sailor'' is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and a libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It opened at the Opera Comique in London, on 25 May 1878 and ran for 571 performances, which ...

'', and the Defendant in ''

Trial by Jury A jury trial, or trial by jury, is a legal proceeding in which a jury makes a decision or findings of fact. It is distinguished from a bench trial in which a judge or panel of judges makes all decisions. Jury trials are used in a significan ...

''. Hobson returned to the role of Frederic in the record-breaking Opera Australia production of ''

'' with seasons during 2006 in Sydney at the

Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive buildings and a masterpiece of 20th-century architec ...

, in

Canberra Canberra ( ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The ci ...

, and in

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...

at the Lyric Theatre,

Queensland Performing Arts Centre The Queensland Performing Arts Centre (also known as QPAC) is part of the Queensland Cultural Centre and is located on the corner of Melbourne Street and Grey Street in Brisbane's South Bank, Queensland, South Bank precinct. Opened in 1985, it ...

. The national tour continued in 2007, with seasons in

Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...

and

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a metro ...

, making a total of 100 performances in ten months. His operatic repertoire extends from 17th century works to the present, Hobson's high lyric tenor voice (he is actually a rare ''

haute-contre The haute-contre (plural hautes-contre) was the primary French operatic tenor voice, predominant in French Baroque and Classical opera, from the middle of the seventeenth century until the latter part of the eighteenth century. History This voice ...

'' or baroque tenor) is best suited to the

baroque The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including ...

and

bel canto Bel canto (Italian for "beautiful singing" or "beautiful song", )—with several similar constructions (''bellezze del canto'', ''bell'arte del canto'')—is a term with several meanings that relate to Italian singing. The phrase was not associat ...

operas of the 18th and early 19th centuries, such as those composed by Mozart and Rossini. His

Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition r ...

roles include Ferrando in ''

Così fan tutte (''All Women Do It, or The School for Lovers''), K. 588, is an opera buffa in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It was first performed on 26 January 1790 at the Burgtheater in Vienna, Austria. The libretto was written by Lorenzo Da Ponte ...

'', Don Ottavio in ''

Don Giovanni ''Don Giovanni'' (; Köchel catalogue, K. 527; Vienna (1788) title: , literally ''The rake (stock character), Rake Punished, or Don Giovanni'') is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Pon ...

'', Tamino in ''

The Magic Flute ''The Magic Flute'' (German: , ), K. 620, is an opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The work is in the form of a '' Singspiel'', a popular form during the time it was written that in ...

'' and Belmonte in '' The Abduction from the Seraglio''. His

Rossini Gioachino Antonio Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer who gained fame for his 39 operas, although he also wrote many songs, some chamber music and piano pieces, and some sacred music. He set new standards ...

roles include Lindoro in ''

L'italiana in Algeri ''L'italiana in Algeri'' (; ''The Italian Girl in Algiers'') is an operatic ''dramma giocoso'' in two acts by Gioachino Rossini to an Italian libretto by Angelo Anelli, based on his earlier text set by Luigi Mosca. It premiered at the Teatro San ...

'', Ramiro in ''

La Cenerentola ' ('' Cinderella, or Goodness Triumphant'') is an operatic ''dramma giocoso'' in two acts by Gioachino Rossini. The libretto was written by Jacopo Ferretti, based on the libretti written by Charles-Guillaume Étienne for the opera ''Cendrillon'' ...

'', Count Almaviva in ''

The Barber of Seville ''The Barber of Seville, or The Useless Precaution'' ( it, Il barbiere di Siviglia, ossia L'inutile precauzione ) is an '' opera buffa'' in two acts composed by Gioachino Rossini with an Italian libretto by Cesare Sterbini. The libretto was ba ...

'', Dorvil in '' La scala di seta'' and Florville in '' Il signor Bruschino''. Many other roles have included Ernesto in Donizetti's ''

Don Pasquale ''Don Pasquale'' () is an opera buffa, or comic opera, in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti with an Italian libretto completed largely by Giovanni Ruffini as well as the composer. It was based on a libretto by Angelo Anelli for Stefano Pavesi's ...

'', Nadir in Bizet's '' The Pearl Fishers'', and a highly acclaimed Orphée in Gluck's ''

Orphée et Eurydice ' (; French: '; English: ''Orpheus and Eurydice'') is an opera composed by Christoph Willibald Gluck, based on the myth of Orpheus and set to a libretto by Ranieri de' Calzabigi. It belongs to the genre of the '' azione teatrale'', meaning an ...

'', (the rarely performed 1774 Paris version for

). In 2008, he made his role debut as Nemorino in Donizetti's ''

L'elisir d'amore ''L'elisir d'amore'' (''The Elixir of Love'', ) is a ' (opera buffa) in two acts by the Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti. Felice Romani wrote the Italian libretto, after Eugène Scribe's libretto for Daniel Auber's ' (1831). The opera pre ...

'' with the

Victorian Opera Victorian Opera is an opera company based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The company was founded in 2005 by the Victorian Government as a replacement for the Victoria State Opera. It commenced operations in January 2006 with Richard Gill as ...

, and created several roles in their world premiere season of '' Through the Looking Glass'' by Alan John. Hobson created the role of the Chevalier de Danceny in the

San Francisco Opera San Francisco Opera (SFO) is an American opera company founded in 1923 by Gaetano Merola (1881–1953) based in San Francisco, California. History Gaetano Merola (1923–1953) Merola's road to prominence in the Bay Area began in 1906 when h ...

world premiere of '' The Dangerous Liaisons'' by Conrad Susa, as well as the Architect in '' The Eighth Wonder'' by Alan John and Michael Chamberlain in '' Lindy'' by

Moya Henderson Moya Patricia Henderson (born 2 August 1941 in Quirindi, New South Wales) is an Australian composer. A graduate of the University of Queensland, Henderson was Resident Composer at Opera Australia during their first season at the Sydney Opera ...

for Opera Australia. In 2006, he sang the title role in a

Perth International Arts Festival Perth Festival, named Perth International Arts Festival (PIAF) between 2000 and 2017, and sometimes referred to as the Festival of Perth, is Australia's longest-running cultural festival, held annually in Western Australia. The program features ...

concert performance of ''

Candide ( , ) is a French satire written by Voltaire, a philosopher of the Age of Enlightenment, first published in 1759. The novella has been widely translated, with English versions titled ''Candide: or, All for the Best'' (1759); ''Candide: or, Th ...

'' by

Leonard Bernstein Leonard Bernstein ( ; August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, pianist, music educator, author, and humanitarian. Considered to be one of the most important conductors of his time, he was the first America ...

and received rave reviews. Just weeks later he had the honour of singing before

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states durin ...

and many other distinguished guests, at a State Dinner in

. Hobson is a much sought-after concert artist, frequently appearing in Musica Viva recitals, and oratorios such as Handel's ''

Messiah In Abrahamic religions, a messiah or messias (; , ; , ; ) is a saviour or liberator of a group of people. The concepts of '' mashiach'', messianism, and of a Messianic Age originated in Judaism, and in the Hebrew Bible, in which a ''mashiach ...

'', and Mendelssohn's ''

Elijah Elijah ( ; he, אֵלִיָּהוּ, ʾĒlīyyāhū, meaning "My El (deity), God is Yahweh/YHWH"; Greek form: Elias, ''Elías''; syr, ܐܸܠܝܼܵܐ, ''Elyāe''; Arabic language, Arabic: إلياس or إليا, ''Ilyās'' or ''Ilyā''. ) w ...

'', as well as opera galas, recitals and solo concerts, displaying both his extensive classical and lighter repertoires. Since 1991 he has been a regular performer at the outdoor Christmas concerts in either Sydney (''Carols in the Domain'') or Melbourne ('' Carols by Candlelight'') and, more recently, has appeared regularly in ''Christmas at the House'' at the Sydney Opera House. In February 2008 he made his debut at the Leeuwin Estate Concert Series in

Margaret River The Margaret River is a river in southwest Western Australia. In a small catchment, it is the eponym of the town and tourist region of Margaret River. The river arises from a catchment of just 40 square kilometres in the Whicher Range. ...

with Australian

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880& ...

Yvonne Kenny Yvonne Kenny AM (born 25 November 1950) is an Australian soprano, particularly associated with Handel, Mozart and bel canto roles. Biography Born in Sydney, she first studied at the University of Sydney in science, hoping to become a biochemi ...

, and in March returned to

Mildura Mildura is a regional city in north-west Victoria, Australia. Located on the Victorian side of the Murray River, Mildura had a population of 34,565 in 2021. When nearby Wentworth, Irymple, Nichols Point and Merbein are included, the area h ...

with another regular partner, Marina Prior, to sing at the ''Opera by the Lock''. Working around his opera, recording and TV commitments, Hobson performed a series of concerts between April and September, appearing in Melbourne and regional Victoria and, marking the release of his CD, ''A Little Closer'', performed in two concerts in the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall in November. Hobson and

bass-baritone A bass-baritone is a high-lying bass or low-lying "classical" baritone voice type which shares certain qualities with the true baritone voice. The term arose in the late 19th century to describe the particular type of voice required to sing three ...

Teddy Tahu Rhodes Teddy Tahu Rhodes (born 30 August 1966) is a New Zealand operatic baritone. Early life Rhodes was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, on 30 August 1966, to a British mother, Joyce, and a New Zealand father, Terrence Tahu Gravenor Rhodes. The Mao ...

' CD ''You'll Never Walk Alone'' was released in February 2009, followed in March by an extensive Australian recital tour. One of the recitals was in

Hobart Hobart ( ; Nuennonne/ Palawa kani: ''nipaluna'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Home to almost half of all Tasmanians, it is the least-populated Australian state capital city, and second-small ...

, and a few weeks later Hobson returned for concerts with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra in Hobart and Launceston. Much of the second half of 2009 was occupied with touring for Musica Viva, while December was devoted to another performance of Handel's ''Messiah'' with the

Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Royal Melbourne Philharmonic (RMP) is a 120-voice choir and orchestra in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It was established in 1853, and is reportedly Australia's oldest surviving cultural organisation. The Royal Melbourne Philharmonic is Austr ...

at Melbourne Town Hall, a season of ''Christmas at the House'' in the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, and an appearance at Melbourne's traditional Christmas Eve celebration '' Carols by Candlelight'', at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, televised nationally. Hobson's 2010 schedule began with a return to ''Opera in the Alps'' at Beechworth, with Marina Prior, and continued with a reprise performance in the title role of ''Candide'' for the

Sydney Festival Sydney Festival is a major arts festival in Australia's largest city, Sydney that runs for three weeks every January, since it was established in 1977. The festival program features in excess of 100 events from local and international artists an ...

concert presentation of ''Opera in the Domain'' (both in January); another recital with Teddy Tahu Rhodes in Adelaide (March); and the principal role of Eisenstein – which he last performed in 2000 – in the Opera Australia production of the Johann Strauss II operetta '' Die Fledermaus'' at the State Theatre,

Arts Centre Melbourne Arts Centre Melbourne, originally known as the Victorian Arts Centre and briefly called the Arts Centre, is a performing arts centre consisting of a complex of theatres and concert halls in the Melbourne Arts Precinct, located in the central ...

, during May. April saw Hobson's debut as a specialist presenter on the new pay-TV STVDIO arts channel. Hobson followed the ''Fledermaus'' season of traditional operetta with something completely different when he appeared at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival in his stagework ''Am I Really Here?'' in June 2010 and a performance of Zender's contemporary interpretation of Schubert's ''

Winterreise ''Winterreise'' (, ''Winter Journey'') is a song cycle for voice and piano by Franz Schubert ( D. 911, published as Op. 89 in 1828), a setting of 24 poems by German poet Wilhelm Müller. It is the second of Schubert's two song cycles on Müller' ...

'' at the Brisbane Powerhouse in July. The CD album ''Singing for Love'', a compilation of work by Hobson and Yvonne Kenny, was released in 2010 before their nationwide concert tour. A busy and varied year concluded with a series of concerts in four states, including three performances in Brisbane for the 25th anniversary season of ''Spirit of Christmas'' at QPAC and a regulation appearance at Melbourne's '' Carols by Candlelight''. Hobson's 2011 schedule included a

West Australian Opera West Australian Opera (WAO) is the principal opera company of Western Australia and is a resident company at His Majesty's Theatre, Perth. The company formed in 1967 and works in close association with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra. It pr ...

concert performance of ''Die Fledermaus'' in Perth; a flying visit to New Zealand in March; a third concert appearance with the Victoria Welsh Choir in June; his role debut as Count Danilo in

's new production of Lehár's ''

The Merry Widow ''The Merry Widow'' (german: Die lustige Witwe, links=no ) is an operetta by the Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Lehár. The librettists, Viktor Léon and Leo Stein, based the story – concerning a rich widow, and her countrymen's attempt ...

'', followed immediately by another national concert tour with

and performances of Handel's ''Messiah'' with the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs and Orchestra at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall. There was another compilation CD, ''The Best of David Hobson'' and more solo concerts in several states. In 2012 and 2013, Hobson appeared as

Caractacus Pott Caractacus Pott (Caractacus Potts in the film adaptation) is one of the main characters in Ian Fleming's novel '' Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang'' and its film adaptation. The film version of the story makes several changes to his character. Caractacu ...

s opposite Rachael Beck as

Truly Scrumptious Truly Scrumptious is a fictional character in the 1968 film ''Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'' and stage production based on the children's novel of the same name by author Ian Fleming. In the film the character is portrayed by Sally Ann Howes, after ...

in an Australian touring production of the musical ''

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang ''Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'' is a 1968 musical-fantasy film directed by Ken Hughes with a screenplay co-written by Roald Dahl and Hughes, loosely based on Ian Fleming's novel '' Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang: The Magical Car'' (1964). The film stars ...

''. The inaugural Australian cruise of the performing arts on the in November 2014 included Hobson as well as, among others, Cheryl Barker,

Colin Lane Colin Stuart Lane (born 25 March 1965) is an Australian comedian, actor and TV host, best known for being one-half of comedy duo Lano and Woodley. Lano and Woodley Lane performed with fellow comedian Frank Woodley as part of the duo Lano and ...

Simon Tedeschi Simon Tedeschi (born 1 May 1981) is an Australian classical pianist and writer. Early life Tedeschi was born in Gosford to Mark Tedeschi QC, Senior Crown Prosecutor for New South Wales, and doctor Vivienne Tedeschi, the daughter of a Polis ...

Elaine Paige Elaine Jill Paige (née Bickerstaff; born 5 March 1948) is an English singer and actress, best known for her work in musical theatre. Raised in Barnet, Hertfordshire, Paige attended the Aida Foster Theatre School, making her first professiona ...

, Marina Prior, and

Jonathon Welch Jonathon Charles Welch (born 5 October 1958) is an Australian choral conductor, opera singer and voice teacher. As a singer, Welch has been a tenor for the Victoria State Opera, Lyric Opera of Queensland and Opera Australia. During 2006 Wel ...

. Hobson made his company debut for Opera Queensland in a staged performance of Bernstein's ''Candide'' in 2015, directed by Lindy Hume. Later that year, he joined Teddy Tahu Rhodes, Lisa McCune and Greta Bradman for a tour of the five Australian mainland state capitals and Auckland and Christchurch, New Zealand – where

Jennifer Ward-Lealand ' Jennifer Cecily Ward-Lealand (born 8 November 1962) is a New Zealand theatre and film actor, director, teacher and intimacy coordinator. She has worked for 40 years, appearing in over 120 theatre performances: Greek, Shakespeare, drama, come ...

replaced McCune – From Broadway to La Scala.

Other activities

Hobson was mentor to model and TV host

Erika Heynatz Erika Heynatz (born 25 March 1975) is an Australian Model (person), model, actress, singer, and television personality. She joined long-running Australian TV series ''Home and Away'' in June 2015, as villainous biology teacher Charlotte King (Ho ...

when they won the

Seven Network The Seven Network (commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is a major Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, and is one of ...

reality singing show, '' It Takes Two'' in 2006, and returned in the 2007 season to partner celebrity Mimi Macpherson. In late 2007 Hobson appeared in ''

Dancing with the Stars ''Dancing with the Stars'' is the name of various international television series based on the format of the British TV series '' Strictly Come Dancing'', which is distributed by BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the form ...

'' Series 7, with he and his mentor, Karina Schembri, finishing in third place. In 2008 he resumed his more familiar role of mentor to win ''It Takes Two'' Series 3, with

Julia Morris Julia Carolyn Margaret Morris (born 20 April 1968) is an Australian comedian, television presenter and actress who has worked extensively in Australian television and radio, touring the country with her solo comedy shows. She relocated to the Un ...

. In 2000, Hobson became the Inaugural Patron of the Ballarat Arts Foundation, and continues in that capacity. At the end of March 2008, Musica Viva Australia announced Hobson's appointment as the Musica Viva in Schools Ambassador for a programme to raise an awareness of the importance of music education in Australian schools. In 2019, Hobson made a guest appearance on

The Wiggles The Wiggles are an Australian children's music group formed in Sydney in 1991. The group are currently composed of Anthony Field, Lachlan Gillespie, Simon Pryce and Tsehay Hawkins, as well as supporting members Evie Ferris, John Pearce, C ...

, performing a reworked version of

Funiculì, Funiculà "Funiculì, Funiculà" (, en, "Funicular Up, Funicular Down") is a Neapolitan song composed in 1880 by Luigi Denza to lyrics by Peppino Turco. It was written to commemorate the opening of the first funicular railway on Mount Vesuvius. It was p ...

alongside fellow Australian opera singer (and current Red Wiggle) Simon Pryce.

Private life

Hobson's early life was spent in

with parents Kathleen and Phil and siblings Anne, Jane, Ruth and Fiona. He met his wife,

ballerina A ballet dancer ( it, ballerina fem.; ''ballerino'' masc.) is a person who practices the art of classical ballet. Both females and males can practice ballet; however, dancers have a strict hierarchy and strict gender roles. They rely on ye ...

Amber Simpson, when they performed together in 1992 in ''

''. They married in 1997. They have two children; daughter Madi (born 1998) and son Sam (born 2001).

Discography

Several of Hobson's operatic performances are available on DVD, and his CD albums include ''Inside This Room'' (a collaboration with

David Hirschfelder David Hirschfelder (born 18 November 1960, Ballarat, Victoria) is an Australian musician, film score composer and performer. As a musician he has been a member of Little River Band and John Farnham Band. He has composed film scores for many film ...

), ''Cinema Paradiso'' (film songs), ''Tenor and Baritone'' (with

Anthony Warlow Anthony Warlow (born 18 November 1961) is an Australian musical theatre performer, noted for his character acting and considerable vocal range. He is a classically trained lyric baritone and made his debut with the Australian Opera in 1980. ...

), ''The Exquisite Hour'' (a collection of French art songs) and ''The Promise'' (his arrangements of an eclectic selection of songs from musicals, pop, etc., and two of his own compositions), which achieved Gold status within three weeks of release in November 2007. His 2008 album, ''A Little Closer'', covers classic pop songs and features two more of his compositions. His CD ''Enchanted Way'', featuring mainly Celtic folksongs of the British Isles, was released in 2010.

DVDs

* 1989: ''

'',

Australian Opera Opera Australia is the principal opera company in Australia. Based in Sydney, its performance season at the Sydney Opera House accompanied by the Opera Australia Orchestra runs for approximately eight months of the year, with the remainder of ...

, DVD * 1991: ''

'', DVD * 1993: ''

'' with Cheryl Barker, directed by

, DVD * 1994: ''

'', DVD * 2005: ''

'', ''

'', Opera Australia, DVD * 2010: ''

'', Opera Australia, DVD * 2011: ''

'', DVD

Albums

Charting singles

Awards and nominations

ARIA Awards

The

ARIA Music Awards The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (commonly known informally as ARIA Music Awards, ARIA Awards, or simply the ARIAs) is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Austr ...

are presented annually since 1987 by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). ! , - ,

1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently s ...

, , "

Now Until the Break of Day "Now Until the Break of Day" is song credited to " Bazmark presents Christine Anu and David Hobson with Royce Doherty". It is included on Luhrmann's debut studio album, ''Something for Everybody'' (1998). The track peaked at number 50 in Austral ...

" , , ARIA Award for Best Video (directed by

) , , , , ARIA Award previous winners. , - ,

2002 File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...

, , ''Handel: Arias'' , , ARIA Award for Best Classical Album , , , , rowspan="3" , ARIA Award previous winners. , - ,

2009 File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; Protests ...

, , ''You'll Never Walk Alone'' (with

) , , Best Classical Album , , , - ,

2010 File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...

, , ''Enchanted Way'' , , Best Classical Album , ,

Mo Awards

The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards), were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. (wins only) , - , 1993 , David Hobson , Operatic Performance of the Year , , -

Other awards and nominations

* The Handel Society International Recording Prize Nomination ~ ''Handel Arias'' 2003 * AFI (Australian Film Institute), APRA (Australian Performing Rights Association), Inside Film Awards Nominations, and the

Film Critics Circle of Australia The Film Critics Circle of Australia (FCCA) is an association of cinema critics and reviewers. It includes journalists in "media, television, major national and state papers, radio, national and state, online and freelance writers, Australian ...

Award for Best Music Score, '' One Perfect Day'' 2004

References

External links

David Hobson official website

Biography

*
"Maybe it's time to break the mould?"
by Jill Sykes, ''Opera~Opera'', November 2006
David Hobson
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'', with Cheryl Barker, Opera Australia 1993 * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hobson, David 1960 births Living people Australian male composers Australian composers Australian operatic tenors People from Ballarat Singing talent show winners Musicians from Victoria (Australia)