Our Artists
Cheryl Barker
Cheryl studied in Melbourne with Dame Joan Hammond and in London with David Harper. She holds an honorary Doctor of Music conferred by the Victorian College of the Arts.
Cheryl’s international performances include the title role in Madama Butterfly (for English National Opera, Vlaamse Opera, Hamburg State Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Netherlands Opera, Houston Grand Opera and Opera Bastille), Sarah in the world première of The End of the Affair (for Houston Grand Opera), Jenifer in A Midsummer Marriage (for Royal Opera House Covent Garden), Tatiana in Eugene Onegin and Adina in L’elisir d’amore (for Scottish Opera), the title roles in Tosca and Salome, Oksana in Christmas Eve, Foreign Princess in Rusalka, Governess and Miss Jessel in The Turn of the Screw, Musetta in La bohème, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni and Emilia Marty in The Makropulos Case (for English National Opera), the title role in Maria Stuarda (for Nationale Reisoper), Violetta in La traviata (for Hamburg State Opera and Deutsche Oper Berlin), the title role in Suor Angelica, Giorgetta in Il tabarro, Desdemona in Otello and Liù in Turandot (for Vlaamse Opera), the title role in Kátya Kabanová (for Welsh National Opera and in Geneva), Emilia Marty in The Makropulos Affair (for Opéra national du Rhin) and the title role in Francesca da Rimini (for Opera Holland Park).
Australian engagements include the title roles in Madama Butterfly, Tosca, Jen?fa, Manon Lescaut, Rusalka and Arabella (for which she won a Green Room and a Helpmann Award), Desdemona in Otello, Nedda in Pagliacci, Countess Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro, Mimì in La bohème, Violetta in La traviata, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, Tatiana in Eugene Onegin, Emilia Marty in The Makropulos Secret and all three soprano roles in Il trittico (for Opera Australia), Violetta in La traviata (for Opera Queensland) and the title role in Madama Butterfly and Violetta in La traviata (for NBR New Zealand Opera).
On the concert platform, Cheryl has performed at the Barbican, Royal Albert Hall, Wigmore Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall and St John’s Smith Square (all in London), and at the Edinburgh, Spoleto and Melbourne Festivals. Engagements include appearances with the Hallé Orchestra, the Sydney and Queensland Symphony Orchestras, performing as the soprano soloist in Elgar’s The Kingdom (with the London Symphony Orchestra) and national tours in Australia for Musica Viva (in 2005 and 2008).
Cheryl’s recordings include Puccini Passion (Melba Recordings), Seduction & Persuasion – Opera Duets (ABC Classics), Harry Enfield’s Guide to Opera (EMI Classics), La bohème and Madama Butterfly (Opera Australia recording) and Madama Butterfly, Rusalka, The Makropulos Case, Kátya Kabanová and Dyson’s Quo Vadis (Chandos). Her performance as Madama Butterfly for Vlaamse Opera was broadcast on television in Belgium and in the Netherlands.
In October, Cheryl will perform the role of Feldmarschallin in Der Rosenkavalier (for Opera Australia).
Engagements in 2011 include the roles of Floria Tosca in Tosca for Opera Queensland and Countess in Capriccio (for Opera Australia).