Biography

Born in Melbourne in 1962, Lucas made his professional operatic debut at the age of 12 with the Australian Opera as the 'Shepherd Boy' in Tosca in 1974.

1983

He began classical singing training with Bettine McCaughan in 1983 while studying for a Diploma of Music at the Melba Conservatorium, Melbourne. In 1984 he was accepted into the Victoria State Opera (now Opera Australia) and performed in virtually every opera mounted by them between 1984 and 1991.

1989

In 1989 Lucas began a three year part-time Diploma course at the Victorian College of the Arts studying at the Opera Studio. He performed there as Marcello in La Bohème and Count Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro.

1990

In February 1990 he became one of eight young artists with the Victoria State Opera. During this time he was trained for solo roles in upcoming seasons including Dancairo in Carmen. After that he travelled to London for three months to train with Audrey Langford before returning to understudy and perform Dr Malatesta in Don Pasquale in September 1990.

1991

His engagements as a soloist for the Victoria State Opera have included many other understudies such as Figaro in The Barber of Seville in 1990, Count Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro and Prince Yamadori in Madama Butterfly in 1991. He also performed the role of The Imperial Commissioner in Madama Butterfly in 1991.

Lucas enjoyed considerable success in Australian singing competitions, winning the Australian Singing Competition in 1989. He competed as one of six finalists for the 1991 Royal Opera House, Covent Garden Scholarship and was placed second in the 1991 Metropolitan Opera Auditions.

1992

In February 1992 he moved to London to further his career, taking lessons from Margaret Lobo, Jeffrey Nielson-Taylor and Ludmilla Andrew.

In August '92 and July '93 he participated in the Brereton International Music Symposium summer school for singers, working extensively with Thomas Hampson.

Roles performed in 1992 were Coppelius and Dapertutto in The Tales of Hoffmann for Chelmsford Opera, Dr Falke in Die Fledermaus for Surrey Opera, Marcello in La Bohème for Welwyn Opera and Schaunard in La Bohème for Regency Opera. In 1993 he performed Ping in Turandot for the Anglia Polytechnic University, Cambridge, Figaro in The Barber of Seville for Court Opera in Holland Park, London, Guglielmo in Cosi fan tutte for Court Opera and Escamillo in Carmen for Opera South. He also began studying at the National Opera Studio in London, sponsored by the Friends of Covent Garden, which he completed in May 1994.

1994

He made his Glyndebourne debut in June 1994 as Count Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro when Andreas Schmidt fell ill. Other engagements for 1994 included Rossini's Figaro (Court Opera), chorus and roles in the Wexford Festival and the Brahms Requiem for Leicester University.

1995/96

In 1995 he understudied Count Almaviva for Welsh National Opera, performed Morales and understudied Escamillo for the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in a tour to Jerusalem and performed Zurga in The Pearl Fishers for the Victoria State Opera in Australia. In 1996 he has performed Don Giovanni for the Athens Concert Hall, directed by Ruggero Raimondi, Frédéric in Lakmé for the Victoria State Opera and Don Giovanni for Opera Atelier in Toronto.

1997

In January 1997 he was understudy for Thomas Allen as Le Baron in Chérubin for the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and in February and October he understudied Escamillo for Welsh National Opera. He also performed in the Brahms German Requiem for the London Oriana Choir. Then in May he was understudy for Harlequin in Ariadne on Naxos for the English National Opera. In June he performed Don Giovanni again for Opera Atelier , on this occasion at the NAC in Ottawa. Following on from this he was Marcello in La Bohème in a tour for European Chamber Opera at the Cheltenham Music Festival. In August he made his debut in the role of Eugene Onegin at Holland Park, Central London, a role he then understudied for the English National Opera.

1998

Performances for European Chamber Opera in 1998 include Marcello, Sharpless, Escamillo and Enrico (Lucia di Lamermoor). In September he toured with Mid-Wales Opera as Papageno.

1999

Perfomances in 1999 began with Silvio in Pagliacci for New Sussex Opera and then his debut as Germont Pére in La traviata for London City Opera on a tour to France, performing in Evreux, Bourgoin and Paris. In April and May he performed for Music Theatre Kernow as Belcore in L'Elisir d'Amore and then in June for Opera Brava as Don Giovanni. Also in June he performed the role of Procolo in a Donizetti comic-opera Viva la Mamma at the Northampton Guildhall.

2000

Performances in 2000 include Zurga (The Pearl Fishers) for Opera Australia in the Melbourne season in April, the role of Herodod in Massenet's Herodiade for the Anna Livia Festival in Dublin, Ireland in June, an appearance in the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra ‘Classical Spectacular’ in August, a recital at the Melba Hall in Melbourne on 9th September and a performance of ‘Carmina Burana’ with the Melbourne Chorale in the Melbourne Concert Hall on the 29th September.

2001

The year 2001 included Opera in the Alps, Opera in the Vineyard, Opera in the Market, Zurga in The Pearl Fishers in Perth for West Australian Opera, two roles in Andréa Chenier for Opera Australia, Federation concerts and a Mozart Mass with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

2002

In 2002 Lucas continued with recitals and workshops for Victorian College of the Arts, Melba Conservatorium and the Canberra School of Music. His continueing association with Opera Australia included the roles of Silvio (I Pagliacci) and Escamillo in the Sydney seasons.

2003

Principle roles performed in 2003 were Sharpless and Yamadori (Butterfly) for Opera Australia.

2004

In 2004 he performed the role of Zurga in The Pearl Fishers in the Opera In The Domain in Sydney (January). He also continued to teach singing at Monash University, Victoria. Further performances included the role of Valentin in Faust for West Australian Opera (August) and the premiere performance of the new Victorian quartet 'Glisten' at the Melbourne International Music Festival (October). Following this was the role of St. Brioche in The Merry Widow for Opera Australia (November/December).

2005

In 2005 Lucas has performed a cycle composed by Sarah de Jong titled 'Mountain Songs of New Zealand' in Christchurch and at The Hermitage at Mount Cook. At the same time he performed the premiere of a new Australian work by Sarah de Jong 'Songs of Odysseus'. Two CDs were released in 2005: 'The Music of Henry Handel Richardson' (PLC, Melbourne) and the Brahms Requiem (Royal Melbourne Philharmonic). Lucas also performed for the Queensland Music Festival in Opera In the Winery at Jimbour, Darby QLD.

2006

In 2006 Lucas performed the role of Germont in La traviata for Opera at De Bortolis winery and toured as Don Giovanni for Melbourne Opera around Victoria.

2007

In 2007 he performed the lead role in an Australian premiere of the opera Nelson, composed by Melbourne composer Stuart Greenbaum, at the Castlemaine Arts Festival. In October Lucas was appointed as the Musical Director for the Melbourne Welsh Male Choir (MWMC) - a major community choir in Melbourne with a membership of over 50 men with performances every month.

2008

Lucas performed the role of Marcello in Puccini's La bohème for Melbourne Opera during 2008, touring Victoria. He performed at several concerts as conductor and soloist for the MWMC and concluded the year performing the role of Ping in Turandot for Opera Queenslend.

2009

Lucas performed for Melbourne Opera again in 2009 in the role of Germont in La traviata, this time in English, performing in Melbourne, Warrnambool and Hobart. Performances continued to great acclaim with the MWMC. He followed this with performances of Scarpia in Tosca in October, 2009, for Melbourne Opera in the Atheneum Theatre, Melbourne, and in Hobart.

2010

In 2010 Lucas continued his work and performances as Musical Director for the MWMC, performing in the Hamer Hall and the Robert Blackwood Hall, Melbourne, and was instrumental on the release of their 2010 CD ‘You Raise Me Up’. He did one concert performance of Scarpia in Tosca in Sky City, Darwin in June 2010.

2011

2011 saw Lucas performing in the first ‘Diva And The Dutchman’ duo concert in Stratford, Victoria. The night was a great success and will surely lead to more. MWMC concerts continued every month. In August he performed in the Richard Wagner project ‘The Curse of the Ring’ with Prof. David Kram, and in October he performed Dancairo in Carmen for Melbourne Opera.

2012

Performances as Dancairo for Melbourne Opera’s Carmen and for The Ring. Wagner. Animated. continued during 2012, with performances in Adelaide, Wangaratta, Geelong and Frankston. The MWMVC concerts every month keep Lucas very busy and heavily involved with choral work.

2013

In 2013 Lucas completed a Graduate Diploma of Music at the University of Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. This qualification was a much sought after goal for Lucas. This has propelled Lucas into further study in 2014 and improved his teaching and conducting skills enormously.

2014

In 2014 Lucas and the Melbourne Welsh Choir performed in Salzburg and Vienna and Lucas went on to perform in Ameland, The Netherlands, in July to great acclaim.

2015

Performances in 2015 continued the full schedule of choir performances with the Melbourne Welsh Male Choir, including a Melbourne Recital Centre performance featuring Teddy Tahu Rhodes on 15 November.

2016

Lucas resigned from the Melbourne Welsh Male Choir in 2015 and took the role of Music Director for the Melbourne Male Choir in February 2016. In May he performed the Mahler song cycle ‘Lieder eines fahrenden gesellen’ in Melbourne with ‘La fraternita di solisti’. In June he performed a concert of Tchaikovsky Romances with Rada Tochalna and Janis Cook for Art Song Canberra, and in July he commenced the regional touring production of The Marriage of Figaro with Opera Australia, performing the role of Count Almaviva, performing in 20 cities and towns in the east coast of Australia. In November he conducted an opera highlights concert with the Maroondah Symphony Orchestra in the George Wood Theatre in Ringwood, Victoria.

In December 2016 Lucas graduated from the University of Melbourne Conservatorium with a Master of Music (Performance Teaching).

2017

In 2017 Lucas continues with the Melbourne Male Choir. He performed the role of Monterone in Rigoletto for Cordelia Potted Opera and will perform the solo baritone part in the German Requiem by Johannes Brahms, performed by the Star Chorale of Melbourne in the Recital Centre, Melbourne. He also performed in Samson in the part of Manoah for Camberwell Chorale in the Hawthorn Arts Centre.

2018

In 2018 the Melbourne Male Choir closed. Lucas became involved with ‘Singularity’ in Ferntree Gully performing the role of Strephon in Iolanthe performing in suburban and rural venues. He went on to conduct the Singularity choir in some local concerts.

In August Lucas performed the role of Marquis de la Force in Dialogues of the Carmelites by Francis Poulenc with the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music at the Abbotsford Convent and in September performed with Camberwell Chorale in The Creation by Haydn, singing the part of Adam.

2019

In 2019 Lucas performed at Lt. Tuckey in the Australian premiere of the opera ‘Buckley’, composed by Antony Ransom, in Rosebud. He also conducted 6 performances of Patience for Singularity Choir and performed as Schaunard in La bohème for Opera Van Diemensland in Ballan, Ballarat and Abbotsford. He also was appointed the Music Director of Cranbourne Chorale in February with several concerts throughout the year in eluding ‘On With The Show’ in July and ‘Carmina Burana’ with Casey Orchestra in September. In October Lucas was appointed the Music Director of Savoy Opera Company in Melbourne, conducting all future productions.

2022

Performances of ‘Orpheus in the Underworld’ were completed in March 2022 to great success for Savoy Opera. Cranbourne Chorale did their first ferformance for the year in April, the first performance for 2 years due to the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown.