The company was established in 2008 primarily as a training repertory company for aspiring opera singers, and répétiteurs, directors and designers. It was first named "The Opera School Melbourne" and then "The Opera Studio Melbourne". Its creative staff include Linda Thompson, Brian Castles-Onion AM. Creative teams have included Gale Edwards AM, costume designer Tim Chappel, Geraldine Turner AM, and Luke Leonard. Conductors have included Brian Castles-Onion AM, Tianyi Lu, Patrick Burns, Benjamin Northey, and Dr David Kram. Staff members have included Andrea Katz, and Cameron Menzies. In 2013 the Studio named its performing company Gertrude Opera, after Gertrude Johnson incorporating the Studio stage performance program.
Productions
The company’s repertoire spans Australian premieres, new works, and children's/family opera. "mini-festivals" and major productions. In later years, the company has become known for Australian premieres and staging of contemporary works and treatments. In 2015 the company founded Australia's only international opera festival International collaborators include Monk Parrots and Glyndebourne.
Gertrude Opera runs an annual international Studio Young Artist program, building bridges to new audiences and a platform for professional growth.
2009
2010
2011
2012
Hadleigh Adams
Stacey Alleaume
Ashlyn Tymms
Blake Bowden
Stacey Alleaume
Sophie Yelland
Nathan Lay
Eric Ferrer
Kari Lyon
Cameron Lukey
Nicholas Dinopoulos
Li Yang
Alison Lemoh
Greg Eldridge
Daniel Sinfield
Samantha Chong
Nathan Lay
Hannah Dahlenburg
Caitlin McNab
Kristan Gregory
Nicholas Dinopoulos
Rhiannon Stevens
Rhiannon Stephens
Tim Jaques
Daniel Sinfield
Joachin Quilez-Marin
Bernard Leon
Laura Parkes
David Costello
Kristain Gregory
Raphael Wong
Jane Matheson
Diipti Firmstone
Caitlin McNab
Juel Flemming
Amy Spruce
Rosel Labone
Jessica Kinsella
Alyssa Peacock
Timothy Jaques
Eric Ferrer
Emma Wheeler
Kristain Gregory
Na'ama Goldman
Caitlin McNab
Samantha Chong
Stephanie Falkiner
Adam Bryce
Bethany McAleer
Emma Wheeler
Yana Georgiou
2017
2018
2019
Brigette de Poi
Georgia Wilkinson
Georgia Wilkinson
Juliet Dufour
Louise Keast
Naomi Flatman
Joshua Erdelyi-Götz
Yu Lin
Morgan Carter
Darcy Carroll
Ella Broome
NuoLin OuYang
Lisa Parker
Zachary McCulloch
Sheridan Hughes
Shir Rozzen
Naomi Flatman
Joshua Oxley
Bethany Hill
Chloe Wood
Victoria Thomasch
Allegra Giagu
Juan-David Guzman
Frances Kruske
Elizabeth Chennell
Hannah Peel
Alexandra Amerides
Nigel Huckle
Harry Grigg
Leo Williams
Awards and honours
In 2018, and again in 2019, Gertrude Opera won OperaChaser’s Outstanding Production by an Independent Company Award for the Australian premieres of The Handmaid's Tale and The Enchanted Pig.
