Soprano Leah Thomas wins
Mietta Song Recital Award 2003

Soprano Leah Thomas, 24, of Sydney won the prestigious Mietta Song Recital Award 2003 at the Victorian College of the Arts’ Federation Hall last night.

Judge and Award patron Maestro Richard Bonynge awarded Leah with a prize package of about $15,000 including funding for language and voice classes overseas, accommodation and travel grants.

“Leah chose a fantastically varied program which showed all facets of her talents and resulted in a fine performance,” said Maestro Bonynge.

Leah presented 12 songs by four different composers and in four different languages - Norwegian, German, French and Argentinean

Leah was elated about winning her first award. “The Mietta Song Recital Award allows singers to perform a repertoire that is not widely encouraged,” she said.

Leah completed a Bachelor of Music at Sydney Conservatorium in 2000. She was awarded the Helen Myers Vocal Scholarship in 1997 and 1999. Recent career highlights include Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with the Sydney Philharmonia and Voices of Light with the Australian Chamber Orchestra in the Sydney Festival.

Leah was accompanied by pianist Bethany Cook from Sydney.

Eight semi finalists from across Australia and New Zealand performed for judges Richard Bonynge, Marilyn Richardson and Peter Burch during the two-day competition, including Mezzo-Soprano Joanne Goodman of Sydney, who won the Encouragement Award.

A fabulously rich repertoire, Art Song (Lieder) allows the singer to perform a glorious marriage of poetry and music in an intensely personal style with a range of emotions and expressions.

The successful relaunch of the competition, in honour of Mietta O’Donnell’s love and contribution to the arts, was strongly welcomed by the arts community.

Award patrons are Dame Joan Sutherland, Yvonne Kenny, Richard Bonynge and Mietta’s mother, Maria O’Donnell.

Leah Thomas

In 2000 soprano Leah Thomas completed a Bachelor of Music at Sydney Conservatorium. She holds Associate Diploma of Music from the A.M.E.B and studies voice with Maree Ryan, continuing Diploma of Opera study.

Awards include first in the Oratorio section (1999) and finalist in the Joan Sutherland Vocal Scholarship (1999 and 2000) at the Sydney Performing Arts Challenge. She was awarded the Helen Myers Vocal Scholarship in 1997 and 1999. Leah was finalist in the Symphony Australia Young Performers Awards in Hobart in 2001 and was semi-finalist in the Australian Singing Competition the same year.

Solo performances have included Beethoven’s Fantasie for Piano, Chorus and Orchestra, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Bach’s Gottes Zeit, Mendelssohn's Elijah, Bach’s St John Passion and soprano solo in Handel’s Messiah.

Recent highlights include Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with the Sydney Philharmonia and Voices of Light with the Australian Chamber Orchestra in the Sydney Festival.