As an HSBC Laureate with the Festival D’Aix-en-Provence, member of the Opernhaus Zürich International Opera Studio and winner of the Australian Opera Awards, New Zealand Tenor Jonathan Abernethy has established himself as a vibrant and upcoming operatic artist.
For the 2018/19 season Jonathan will perform on opera and concert stages throughout Australia and Europe. He performs with West Australian Opera as Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni), with Canberra Choral Society (Mozart Requiem and Haydn Nelson Mass) and as tenor soloist for performances of Handel’s Messiah in both Sydney and Melbourne Town Hall. In 2019, Jonathan returns to Europe with Theatre Champs Elysees (Brighella, Ariadne auf Naxos), followed by performances of St. John Passion and a tour of Mozart’s Requiem throughout France with Insula Orchestra, conducted by renowned Laurence Equilbey.

Past opera performances include: with Opernhaus Zürich, Trin (Fancuilla), First Prisoner (Fidelio), 4th Jew (Salome), 4th Knappe (Parsifal), Toby Higgins (Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny); Festival D’aix-en-Provence, Brighella (Ariadne auf Naxos), Diarte (Erismena); Opera Australia, Ferrando (Così fan tutte), Tamino (The Magic Flute), Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni), Fenton (Falstaff), Nadir (Les Pêcheurs de Perles), Ruiz (Il Trovatore), Normanno (Lucia di Lammermoor), Count Lerma (Don Carlos), Remendado (Carmen); West Australian Opera, Nadir (Les Pêcheurs de Perles); New Zealand Opera, Nanki-poo (The Mikado).

Concert highlights include: in recital, Chants du Voyageur (HSBC Recital, Festival D’Aix-en-Provence); a concert performance of Carmen and the Gilbert and Sullivan Spectacular (Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra); Great Opera Hits at the Sydney Opera House and Salon Recital Series Liederabend (Opera Australia); tenor soloist in Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, Handel’s Messiah and Mozart’s Requiem at the Sydney Opera House (Sydney Philharmonia Choirs); Beethoven 9th Symphony (Dunedin Symphony Orchestra).

Jonathan is a past member of the Opera Australia Young Artist Program, International Meistersinger Akademie, Festival D’Aix-en-Provence Mozart Residency, Solti Accademia and Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute Chicago. During this training, he had the opportunity to work with distinguished artists Richard Bonynge, James Conlon and Leo Nucci.