Vale Jacqueline Dark

The eminent Australian opera and musical theatre artist JACQUELINE DARK has passed away after a long illness. She died at St. George Private Hospital last night - October 3rd, 2023.

 

A dual Helpmann Award-winner, Jacqui’s most recent performances included The Mother Abbess in the National Tour of The Sound of Music, Herodias in Opera Australia’s Salome and Fricka in their revival of Der Ring des Nibelungen, Santuzza in Cavalleria rusticana for State Opera South Australia, the title role in Rufus Wainwright’s Prima Donna for the Adelaide Festival, Berenice in Farnace for Pinchgut Opera, Mrs Sedley in Peter Grimes for the Brisbane Festival and major concerts with the Sydney, Melbourne, West Australian and New Zealand Symphony Orchestras.

 

She was due to sing Wellgunde in Sydney Symphony’s Das Rheingold this November and feature in a starring role for Opera Australia in 2024.

Jacqui won a Helpmann Award for her portrayal of Herodias in Opera Australia’s production of Salome, later singing the same role for Opera Hong Kong. In August 2014, she received her second consecutive Helpmann Award – for her work as Fricka in Opera Australia’s Der Ring des Nibelungen.

 

Australian tenor Kanen Breen (with whom Jacqui shared a son) said earlier today: “…the love of her life was our boy Xander and, from the moment he existed, she did it all for him.”

 

Her agent Patrick Togher said: “Jacqui’s magnificent voice and magnetic stage presence entrenched her place in Australia’s musical history; her indefatigably upbeat personality will be long remembered.”