Samuel Dundas

Beethoven Symphony No. 9, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra 
“‘. . . an impressive quartet of soloists, Dundas, in particular, bringing a real operatic vigour to his opening call for freedom.”
William Dart, New Zealand Herald, March 2023  

Voss, State Opera South Australia 
“Samuel Dundas is truly excellent as Voss, capturing his failings (his indecisiveness, egocentricity and alienation) in an affecting way. He is equally fine in his love for Laura and the ultimately Christ-like spreading of his life-blood upon the firmament. Dundas is a fine dramatic, committed singer who moves effortlessly from naïve Romantic musing to true understanding through love which redeems him.”
Brett Allen-Bayes, Limelight, May 2022 

“Samuel Dundas was an imposing figure, both physically and vocally, in the title role. His voice has a rich, dark, even quality, and there is an impressive intensity and suppressed violence in his performance.”
Michael Halliwell, ABR, May 2022

“Baritone Samuel Dundas, in what is arguably his greatest role so far, sang a very convincing Voss.”
Brian Angus, Bachtrack, May 2022

La bohème, Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour, Opera Australia
“…Sustaining a focused, richly coloured timbre, baritone Samuel Dundas was an energetic and sympathetic Marcello.”
Murray Black, The Australian, March 23 2018

“…Popular baritone Dundas completes the journey from Young Artist to true leading man, delivering a magnetic, involving performance.  Of all the singers, Dundas’ voice seems best suited to the microphones, resulting in his vocals being the most impressive in a cast of highly capable singers.”
Simon Parris,  simonparrismaninchair.com, March 23 2018

Major role debuts featured amongst Samuel Dundas’ recent engagements as he performed Wolfram (Tannhäuser) for Opera Australia, the Count (Capriccio) for Victorian Opera, and Donner (Das Rheingold) for Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Simone Young conducting. He also returned to both the TSO and WASO for Faure’s Requiem, to West Australian Opera for Marcello (La Bohème) and appeared in the opening concert of Perth Festival, Music of the Spheres. Samuel also created the title role in Richard Mills’ new opera, Galileo.

In recent seasons Samuel has appeared in the role of Aphron in The Golden Cockerel for Adelaide Festival, as Marcello and the title role (Voss) for State Opera South Australia, Marcello also for Opera Australia, Beethoven Symphony No. 9 and Mozart‘s Requiem for Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Carmina Burana for Festival of Voices, Hobart and Adelaide Symphony, Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol for Victorian Opera, and given recitals including The Wanderer’s Life in Burnie, for the Ten Days on the Island Festival, for Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, and in the Chamber Landscapes series at Ukaria for Adelaide Festival.

Samuel joined Opera Australia as a member of the Moffatt Oxenbould Young Artist program and subsequently became a principal artist with the company, where his many roles include Marcello, Guglielmo (Così fan tutte), Papageno and Priest (The Magic Flute), Dr Malatesta (Don Pasquale), Belcore (The Elixir of Love), Silvio (Pagliacci), Marquis (La Traviata), Prosdocimo (Il turco in Italia), Yamadori (Madama Butterfly), Masetto (Don Giovanni), Ceprano (Rigoletto), Pish Tush (The Mikado), Morales (Carmen), Gaoler (Tosca), Sid (Albert Herring), Fiorello, Ambrogio and Notary as well as covering Figaro (The Barber of Seville), Doctor/Inquisitor/Judge/Stanislaus (Candide), Handsome (La Fanciulla del West), Cascada (The Merry Widow) and Starveling (A Midsummer Night’s Dream). He has also taken the title role in Opera Australia’s Regional Tour of Don Giovanni and the roles of the High Priest, Politician and The Reporter in Sydney Opera House: The Opera, celebrating Opera Australia’s 60^th Anniversary Season on the steps of the Sydney Opera House.

Further opera engagements include the title role in Ned Kelly (Styles) commissioned by Lost & Found Opera and Perth Festival; Dancairo and Morales in Carmen for State Opera South Australia; Count Carl Magnus Malcolm in A Little Night Music for Victorian Opera; Papageno for New Zealand Opera; Marcello for Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour; Enrico, Count Almaviva (The Marriage of Figaro) and Valentin (Faust) for West Australian Opera; Marcello in Hanoi, Vietnam and Morales and Mercutio (Romeo and Juliet) in concert performances with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra.

After making his operatic debut with Opera Queensland in 2005, Samuel went on to become a member of Victorian Opera’s Artist Development program.He has since performed the title role in Don Giovanni, Papageno, Golaud (Pelléas et Mélisande), Harasta (The Cunning Little Vixen), Guglielmo, Belcore, Harlequin (Ariadne auf Naxos), the Second Soldier (The Love of the Nightingale), Creon/The Messenger (Oedipus Rex) and Chief Clerk (Metamorphosis), as well as Schaunard in the Puccini: The Sacred and Profane Gala concert.

Further concert engagements have included Fauré Requiem with the Sydney and Melbourne Symphony Orchestras, Carmina Burana with the Adelaide and West Australian Symphony Orchestras, Brahms Requiem with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Chorus and Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, Opera Under The Stars, Broome, and the inaugural concert at the Melbourne Recital Centre in Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music.

Samuel Dundas is a graduate of the Melba Conservatorium of Music, winner of the Lady Fairfax New York Scholarship and was the proud recipient of the inaugural Dame Heather Begg Award.

Samuel Dundas is managed by Graham Pushee: graham@artsmanagement.com.au
February 2024
  This biography is for general information purposes only and not for publication.
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