Luke Gabbedy completed a Diploma of Performing Arts (1996) and Bachelor of Music Performance (1998) at the West Australian Conservatorium of Music, and a Graduate Diploma of Education at the Edith Cowan University (1999). He has been a finalist in many major singing competitions including the Covent Garden National Opera Studio Scholarship, the German Operatic Award, second place in the Metropolitan Opera Young Artist Study Award, second place in the National Operatic Aria Competition and the McDonald’s Aria.

Luke was a member of the West Australian Opera Chorus from 1998 until 2002, during which time he travelled to Italy to sing Masetto in Don Giovanni at the Opera Theatre and Music Festival of Lucca. In 2002, Luke became a member of the West Australian Opera Young Artist Program, and in the same year was also invited to be a Developing Artist of the Australian Opera Studio. Roles during this time included Count Almaviva (The Marriage of Figaro), Demetrius (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Nardo (La Finta Giardiniera), Melisso (Alcina), Paris (Romeo et Juliette), Imperial Commissioner (Madama Butterfly), Anthony (Sweeney Todd), St Brioche (The Merry Widow), the Café Manager (Greek), Riccardo (The Sound Garden), and the Dryblower in Iain Grandage’s The Dryblower and the Water Girl (a new opera for children commissioned by the Australian Opera Studio).

In 2003, Luke sang the role of Escamillo in Carmen for Simply Opera, touring NSW and he subsequently became a member of Opera Australia’s chorus, singing the role of Narrator in the company’s tour of Midnite in both Melbourne and Adelaide.

Luke made his principal debut with Opera Australia as Mercutio in Romeo et Juliette in 2005, and since then has sung the title role and Fiorello in The Barber of Seville, Papageno (The Magic Flute), Zurga (The Pearfishers), Guglielmo (Così fan tutte), Danilo (The Merry Widow), Frederic (Lakmé), Aeneas (Dido & Aeneas), Sacristan (Tosca), Yamadori (Madama Butterfly), Jupiter (Orpheus in the Underworld), Cristian (Un ballo in maschera), Pish Tush (The Mikado), Giuseppe (The Gondoliers), Slim (Of Mice and Men), Donald (Billy Budd), Demetrius (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Marco (Gianni Schicchi), Marullo (Rigoletto) and Dancairo (Carmen), as well as the title role in the Opera Australia’s Tour of Don Giovanni. He has also performed the title role in The Barber of Seville, Count Almaviva (The Marriage of Figaro), Marcello (La bohème) and Silvio (Pagliacci) for West Australian Opera, and Yamadori for State Opera of South Australia.

In 2015 Luke’s performances with Opera Australia will include Papageno in The Magic Flute, Sacristan in Tosca, Ping in Turandot, Marquis in La Traviata and Deputy 2 in Don Carlos, as well as featuring in Opera Australia’s Great Opera Hits concert series at the Sydney Opera House.

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