Meet the Cast of The Flying Dutchman

The Dutchman

One of the most sought-after dramatic baritones of today, Grammy Award-winner Christopher Maltman has appeared to wide acclaim at the world’s leading opera houses, including the Royal Opera House, Salzburg Festival, Wiener Staatsoper, Metropolitan Opera, Bayerische Staatsoper, Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin and Teatro alla Scala. Initially renowned for his Mozart interpretations, his ever-expanding repertoire now encompasses roles such as Iago (Otello), Wotan in Wagner’s Ring cycle, Jochanaan (Salome), Hans Sachs (Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg), Scarpia (Tosca), and the title role in Enescu’s Œdipe.

Senta

Australian soprano Anna-Louise Cole has built a distinguished career on both operatic and concert stages and is particularly recognised for performing some of the most demanding roles in the dramatic soprano repertoire. At Opera Australia she has sung the title roles in Turandot and Aida, Venus in Tannhäuser, and Gerhilde and the Third Norn in the 2016 Ring cycle in Melbourne, earning Green Room Award nominations for both performances. In the company’s 2023 new production of Der Ring des Nibelungen in Brisbane, she sang Sieglinde in the first two cycles and made her debut as Brünnhilde in the third, consolidating her reputation as a leading Wagnerian soprano.

Daland

Daniel Sumegi has sung well over one hundred operatic roles on many of the world’s major stages – including the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Washington National Opera, Seattle Opera, and Australia. Regarded also for his dynamic acting, his broad repertoire encompasses all periods of music – from Monteverdi and Mozart to Britten, Tippett and Puts. Recent engagements have included Die Walküre (Singapore), Salome (Victorian Opera), Fidelio (Dublin), Bluebeard’s Castle, Aida, Lohengrin, Carmen (Opera Australia), Aida (Los Angeles) and Lady Macbeth of Mtsenk (Metropolitan Opera).

Erik

Australian tenor Paul O’Neill has performed in leading opera houses and concert halls across Europe and Australasia. With Opera Australia, he has performed Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly), Alfredo (La traviata), Rodolfo (La bohème), Narraboth (Salome), and The Duke (Rigoletto). With West Australian Opera, he has appeared as Pinkerton, Manrico (Il trovatore), the Prince (Rusalka), Don José (Carmen), Cavaradossi (Tosca), the title role in Otello, Alfredo, Rodolfo, Turiddu (Cavalleria rusticana), Canio (Pagliacci), and The Duke. He returns in 2026 as Lensky (Eugene Onegin) and Alfredo. Elsewhere in Australia, Paul has sung Macduff (Macbeth) for State Opera South Australia.

Mary

Ruth Burke is an Irish-Australian mezzo-soprano. Recent performances include Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus with West Australian Symphony Orchestra conducted by Asher Fisch, Kate Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with West Australian Opera (WAO), Second Woman/Second Witch in Dido and Aeneas (WAO), Rosina in Barber of Seville with Freeze Frame Opera (FFO), and Hansel in Hansel and Gretel (FFO). Ruth has also performed as the mezzo-soloist in Handel’s Messiah with Perth Symphonic Chorus, Mozart’s Requiem with UWA Choral Society, and Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 with Darwin Symphony.

Steersman

Tenor Andrew Goodwin has performed numerous roles on both Australian and international stage, including Fenton (Falstaff), Belmonte (Die Entführung aus dem Serail), Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni), Novice (Billy Budd), Janek (The Makropulos Secret), and Tamino (Die Zauberflöte) for Opera Australia; Tamino, Alfred (Die Fledermaus), and Lensky (Eugene Onegin) at the Bolshoi; Silvio in Martin Y Soler’s L’Arbore di Diana in Barcelona; Gomatz in Mozart’s Zaide with The Classical Opera Company, London; the title role in Stravinky’s The Rake’s Progress with Auckland Philharmonia; Boris (Katya Kabanova) with Victorian Opera; and Nadir (The Pearlfishers) for State Opera South Australia.