Underground Opera Cast
Lionel Theunissen
Lionel Theunissen was born in Brisbane, Australia. He commenced
vocal studies at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music in 1991, studying with the renowned Australian tenor, Donald Smith OBE, and
continued his studies with Joseph Ward OBE, completing a Bachelor of
Music (Voice) degree in 1995. His Conservatorium awards include the
Lewis B.J. Reid prize for 1991, the Donald Penman prize for voices in
combination for 1992, the Victoria League Betty Fadden bursary for 1993,
and the Italian Lyric Diction prize for 1994. He was also a finalist in the
1995 and 1996 Shell Covent Garden Scholarships, won the Bathurst
Singer of the Year Competition in 1996, and the Brisbane Musical Theatre
competition in 1998 and 2000.
Lionel has performed repertoire ranging from Broadway musicals through to grand opera, and has appeared extensively as a soloist and in ensemble with choral and chamber groups.
Lionels' roles include Mr. Redburn in the Australian premiere of Benjamin Britten's Billy Budd, Frilly in Snugglepot and Cuddlepie - The Musicall, Dulcamara in L'elisir d'amore, the title role in the world premiere season of Elijah - The Opera, Michele in Puccini's II Tabarro, Javert in Les Miserables, and the Wolf in the Brisbane premiere season of Sondheim's Into the Woods.
In 1997, Lionel was selected for Opera Queenslands' Young Artist Program and performed the roles of Malatesta in Don Pasquale and Marcello in La Boheme. In 1998 he performed the challenging role of the Hotel Manager in the Australian premiere of Thomas Ades' chamber opera Powder Her Face for the Brisbane Festival. He also appeared in the Brisbane Festival production of Kiss Me Kate, for which he covered renowned baritone Thomas Allen in the lead role.
In 2005, Lionel performed the dual role of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in the Toowoomba Choral Society production of Jekyll & Hyde - The Musical to critical acclaim.
