Winners of the inaugural OperaChaser Critics Awards (OCCAs) have been announced on Wednesday 4 February 2026.
Established by local Melbourne opera critic Paul Selar, the OCCAs were conceived as a way of pausing to take stock of the year’s operatic activity in Melbourne and its surrounds, to acknowledge the breadth of talent involved and to offer recognition to artists and practitioners whose work upholds and demonstrates outstanding artistry, artistic interpretation and commitment.
Following a strict voting process, winners across 11 categories were announced online via social media platforms X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky after nominations were announced in late December 2025.
From a total of 25 productions, including those from major and independent companies, as well as professionally guided productions for developing young and emerging artists, Victorian Opera’s Katya Kabanova took the year’s honours for Outstanding Production.
Victorian Opera’s Katya Kabanova picked up a further two awards with Adelaide-based soprano Desiree Frahn winning the OCCA for Outstanding Female in a Leading Role as the titular character, while Niklas Pajanti took out the OCCA for Outstanding Lighting Designer.
In the company’s production of Abduction, Europe-based Australian lyric bass Luke Stoker won the OCCA for Outstanding Male in a Supporting Role for his performance as Osmin.
Proving that directorial excellence can blend performance arts with sublime results, Yaron Lifschitz, artistic director and CEO of Australian contemporary circus company, Circa, won the OCCA for Outstanding Director for Orpheus and Eurydice, an Opera Queensland and Circa production, presented by Opera Australia.
The production also picked up the OCCA for Outstanding Male in a Leading Role with British countertenor Iestyn Davies’ portrayal of Orfeo and a third for Outstanding Chorus.
Melbourne Opera scored with February’s ambitious production of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. British conductor Anthony Negus, whose long association with Wagner and Melbourne Opera’s ongoing productions of his work, won the OCCA for Outstanding Conductor.
The production also took out awards for Outstanding Female in a Supporting Role with mezzo-soprano Deborah Humble’s portrayal of Magdalena and Andrew Bailey winning the OCCA for Outstanding Set Designer.
One young creative artist, Maya Anderson, set herself apart in winning the OCCA for Outstanding Costume Designer for her “superbly envisaged and executed” work in Cendrillon, presented by University of Melbourne’s Conservatorium Opera and Orchestral Performance and VCA Design and Production.
A unanimous decision was also made to give a one-off OCCA Special Award for Momentous Operatic Event to Melbourne Opera for its production of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg for its artistry, atmosphere and organisation, combined with the work’s setting within the architecture of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Royal Exhibition Building to create an historic event that will live long in memory.
The panel of six critics comprised Selar, who reviews opera for Australian Arts Review and also contributes to Limelight, Opera Magazine (UK) and Opera Today (USA), Patricia Maunder (Limelight), Heather Leviston (Classic Melbourne), Barney Zwartz (The Age), Tim Byrne (The Guardian and Australian Book Review) and Patricia Di Risio (Stage Whispers).
In a further announcement, the inaugural OperaChaser Emerging Artist Prize of $1000 was awarded to bass-baritone Henry Shaw. A graduate of the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music who completed his Masters in Writing for Performance at NIDA, Shaw’s 2025 roles included the Nightwatchman in Melbourne Opera’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Don Alfonso in the company’s Richard Divall Program production of Così fan tutte and the title role in BK Opera’s Macbeth.
Moving into its second year, 2026 will see additional categories created that give greater recognition to the smaller independent players and young developing artists. The panel will also expand to welcome two new local critics, Bridget Davies (The Age) and Peter Rose (Australian Book Review).
Winners of the OperaChaser Critics Awards:
OCCA for Outstanding Production 2025
Katya Kabanova – Victorian Opera
OCCA for Outstanding Director 2025
Yaron Lifschitz – Orpheus and Eurydice, Opera Queensland with Circa, presented by Opera Australia
OCCA for Outstanding Conductor 2025
Anthony Negus – Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Melbourne Opera
OCCA for Outstanding Male in a Leading Role 2025
Iestyn Davies (Orfeo) – Orpheus and Eurydice, Opera Queensland with Circa, presented by Opera Australia
OCCA for Outstanding Female in a Leading Role 2025
Desiree Frahn (Katya) – Katya Kabanova, Victorian Opera
OCCA for Outstanding Male in a Supporting Role 2025
Luke Stoker (Osmin) – Abduction, Victorian Opera
OCCA for Outstanding Female in a Supporting Role 2025
Deborah Humble (Magdalena) – Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Melbourne Opera
OCCA for Outstanding Chorus 2025
Opera Australia Chorus – Orpheus and Eurydice, Opera Queensland with Circa, presented by Opera Australia
OCCA for Outstanding Set Designer 2025
Andrew Bailey – Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Melbourne Opera
OCCA for Outstanding Costume Designer 2025
Maya Anderson – Cendrillon, University of Melbourne, Conservatorium Opera and Orchestral Performance and VCA Design and Production
OCCA for Outstanding Lighting Designer 2025
Niklas Pajanti – Katya Kabanova, Victorian Opera
OCCA Special Award for Momentous Operatic Event
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Melbourne Opera, performed at the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
OperaChaser Emerging Artist Prize
Henry Shaw (bass-baritone)
Images: Andrew Goodwin and Desiree Frahn in Victorian Opera’s Katya Kabanova – photo by Jeff Busby | Melbourne Opera’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg – photo by Robin Halls | Opera Australia Chorus in Opera Australia’s production of Orpheus and Eurydice (2025) – photo by Jeff Busby