In an announced revamp of the Annual OperaChaser Awards, critics regularly reviewing opera on the local Melbourne scene have been invited to put forward nominations for the current year and vote for awards in more than a dozen categories.
Established by Melbourne-based opera critic Paul Selar in 2015 to give personal recognition to outstanding achievements in live opera performance, the awards will be renamed the OperaChaser Critics Awards (The OCCAs).
“For some time now, it seemed natural for these awards to evolve into a format that included fellow critics and I’m thrilled with the level of enthusiasm expressed by the 5 invitees who will be participating,” Selar remarks.
“The ongoing and often exceptional work achieved by companies large and small, together with innovative approaches from those striving to connect with a wider audience, demands wider acknowledgement. Because opera remains relevant!”
“Sometimes it seems like there’s never enough but the city certainly nurtures a broad variety of options with names such as Opera Australia, Victorian Opera, Melbourne Opera, BK Opera, Australian Contemporary Opera Company, Lyric Opera Melbourne, IOpera and Forest Collective, all invested in advancing the art form,” Selar comments.
A former opera reviewer for more than 7 years at Melbourne’s Herald Sun, Selar is currently reviewing for Australian Arts Review where he has contributed for the past 3 years. He is also a guest reviewer for Limelight, US-based Opera Today and London-based Opera.
The 5 experienced and well-respected critics joining the panel for 2025 alongside Selar are Patricia Maunder (Limelight), Tim Byrne (Guardian Australia), Heather Leviston (Classic Melbourne), Barney Zwartz (The Age) and Patricia Di Risio (Stage Whispers).
“I’m so glad that the little community we are building together is adding so much to the experience of attending and reviewing a performance. And, despite the individual sensibilities, insights and perspectives guaranteed to bring differences of opinion, the conversations we have will continue to be productive and unifying,” expresses Selar.
Nominations for the year will be announced 27th December, the date on which the OperaChaser Awards have been revealed over the years. They will be announced via Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Bluesky and Instagram. Winners will be announced in January or early February 2026.
A further announcement made is the establishment of the OperaChaser Emerging Artist Prize. A cash prize of $1,000 will be awarded to a developing young opera singer gaining experience in a professional setting.
The 2025 prize will be announced as part of the OperaChaser Critics Awards and is intended to be awarded on an annual basis. “Simply put, it’s vital that talented young opera singers are recognised and rewarded. I hope this helps the recipient in some small way in achieving their goals,” says Selar.
Image: Victorian Opera’s production of Eucalyptus: The Opera – photo by Charlie Kinross Photography (Winner Outstanding Production at the 2024 OperaChaser Awards)