{{short description|Australian operatic soprano|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2015}} '''Helen Donaldson''' (born 14 March 1968 in Rockhampton, Queensland) is an Australian operatic soprano, best known for her performances of the heroines in Gilbert and Sullivan operas.
==Biography== Donaldson started singing at the age of seven, after winning an eisteddfod. She was trained at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, Brisbane, and graduated with a Bachelor of Music and a Graduate Diploma in Opera. While at university, her roles included Phyllis in Gilbert and Sullivan's ''Iolanthe''.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}
Her first professional role was as a chorus member and swing in ''The Phantom of the Opera'' in 1990. The role that gave her recognition in Australia was Mabel in Essgee Entertainment's ''The Pirates of Penzance'' (1994).<ref>Gocs, Danny. [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/261921791 "Modern ''Pirates'' have a rollicking time"], ''The Australian Jewish News'' (Melbourne, Victoria), 12 August 1994, p. 4</ref> A review of the video recording of this productio nin ''The Canberra Times'' stated: "Donaldson ... has a voice truly suited to light,lyric opera and, for my part, is a cut above the other cast in talent and vocal technique."<ref>Hampton, Cass. [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/133336957 "English plays Aussie king"], ''The Canberra Times'', 20 February 1995, p. 36</ref> Its soundtrack won a 1995 ARIA Award.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}} Her other Essgee shows were ''The Mikado'' (as Yum-Yum),<ref>Howard, Christine. [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/196383679 "''Mikado'' – it's surprising"], ''Times'' (Victor Harbor, South Australia, 14 November 1995, p. 4</ref> ''HMS Pinafore'' (as Josephine),<ref>Gocs, Danny. [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/261951778 "Good old entertainment aboard ''Pinafore''"], ''The Australian Jewish News'', 10 January 1997, p. 3</ref> ''A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum'' (1999, as Philia)<ref>Gocs, Danny. [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/260914761 "Corny capers at the ''Forum''"], ''The Australian Jewish News'', 8 January 1999, p. 4</ref><ref>Vincent, Jeremy. "Revival revels in farce, not class", ''The Australian'', 4 January 1999; and "''Forum'' Is Light Musical Theatre at Its Very Best", ''The Canberra Times'', 2 April 1999</ref> and ''The Merry Widow'' (as Anna in Brisbane, in 1998; and as Valencienne in Melbourne, Victoria, Adelaide, South Australia, and Perth, Western Australia, in 1999).<ref name=AusStage>[https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/contributor/9474 "Helen Donaldson"], AusStage: The Australian. Retrieved 10 October 2024</ref>
Donaldson has performed in more than twenty operas, including ''Cinderella's Bad Magic'' as Cinderella, and ''Don Pasquale'', variously in Russia, the United States and Brazil.<ref name=AusStage/><ref name=Cooper>Cooper, Nathanael. [https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/sunshine-coast/coasts-own-diva/news-story/7bcaa5a1a6b3b5123820a76deb258643 "Coast's own diva"], ''The Sunshine Coast Daily'', 10 June 2008</ref> In 2007, she returned to live in Caloundra, Queensland, Australia<ref name=Cooper/> and rejoined Essgee, reprising the role of Yum-Yum in ''The Mikado'' in 2008 and 2009.<ref name=AusStage/><ref name=Cooper/>
She has four children.<ref name=Cooper/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Further reading== *Brown, Phil. "Back to the start", ''Brisbane News'', 23 July 2008 *Kelly, Patricia. "Family puts a song in Helen's well-travelled heart", ''Courier Mail'', 26 June 2004 *The Queensland Pops Orchestra, [https://web.archive.org/web/20110706111135/http://www.popsorchestra.com.au/documents/PopsOrchestraBio2008-helen.pdf Biography: Helen Donaldson]
==External links== * [http://helendonaldson.com Official website] * {{IMDb name|id=0232112|name=Helen Donaldson}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Donaldson, Helen}} Category:1968 births Category:Australian operatic sopranos Category:Living people Category:People from Rockhampton Category:Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University alumni Category:Australian musical theatre actresses