{{Short description|Australian opera soprano (born 1979)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} '''Helena Dix''' (born 26 May 1979)<ref name=BBC_bio /> is an Australian operatic soprano and specialist in bel canto roles. In 2005 Dix represented Australia in BBC Cardiff Singer of the World.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/3wFhjjxsWcf3rGgjJ4QMKSh/2005-competitors|title=2005 – The Final, BBC Cardiff Singer of the World – 2005 competitors|website=BBC|access-date=2018-03-10}}</ref> She was awarded as an associate of The Royal Academy of Music in 2015 for her significant contribution to the music industry.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ram.ac.uk/about-us/news/2016-honours-are-announced|title=2016 Honours are announced – Royal Academy of Music|website=www.ram.ac.uk|access-date=2018-03-10}}</ref>
== Early life and education == Dix was born in Melbourne, Australia. She attended Caulfield Grammar School and gained a scholarship to Melba Memorial Conservatorium of Music, where she studied with her first teacher Margaret Nisbett.<ref name=BBC_bio>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/cardiffsinger/sites/2005/pages/australia.shtml |title=Australia: Helena Dix |publisher=BBC |date=1 July 2005 |access-date=10 April 2018 }}</ref> She went on to do a postgraduate diploma in opera at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where she held an ABRSM scholarship and studied with Elizabeth Ritchie.<ref name=BBC_bio /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.abrsm.org/resources/annualReviews/annualReview03.pdf |title=Associated Board Annual Review 2003 |year=2004 |page=26 |publisher=ABRSM|access-date=10 April 2018 }}</ref>
== Career == Dix's operatic repertoire includes the title role in ''Cristina, regina di Svezia'' for Wexford Festival Opera, Oldenburgisches Staatstheater and Chelsea Opera Group.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://staatstheater.de/cristina.html|title=''Cristina, Regina Di Svezia''|publisher=Oldenburgisches Staatstheater|language=de|access-date=2018-04-09|archive-date=24 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160524060850/http://staatstheater.de/cristina.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cadoganhall.com/event/chelsea-opera-group-141108/|title=Chelsea Opera Group|website=Cadogan Hall|access-date=2018-04-09}}</ref> Elettra in ''Idomeneo'' and Odabella in ''Attila'' for Staatstheater Nürnberg and Theater Lübeck.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.staatstheater-nuernberg.de/index.php?page=oper,veranstaltung,attila,98200|title=''Attila''|publisher=Staatstheater Nürnberg|language=de|access-date=2018-04-09}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://operabase.com/diary.cgi?lang=en&code=wdlu&season=2016|title=Diary: Theater Lübeck|publisher=Operabase|access-date=2018-04-09}}</ref> Gioconda in ''La Gioconda'' for Proyecto Ópera University of Valladolid,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.elnortedecastilla.es/20130314/mas-actualidad/cultura/jouva-elige-gioconda-para-201303141327.html|title=La Jouva elige ''La Gioconda'' para su décimo Proyecto Ópera|work=El Norte de Castilla|language=es|access-date=2018-04-09}}</ref> Flowermaiden in ''Parsifal'' for English National Opera,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.classicalsource.com/db_control/db_concert_review.php?id=8945|title=English National Opera – ''Parsifal''|website=classicalsource.com|access-date=2018-04-09}}</ref> Elvira (cover) in ''Ernani'' for the Metropolitan Opera, Isabella in ''Das Liebesverbot'' for Chelsea Opera Group.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cadoganhall.com/event/chelsea-opera-group-151025/|title=Chelsea Opera Group Chorus and Orchestra|website=Cadogan Hall|access-date=2018-04-09}}</ref> Rosalinde in ''Die Fledermaus'' and Hanna Glawari in ''The Merry Widow'' for Scottish Opera where she has also covered Frasquita in ''Carmen'' and Karolina in ''The Two Widows''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.operascotland.org/tour/1915/Lustige-Witwe-2008|title=''Lustige Witwe'' 2008|website=operascotland.org|access-date=2018-04-09}}</ref> Also, Fiordiligi in ''Cosi fan tutte'', Donna Anna in ''Don Giovanni'', Contessa in ''Le Nozze di Figaro'' and Nella in ''Gianni Schicchi'' for the Opera Project.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://britain-australia.org.uk/events/event/marriage-of-figaro-west-green-house-opera/|title=''Marriage of Figaro'' – West Green House Opera|website=britain-australia.org.uk|access-date=2018-04-09}}</ref>
In 2014 Dix was nominated in the Best Young Singer category in the International Opera Awards.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.limelightmagazine.com.au/features/stuart-skelton-and-barrie-kosky-win-at-opera-awards/|title=Stuart Skelton and Barrie Kosky win at Opera Awards|magazine=Limelight|access-date=2018-04-09}}</ref>
Dix has developed a long working relationship with privately funded Melbourne Opera in Victoria, Australia, returning in 2014 to perform her first Wagner role as Elsa in ''Lohengrin'' as well as many of the bel canto roles; ''Norma'' (Bellini) and Elisabetta (Elizabeth I) in ''Roberto Devereux'' (Donizetti) and most recently, Lady Macbeth from Verdi's ''Macbeth'' and ''Lucrezia Borgia'' from Donizetti's opera of the same name.<ref name=Knowlton>{{Cite web |last=Knowlton |first=Cassidy |title=Verdi's ''Macbeth'' at Her Majesty's Theatre review |url=https://www.timeout.com/melbourne/music/verdis-macbeth |access-date=2023-04-04 |website=Time Out Melbourne|date=8 May 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Zwartz |first=Barney |date=2022-08-16 |title=The Australian soprano hitting all the career high notes |url=https://www.theage.com.au/culture/opera/the-australian-soprano-hitting-all-the-career-high-notes-20220815-p5b9zc.html |access-date=2023-04-04 |website=The Age}}</ref>
In April 2020, Dix contracted COVID-19 that developed complications and required her to be hospitalised; she was featured in media outlets talking about using her operatic training to rehabilitate her body post infection.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Groch |first=Sherryn |date=April 29, 2020 |title=Australian opera singer among those hit by COVID-19 blood clot mystery |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/opera-singer-among-those-hit-by-covid-19-blood-clot-mystery-20200428-p54nts.html|website=The Sydney Morning Herald}}</ref>
For many years Dix has understudied roles at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, making her main stage debut in Verdi's ''Falstaff'' as Alice Ford.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Evans |first=Steve |date=2018-11-06 |title=Opera star hits wrong note with 'spineless creep' British nationalist |url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/opera/opera-star-hits-wrong-note-with-spineless-creep-british-nationalist-20181106-p50ea5.html |access-date=2023-04-04 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald}}</ref> In March 2023, due to the last-minute withdrawal of Sonya Yoncheva, Dix gave her Metropolitan debut as Norma (Bellini).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Salazar |first=Francisco |date=2023-03-25 |title=Helena Dix Replaces Sonya Yoncheva in Final Met Opera ''Norma'' Performance |url=https://operawire.com/helena-dix-replaces-sonya-yoncheva-in-final-met-opera-norma-performance/ |access-date=2023-04-04 |website=OperaWire}}</ref> An audio recording of the performance, which includes Michael Spyres as Pollione and Ekaterina Gubanova as Adalgisa and is conducted by Maurizio Benini, is available for streaming at Met Opera on Demand.<ref>[https://www.metopera.org/season/on-demand/opera/?upc=810004203068 Streaming audio of ''Norma'' (25 March 2023)], Met Opera on Demand; [http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=357850 "CID:357850"], Met Opera Archive.</ref>
== Critical reception == Her portrayal of Elizabeth I in ''Roberto Devereux'' received positive reviews. Rob Holdsworth said she was "The most exciting voice since Sutherland"<ref name="Holdsworth">{{Cite news |last=Holdsworth |first=Rob |title=''Roberto Devereux'' (Melbourne Opera) |url=https://www.australianbookreview.com.au/abr-arts/4428-roberto-devereux-melbourne-opera |access-date=2018-04-09}}</ref> and ''The Age'' wrote:
{{quotation|The Australian-born soprano sang one of opera's most demanding roles flawlessly, from florid coloratura to (literally) high drama via ravishingly delicate pianissimos. But what was most extraordinarily impressive was her acting, vocally and physically, by turns a termagant, fragile, nervous, regal, vulnerable – a woman in love with a man 30 years younger, rightly doubting that it is requited. Dix gets 8 out of 5 stars.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/melbourne-opera--roberto-devereux--helena-dix-imbues-work-with-real-credibility-20171110-gzijf5.html|title=Melbourne opera – ''Roberto Devereux'': Helena Dix imbues work with real credibility|last=Zwartz|first=Barney|date=2017-11-12|website=The Age|access-date=2018-04-09}}</ref>}}
''The Arts Desk'' praised her performance in ''Das Liebesverbot'':
{{quotation|In Wagner, she seemed to me more impressive, personable and occasionally witty in this demented role which veers from Beethoven's ''Leonore'' ... to ''bel canto'' heroine and even French comic minx. The gleaming if slightly metallic middle register gives great focus to intelligent recitative, and all the top notes work for her.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theartsdesk.com/opera/das-liebesverbot-chelsea-opera-group-cadogan-hall|title=''Das Liebesverbot'', Chelsea Opera Group, Cadogan Hall|website=www.theartsdesk.com|date=26 October 2015 |access-date=2018-04-09}}</ref>}}
Her portrayal of Lady Macbeth in Verdi's ''Macbeth'' was highly praised by Cassidy Knowlton of ''Time Out Melbourne'', who wrote:
{{quotation|Helena Dix is jaw-dropping as Lady Macbeth, spitting her lines with palpable venom as she pushes her hapless husband on a path towards glory – and death. She's a force of nature, her powerful soprano freezing the blood and catching fire all at once. And in that scene, she's tremendous, scrubbing at her imaginary bloodstains with such impassioned madness it seemed like she was going to lose a finger.<ref name=Knowlton />}}
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{official|https://www.helenadix.com/}}
{{Portal bar|Biography|Opera}} {{authority control|state=collapsed}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dix, Helena}} Category:Australian operatic sopranos Category:Musicians from Melbourne Category:1979 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century Australian singers Category:21st-century Australian women singers Category:People educated at Caulfield Grammar School