David Hobson (tenor)

Born in Ballarat, Australia, Hobson sang with church and school choirs and local music groups as a child, but he was still vocally untrained when he performed as lead singer and bass guitarist with rock bands while studying at the University of Melbourne.

However, despite the lack of a demonstration tape of Macbeth (see below) he was invited to join the Victoria State Opera, understudying the role of Frederic in the VSO's Joseph Papp (Broadway) version of The Pirates of Penzance[1] in 1986.

This led to his becoming a member of the company's Young Artists Programme, and making his debut as Rodolfo in a Victorian country tour production of La bohème in 1987.

Hobson's Gilbert and Sullivan roles with Opera Australia include Nanki-Poo in The Mikado, Marco Palmieri in The Gondoliers, Ralph Rackstraw in H.M.S.

In 2006, he sang the title role in a Perth International Arts Festival concert performance of Candide by Leonard Bernstein and received rave reviews.

[13] In February 2008 he made his debut at the Leeuwin Estate Concert Series in Margaret River with Australian soprano Yvonne Kenny,[14] and in March returned to Mildura with another regular partner, Marina Prior, to sing at the Opera by the Lock.

Hobson and bass-baritone Teddy Tahu Rhodes' CD You'll Never Walk Alone was released in February 2009, followed in March by an extensive Australian recital tour.

[19] A busy and varied year concluded with a series of concerts in four states, including three performances in Brisbane for the 25th anniversary season of Spirit of Christmas at QPAC and a regulation appearance at Melbourne's Carols by Candlelight.

[26] The inaugural Australian cruise of the performing arts on the MS Radiance of the Seas in November 2014 included Hobson as well as, among others, Cheryl Barker, Colin Lane, Teddy Tahu Rhodes, Simon Tedeschi, Elaine Paige, Marina Prior, and Jonathon Welch.

[27] Hobson made his company debut for Opera Queensland in a staged performance of Bernstein's Candide in 2015, directed by Lindy Hume.

[29] Hobson was mentor to model and TV host Erika Heynatz when they won the Seven Network reality singing show, It Takes Two in 2006, and returned in the 2007 season to partner celebrity Mimi Macpherson.