He has worked with many leading opera houses and orchestras, singing under such conductors as Renato Palumbo, Bruno Bartoletti, Gary Bertini, Daniele Callegari and Richard Hickox.

Three years later, Lee suggested La Spina attend the local music Conservatorium to gain the necessary stage experience.

[1] After earning his degree, he pursued graduate work in voice at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, England under Joseph Ward, OBE.

The competition win enabled him to study for two years in La Scala's young artist program under Luciana Serra and Leyla Gencer, and led to his La Scala debut as the Messenger in Camille Saint-Saëns's Samson and Delilah with Plácido Domingo and Olga Borodina in the title roles.

Later that year he sang Riccardo again at the Teatro Carlo Felice, portrayed The Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto in Tuscany and Rodolfo in La bohème in Calabria.

In 2004, he appeared at the Teatro Argentina in Rome as The Duke of Mantua; a role he sang again for Opera New Zealand in Auckland and Wellington later that year.