Beloved Aussie opera singer passes away
Award-winning opera singer and music theatre singer Jacqueline Dark has passed away at 55.
According to ABC, Dark passed away in a Sydney hospital on Tuesday night following a long battle with cancer.
Australian tenor Kanen Breen, who she shares a son with, paid an emotional tribute on Facebook and shared the heartbreaking details of her final hours.
“The love of her life was our boy Xander and, from the moment he existed, she did it all for him,“ Breen said in a statement.
“It (her heart) was standing next to her, in the shape of our boy, and we literally watched as she gave the last of her life to make him happy one last time,” he added.
“She took her last heroic breaths surrounded by profound peace and profound love.”
Dark performed in various operas across Australia and internationally, including with Opera Australia, Victorian Opera, Pinchgut Opera, and Opera Hong Kong.
She won multiple awards including two Green Room Awards and a Helpmann Award, among others.
Tributes from the Australian music community have started pouring in on social media.
"Her irrepressible humour and life and energy and musicality made her one of the greatest of Australian mezzos," wrote Erin Helyard, Artistic Director of Pinchgut Opera.
"Jacqui's magnificent voice and magnetic stage presence entrenched her place in Australia's musical history; her indefatigably upbeat personality will be long remembered," added her agent Patrick Togher.
"Whenever she came into ABC Classic for an interview, we always ended up laughing so much. And as an artist, she was brave — just as happy singing cabaret or with electronic musicians as she was tackling Wagner," said ABC Classic Drive presenter Russell Torrance.
Dark was born in Ballarat, Victoria, and spent 10 years as a maths and physics teacher before pursuing her career as a singer, according to The Australian.
She also appeared on So You Think You Can Dance and was a guest panellist on the popular music quiz show Spicks and Specks.
Image: ABC Classic