There wasn’t a dry eye in the house as the curtain fell on a benefit concert in Dubbo for former Opera Australia soprano and voice teacher Dawn Walsh.
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Two of her former students, Billie Palin and Nathan Bryon, performed for more than an hour with the final song and duet of the concert a tribute to their dying teacher.
“The final song was For Good from the musical Wicked,” the concert’s musical director and pianist Di Pascoe told the Daily Liberal.
“It basically says because I knew you I have been changed for good.”
Ms Palin and Mr Bryon returned to Dubbo from Sydney for the “thank you” concert.
Both are studying singing at a tertiary level.
Ms Pascoe said the lessons the young performers learned from Ms Walsh had been “life-changing” for them.
“They are really following in her footsteps and had she not come here when she did, they might not have had the opportunity,” she said.
”Dawn brought with her a sophisticated class of music that Dubbo had never seen the likes of before. We’ve been very blessed.”
About 200 people filled St Andrew’s Chapel for the event that included a display of photographs of Ms Walsh’s time as a performer.
Mr Bryon brought and read letters from former bosses of Opera Australia.
The lady back in the spotlight also spoke to the crowd about her life’s journey and her students.
Ms Pascoe said her long-time friend had flown under the radar in country NSW.
“People didn’t realise what an enormous person she was in terms of her standing in the arts community when she was singing with Opera Australia,” she said. “They didn’t realise she covered for Dame Joan Sutherland, which shows the enormity of her ability and that she was really a fantastic artist, a fantastic star.”
Ms Walsh was a cast member of Opera Australia for almost 40 years. Upon retirement from the company in 2005, she travelled to Dubbo to see an old friend and then director of Macquarie Conservatorium, Chris Harrison. “She jumped in her car and drove out here and said ‘How about giving me a job?’, which he did,” Ms Pascoe said.
Ms Walsh taught at the conservatorium for 13 years before cancer took its toll.
Ms Pascoe said Ms Walsh was currently in palliative care at Lourdes Hospital and “she won’t be receiving any more treatment”.
The concert raised about $2500 for Ms Walsh who was “overwhelmed” by the support.
“She is a very humble lady for all her amazing life experiences and would never have expected people to come and help her like that,” Ms Pascoe said.
