Overview

In all theatre, the spotlight follows the leads, making it easy for the audience to overlook the role of the singers, dancers and actors who bring a production to life. Katherine Wiles is used to being dismissed as 'singing wallpaper' by those who incorrectly assume she's an opera chorister because she 'didn't quite make it'. But she and her proud and passionate chorus colleagues are exactly where they want to be. In No Autographs, Please! Katherine offers a rare glimpse into a fascinating world that fans of opera - and the performing arts in general - know very little about. How did a shy little girl from Hamilton, New Zealand, find herself performing on one of the world's most iconic stages, the Sydney Opera House? Taking us from her first early spark of musical passion, this honest and hilarious memoir is filled with stories of backstage antics, onstage disasters and the long road to success. Katherine gives an absorbing first-hand account of the dedication, hard work, physical toughness and versatile skill set - not to mention the highly developed sense of humour - required to survive as a member of an opera chorus. Along the way, she shares her journey with legends of the stage such as Dame Julie Andrews, Jonas Kaufmann, Nancye Hayes, Sigrid Thornton, Nicole Car, Anthony Warlow, Graeme Murphy, Neil Armfield, Simon Phillips, Reg Livermore, Todd McKenney and Dame Malvina Major. At its heart, this book is a testimony to an unflinching devotion to the art of singing. Documenting endless auditions, stage fright, life-changing encounters, heartbreak, the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic - and a refusal to throw it all away - No Autographs, Please! is proof that the joy of music can conquer all.

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9781760689391

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Reviews

'Katherine's account of life as a chorus member is full of wit and behind-the-scenes revelations.' - Fiona Allan, CEO, Opera Australia 'She literally draws back the curtain on the fascinating world that is opera ...' - Sigrid Thornton AO, actor

Author Information

Australian-New Zealand opera singer Katherine Wiles has been a permanent member of the Opera Australia Chorus since 2007. She has performed and understudied several principal roles with Opera Australia, State Opera South Australia, New Zealand Opera and several companies throughout the United Kingdom. Her career highlights include performing at the Edinburgh Festival; guest soloist onboard the Royal Yacht Britannia, Scotland; touring Australia with the 60th-anniversary production of My Fair Lady, directed by Dame Julie Andrews; and performing in the Concert Hall at Sydney Opera House. Katherine holds a Bachelor of Music (Honours) from the University of Auckland; FTCL Voice from Trinity College, London; and a Master of Music (Advanced Opera) from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. She is the Australian Ambassadorial Advisor for the Dame Malvina Major Foundation, New Zealand, and continues to perform full-time with Opera Australia.

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