A marriage made in musical heaven

There's no doubt that Elder Conservatorium graduates Anthony Hunt and Jessica Dean have started married life on the right note.

The talented couple, who tied the knot in March 2006, are gaining a reputation as two of Australia's best emerging opera artists, one as a soprano, the other as a repetiteur and conductor.

Jessica, 25, and Anthony, 26, are both First Class Honours graduates of the Elder Conservatorium, who left Australian shores recently after winning respective scholarships to the Royal Academy of Music in London.

Anthony, who has been musical director for many chamber operas and musical theatre works, won a full-fee scholarship for a two-year repetiteur course at the Academy.

It follows numerous awards as a solo pianist, including the 2006 Geoffrey Parsons Accompanists' Award, and widespread acclaim for his SA Opera Studio productions in partnership with artistic director Patrick Lim.

In the past year Anthony has also toured the UK with the Adelaide-based St Peter's Anglican Cathedral Choir, playing in many of England's finest cathedrals and abbeys.

"Adelaide has been a great training ground for both of us," Anthony said on the eve of their departure. "If you think about the sheer number of amateur music companies around Adelaide, it is amazing. We have enjoyed so many different opportunities here which have made us more versatile performers as a result."

Jessica has been awarded a $20,000 EMR Overseas Scholarship by the Elder Conservatorium, enabling her to join 20 other singers from around the world at the Royal Academy of Music.

"I am one of six sopranos who will receive individual singing lessons, opera coaching, role coaching and stagecraft, as well as very intensive coaching in all the operatic languages - Italian, German, French and Russian," Jessica said.

"The calibre of people we will be working with is on another level. It will really stretch both of us, which is what we need at this stage of our careers."

Not surprisingly, the couple met at the University of Adelaide in 2002.

"Jess was originally studying piano but then moved to majoring in voice. I started to accompany her and then we got paired as dance partners in the opera Candide. The rest was inevitable!" Anthony said.

Both come from artistic backgrounds. Jessica's parents were involved in theatre and radio, and her grandmother was a soprano. As a child she sang in choirs but was also a talented pianist.

"At the Elder Conservatorium I realised that singing was my passion and both my teachers - Guila Tiver and Ros Martin - were very influential in developing my voice and giving me valuable technical advice."

One of Anthony's earliest memories is sitting on his grandfather's knee, helping him play Gershwin. His formative years were spent in England where his mother taught him piano and his father played in a jazz band.

After emigrating to Adelaide at the age of seven Anthony joined the St Peter's Anglican Cathedral Choir. Nineteen years later he plays an integral part as assistant organist and assistant conductor.

In 2006, in partnership with Jessica, Anthony was awarded an Emerging Artists Grant from Arts SA to study in London, so the British capital now almost counts as a second home.

It is inevitable their careers will draw them to Europe, but the couple hope to split their time between both continents in future.

"Opera epitomises everything we love - music, drama and movement - at the highest level. The next two years in London will be a real adventure for both of us and hopefully the entrée to some great roles," Anthony said. ■

STORY CANDY GIBSON