You don't necessarily have to travel to feel inspired. Today I've been inspired by the beautiful Spring day, new growth in the St Kilda Botanical Gardens and the smell of Jasmine in the air. Isn't that just the quintessential smell of Spring? Takes me right back to childhood and days spent swimming and running barefoot on the grass.
This past few weeks I have been inspired by a Melburnite Roy Best, who I'm profiling for Royal Auto and Melbourne Magazine.
Roy is a Melbourne mechanic, turned carpenter, turned tenor who was one of three winners of Operatunity Oz (the ABC series). He has been performing the lead role with Melbourne Opera recently and has just released his first solo CD with ABC Classics.
What's so amazing about Roy's story is how close he came to never actually fulfilling his potential. Roy was bullied as a teenager so turned his back on singing for 20 years until his friends pushed him to go on Operatunity Oz. He had long given up singing and went onto become a motor mechanic, and a carpenter and always had rough hands and no fingernails as those who work with their hands do. Today he’s being hailed as one of the most exciting new talents in Australian opera and is a likeable, down to earth guy as well.
As Martin Busacott from ABC Classics puts it “Not only can Roy fix the car when it breaks down enroute to rehersal but he is so accommodating putting up with seven hour photo shoots in the rain without complaint”. The fact that Roy doesn’t have ‘attitude’ - something opera singers are renowned for (it is where the saying 'prima donna' came from after all) - is possibly because success has come late in life. He’s relishing every moment and can’t quite believe he’s making a living from singing.
For those who missed Operatunity Oz, try and get hold of a copy on DVD. It's a great watch. And for those who are interested, I'll let you know when Roy's story goes to print.
Enjoy Spring!
"I write entirely to find out what I'm thinking, what I'm looking at, what I see, and what it means." - Joan Didion
