Perth Symphonic Chorus acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we are gathering this evening, the Whadjuk people of the Noongar Nation. We acknowledge their continuing connection to land, waters and community and we pay our respects to the people, the cultures and the Elders past and present

Artist Biographies

James Pratt
CONDUCTOR

An award-winning conductor, James was appointed as the Music Director for Perth Symphonic Chorus in 2022. James has worked for 30 years as a professional performing artist both nationally and abroad. In 2011 James was awarded the prestigious Brian Stacey Conducting Prize and after winning the 2013 Toldra Conducting Competition in Spain, he went on to work at Covent Garden in London, as an assistant conductor with the Royal Ballet.

James has served as choirmaster at St Francis Xavier Cathedral and the Central Foundation Boys’ School in London where he founded a new chamber choir based at John Wesley’s chapel.

He is a graduate of the University of Adelaide with a Master's Degree in Orchestral Conducting. Other credits include: Adelaide Chamber Orchestra; Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra of Catalunia; Zafraan Ensemble, Berlin; Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and the State Opera of South Australia. Recent titles: JS Bach St Matthew Passion, the Australian premiere of Howard Goodall’s Invictus: A Passion, Faure Requiem, Verdi Requiem.

In 2026, James made his debut conducting Orchestra Victoria in a season with Victorian Opera. In 2027, James returns to conduct Victorian Opera, and will make his debut conducting for Opera Australia at the Sydney Opera House.

Critically acclaimed as ‘radiant both vocally and visually‘, Lisa Harper-Brown is a unique and commanding performer. She made her debut for Opera Australia singing the role of Pamina in The Magic Flute. Since then, her performances of Fiordiligi Così fan Tutte, Helena A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Rosalinde Die Fledermaus, Elsa Lohengrin, Diana Orpheus In The Underworld, Echo Ariadne auf Naxos, and Belinda Dido & Aeneas, have delighted critics and audiences alike.

Lisa is a graduate of UWA and the recipient of many prizes in the fields of performance and academia, refining her skills in the ‘Young Artist Programmes’ for both West Australian Opera and Opera Australia, under the guidance of Marlena Malas, Michael Parker, Janice Chapman, and Dame Joan Sutherland. Her performances with Opera Australia have included multiple seasons of Countess in The Marriage Of  Figaro, for which she received a coveted Helpmann Award.  

Possessing a vast concert repertoire, and recognised for her ability to cross genres and styles, Lisa is a highly regarded Concert, Festival and Recital performer, having appeared throughout Australia, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK and New Zealand.  Lisa has appeared on ABC Classic FM's Sunday Live! Series and Radio NZ Concert, recorded many new works with NZ Symphony Orchestra, and released two CDs dedicated to Australian Art Song, with a third underway. In 2025 she made her debut with Freeze Frame Opera, in Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking, receiving a nomination in the 2026 Performing Arts WA Awards, for her performances.

Louise Fenbury is recognised for the richness, depth and colour of her voice, as well as her compelling stage presence. Brigitte Fassbaender described her as possessing “a true mezzo sound”.

Louise has performed extensively in Europe, most recently appearing at the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden. There she recently appeared in Wagner’s Ring des Nibelungen as Flosshilde (Das Rheingold), Waltraute (Die Walküre) and Zweite Norn (Götterdämmerung), as well as Zweite Dame in Die Zauberflöte.

Alongside her operatic work, Louise is an accomplished concert performer, with repertoire including Bach’s Mass in B minor, Mozart’s Requiem, and Rachmaninov’s Vespers.

In Australia, she was a Young Artist with West Australian Opera, performing Orlovsky (Die Fledermaus) and Pitti-Sing (The Mikado), and covering Mercedes (Carmen) and Cherubino (Le nozze di Figaro). She later made her debut as Hänsel (Hänsel and Gretel) with Opera Australia in Sydney.

A native of Perth, Louise trained at WAAPA and also holds degrees in Law and Arts from Murdoch University.

Benjamin is one of Australia's most in-demand tenors. Having studied at the Elder Conservatorium and the Australian Opera Studio, he was awarded the prestigious Johnson Bequest to study with Julia Faulkner at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, supported by the prestigious Johnson Bequest.

He will perform the role of Monostatos in The Magic Flute, and Parpignol in La Boheme for Opera Australia's summer season 2026/27.

His other roles for Opera Australia include Njegus (Merry Widow), Don Basilio (Marriage of Figaro), L’Incredibile (Andrea Chenier), Pang (Turandot), Spoletta (Tosca), Borsa (Rigoletto), Remendado (Carmen), Normanno (Lucia di Lammermoor), and Jamie/Freddy Eynsford-Hill (My Fair Lady).

Roles for other companies include Ferrando: Così fan tutte, Beppe: Pagliacci, Flute: Midsummer Night’s Dream; Der Ring, Paris: Roméo et Juliette (State Opera SA); Soloist: St John’s, Smith Square, London (English Chamber Orchestra); Cinderella’s Prince: Into The Woods, Harry the Horse: Guys and Dolls (Adelaide Festival Centre/Adelaide Symphony Orchestra); Maltby and Shire’s world première of Take Flight; and Tenor soloist Messiah (MSO).

Benjamin has previously performed with Perth Symphonic Chorus for the Dvorak Mass in D, and Handel's Messiah in 2024.

Benjamin Del Borrello holds a Bachelor of Music (Classical Vocal: Performance) from WAAPA. He was part of the West Australian Opera Wesfarmers Arts Young Artist Program in 2024/25.

Benjamin’s Italian heritage had a profound impact on his musical development from a young age, where he often heard folk tunes and Canzoni Napoletane at family gatherings. This style of music has become one of his favourite to perform for his family and friends.

This season Benjamin is delighted to be making two debuts with West Australian Opera as the Marquis d’Obigny: La Traviata and Mercutio: Roméo et Juliette. He also returns for the Opera Australia National Tour 2026 in another debut as Masetto: Don Giovanni. Recent career highlights include: Marcello: La Bohème (Opera Australia National Tour 2025 and 2024) and Baritone Soloist: Beethoven’s 9th Symphony (Darwin Symphony Orchestra).

Benjamin had his Austrian debut in January 2025 in a concert performance with Stimme, Leib und Seele. Benjamin has also been a semi-finalist in the IFAC HANDA Australian Singing Competition 2023 and was awarded the Rogers and Thick Award for 2023 through Freeze Frame Opera.