Wesfarmers Arts Young Artists

West Australian baritone Benjamin Del Borrello holds a Bachelor of Music (Classical Vocal: Performance) from The Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA). He is 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. Graduating in 2022, Benjamin was awarded the Rogers and Thick Award for 2023 through Freeze Frame Opera with whom he was then engaged in his first professional role as Figaro in Rapunzel (Il barbiere di Siviglia) (Freeze Frame Opera). Recent career highlights include: Marcello: La bohème (Opera Australia National Tour 2024) and Baritone Soloist: Beethoven’s 9th Symphony (Darwin Symphony Orchestra). Other roles include Quinault: Adriana Lecouvreur (FFO), Apollo/Somnus: Semele (HIP Company) Peter: Hansel and Gretel (WAAPA).  Benjamin has also been a semi-finalist in the IFAC HANDA Australian Singing Competition 2023.

Ruth Burke is an Irish-Australian mezzo-soprano. Ruth studied at WAAPA graduating with a Bachelor of Classical Music (Vocal Performance) in 2022. Ruth is a 2024-25 Wesfarmers Arts Young Artist with West Australian Opera. In 2024 Ruth made her principal artist debut in WAO’s production of Dido and Aeneas singing the roles of Second Woman and Second Witch. In 2023 Ruth performed as the mezzo soloist in Beethoven 9 with Darwin Symphony Orchestra. With Freeze Frame Opera, Ruth has performed the roles of Rosina in Barber of Seville (Schools tour), Hansel in Hansel and Gretel, La Zelatrice in Suor Angelica, La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi and Dangeville in Adriana Lecouvreur. Ruth’s awards have included 1st in the Opera Lovers Aria Prize (2022), 1st in the ROSL Winifred Hurford Award (2023), and 1st in the Fremantle Eisteddfod Open Aria (2021). In 2024 Ruth was a semi-finalist in the Australian Singing Competition and the recipient of the Tinkler Award.

Kohsei Gilkes is a half-Japanese, half-Australian tenor born and raised in Perth. Kohsei is currently training under the tutelage of Michael Lewis whom he has been working with since he was accepted into WAAPA in 2018. During his time at WAAPA, Kohsei performed roles such as Mars from Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld and The Pirate King from Gilbert and Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance. Kohsei made his professional debut in 2021 after 4 years of study and continues to work with West Australian Opera. Having transitioned from baritone to tenor in late 2023, Kohsei debuted his first tenor role L’Abate di Chazeuil from Adriana Lecouvre with Freeze Frame Opera. Kohsei is glad to continue his studies for an additional year with the Wesfarmers Arts Young Artist Program and hopes to further study the voice and language through the support provided. Kohsei is glad that WAO has provided artists like him with consistent work and opportunities including teaching. He hopes to use his experience from the program to further his career and to continue his career abroad. Kohsei is grateful to participate in West Australian Opera's Wesfarmers Arts Young Artist Program in 2025.

Brett Peart is an emerging Western Australian operatic baritone whom Seesaw magazine describes as being “especially successful in getting into his vocal stride” and having a “stentorian baritone voice”. He holds a Bachelor of Music majoring in classical vocal performance from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. Valuing versatility, Peart has also trained in both contemporary music performance and musical theatre. Brett has shared stage and scene with Teddy Tahu Rhodes, Rosario la Spina, Paul O’Neill and José Carbó. Peart regularly performs with West Australian Opera and Freeze Frame Opera. In the last few years, Brett has joined the principal cast of WAO’s productions of Our Little Inventor, Otello, La bohème, Enchanted Encounters and Opera in the Quarry. In 2024, Brett played Don Giovanni for FFO and the role of The Hunter in WAO’s Rusalka. Brett is grateful to participate in West Australian Opera's Wesfarmers Arts Young Artist Program in 2024-2025.