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Deborah Cheetham Deborah Cheetham i(A95567 works by) (a.k.a. Deborah Cheetham Fraillon)
Gender: Female
Heritage: Aboriginal ; Aboriginal Yorta Yorta / Yota Yota
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BiographyHistory

Deborah Cheetham has worked as a professional opera singer, director and producer of plays. In 1996, the Olympic Arts Festival commissioned Cheetham to write and perform a play, 'White Baptist Abba Fan' for the 1997 Festival of the Dreaming. Cheetham has performed in Australia and around the world. In 2000, Cheetam performed her commissioned piece: Dali Mana Gamarada, at the Sydney Olympics as a welcome to country during the Opening Ceremony.

In September 2011 the University of Melbourne, Faculty of the VCA and Music announced that Deborah Cheetham was appointed Head of the Wilin Centre for Indigenous Arts at the Faculty. 

In 2014, Deborah was awarded Officer of the Order of Australia (AO), for "distinguished service to the performing arts as an opera singer, composer and artistic director, to the development of Indigenous artists, and to innovation in performance".

Deborah was appointed the 2019 Kinnane Scholar in Residence at The University of Queensland, and composed Eumeralla, A War Requiem for Peace, to honour the United Nations Year of Indigenous Languages, 2019.

In 2023, she was appointed inaugural Elizabeth Todd Chair of Vocal Studies at Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

Most Referenced Works

Personal Awards

Awards for Works

Parrwang Lifts the Sky 2023 single work musical theatre opera

'Did you know that the Magpies created the first dawn?*

'A long time ago….

'The sky was a blanket on the land. The earth was in darkness and the people were afraid. It was a very sad state of affairs and would have stayed that way except for the courage of Parrwang the Magpie.

'Tjatja and Koki are young, adventurous and tired of living in the dark. When they manage to climb to the highest branches of an ancient gum tree they discover an exciting new world and a steadfast friend in Parrwang - who decides to help the young humans lift the blanket of darkness from the ground.

'A plan is devised - but can Parrwang convince Mr Waa and the Great Council of Birds to agree?

'*Based on an original story from Wadawurrung Country told to the children of the Wathaurong by community Elder, the late Uncle David Tournier.'

Source: Production blurb.
2022 nominated Victorian Green Room Awards — New Operatic Work
Parrwang Lifts the Sky 2023 single work musical theatre opera

'Did you know that the Magpies created the first dawn?*

'A long time ago….

'The sky was a blanket on the land. The earth was in darkness and the people were afraid. It was a very sad state of affairs and would have stayed that way except for the courage of Parrwang the Magpie.

'Tjatja and Koki are young, adventurous and tired of living in the dark. When they manage to climb to the highest branches of an ancient gum tree they discover an exciting new world and a steadfast friend in Parrwang - who decides to help the young humans lift the blanket of darkness from the ground.

'A plan is devised - but can Parrwang convince Mr Waa and the Great Council of Birds to agree?

'*Based on an original story from Wadawurrung Country told to the children of the Wathaurong by community Elder, the late Uncle David Tournier.'

Source: Production blurb.
2022 nominated Victorian Green Room Awards — New Operatic Work
VIEW ALL AWARDS
Last amended 18 Mar 2024 07:44:58
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