Opera Star Taryn Fiebig Passes Away, Aged 49
Image: Taryn Fiebig as Eliza Doolittle in Opera Australia's My Fair Lady 2008. Photo by Jeff Busby.
Multi award-winning Australian music theatre and opera star Taryn Fiebig, who made Prince Charles cry with her artistry, passed away in Sydney on Saturday night following a battle with ovarian cancer, aged 49.
Taryn Fiebig was born in Perth on February 1, 1972 before going on to have a stellar career as a major music theatre and opera star. Taryn led the cello section of the Australian Youth Orchestra in her teens before graduating from the University of Western Australia and subsequently earning a Fellowship from the Winston Churchill Memorial Trusts, which enabled her to study in the UK with Emma Kirkby, Evelyn Tubb and Jane Manning. Later a two-year stint at the Australian Opera Studio honed Taryn’s stamina and stagecraft, making her an artist of rare grit, versatility, humour and strength.
In 2004 Taryn won a fiercely contested position in Opera Australia’s ‘Young Artist’ program and relocated to Sydney.
Just one year later Taryn was invited to become a Principal Soprano with the company, performing numerous and varied roles over the coming years. In 2010 her portrayal of Lucy Joy in Opera Australia’s production of Bliss saw her awarded her first Helpmann Award.
A musical theatre highlight for Taryn was over 200 performances as Eliza Dolittle in Opera Australia’s tour of My Fair Lady in 2008/9, playing opposite Richard E Grant as Professor Higgins.
After performing simultaneously as a cellist and soprano at Buckingham Palace in 2015, His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales was seen to wipe away tears and remark “I have never seen somebody play the cello and sing so divinely at the same time.”
In December of 2017, Taryn was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and whilst undergoing rigorous treatment, continued to produce some of her best, most passionate and powerful performances.
In 2018 she returned to Opera Australia for Metamorphosis, earning her second Helpmann Award for her performance in the role of the Mother.
In 2015 Taryn married New Zealand-born baritone, farrier and former professional rugby union footballer Jud Arthur, becoming a much-loved stepmother to his children Millijana and Lucia.
Taryn died at home in Elizabeth Bay surrounded by family, friends, and masses of soft pink roses.
My darling Tazzie passed peacefully tonight.
This world has lost a glorious human.
I’m so grateful to have shared in her life.
I will miss her terribly, she was my everything.
Wrote Jud Arthur.
A private funeral service for Taryn shall be announced in due course. Taryn had requested that in lieu of flowers, donations instead be made to the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation ocrf.com.au/
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