One young tenor shows that many hands really do make light work.

Edmond Choo has set his mind on the money. Like many before him, the tenor is conscious of the cultural isolation faced by performing artists in Australia, and the potential for overseas study to help boost his profile, locally and internationally.

“I feel that I need to do a little bit of extra training just to fill the gaps,” Choo explains, “and I think going overseas will also expose me to a whole different culture and a whole different appreciation of opera, and the opera world – something we just don’t seem to have here in Australia, or not to that degree, anyway.”

To get there, Choo has opted for the road less travelled, perhaps even the road un-travelled. He’s set up his own concert series across Sydney and Melbourne, and in the process convinced big-name opera singers, radio presenters, and an entire orchestra to get on board – for free. There’s a website to promote it all, and additionally the Australian Cultural Fund is facilitating donations on his behalf.

Although his musical talents have earned him a coveted place in the Master of Performance course...