From school choirs in Bunbury to national acclaim, opera artist has struck a major chord at 2025 Opera Awards

A Bunbury-raised opera singer has taken centre stage nationally, securing two prestigious honours at the 2025 Opera Awards on November 17 in Melbourne. Lachlann Lawton was awarded the $5000 Armstrong-Martin Scholarship, sponsored by the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust, as well as the Glyndebourne Festival Prize. The latter comes with an opportunity to attend staged rehearsals and audition for the world-renowned Glyndebourne Festival in the UK. Lawton grew up in Bunbury and first discovered his love of singing through his primary school choir. He said his early influences came from many places, including the Bunbury Performing Arts Eisteddfod. “I received many awards from the Eisteddfod, with my proudest being the most promising voice of the South West,” he told the Herald. “I performed with both the South West Opera Company and the Bunbury Musical Comedy Group, and the shows I did with them were where I found my love of theatre.” It was during one of these productions that he met his wife, Chelsea Burns. Lawton said despite the common misconception regional areas limited creative opportunities, the South West provided him with an abundance. “In the South West, there were always musical projects to be involved in, choirs to sing with, and major shows just around the corner,” he said. “Our main challenge living in the South West was that we lived just outside of Brunswick in Roelands, which meant travelling into town every day took time out of my parents’ schedules.” Lawton said his passion for French music and operatic repertoire helped distinguish him during the awards selection process, which will see him travel to Europe to deepen his craft. “Part of receiving this prize depended on writing a plan for how we would use the scholarship funds, and I focused heavily on studying French music in France and using what I learn to grow in this musical style,” he said. “It was the combination of these elements that led to me being awarded the Armstrong-Martin Scholarship and the Glyndebourne Festival Prize.” Glyndebourne is among the most significant opera festivals in the world. For Lawton, the chance to work with the organisation is “priceless”. “They work with some of the best people in the industry and produce very high-calibre work,” he said. “The knowledge gained, even just from observing the rehearsal process, will be invaluable. “I am so excited to make the most of my time there.”