Jacqueline Dark

Jacqueline Lisa Dark (also Jacqueline Moran; – 3 October 2023) was an Australian operatic mezzo-soprano who appeared mainly with Australian companies, for a while as a member of Opera Australia. She was known for her voice in leading roles, including world premieres, but also for her stage presence and "a unique sense of comic timing".

Dark trained at the Victorian College of the Arts where she received first class honours in the Graduate Diploma of Opera in 1995. At the Vienna State Opera, she performed the roles of Giovanna in Verdi's Rigoletto, Grimgerde in Wagner's Die Walküre, Annina in Verdi's La traviata, Mercedes in Bizet's Carmen, Pastore (shepherd) in Puccini's Tosca,

As a freelance singer, she performed as Santuzza in Mascagni's Cavalleria rusticana for the State Opera of South Australia, winning a Curtain Call award in the category Best Female Performance, at the 2017 Adelaide Festival, Berenice in Vivaldi's Farnace for the Pinchgut Opera, Mrs Sedley in Britten's Peter Grimes for the Brisbane Festival, the Old Lady in Bernstein's Candide for the New Zealand Opera, Anne in Tom Waits' The Black Rider for the Malthouse Theatre and the Victorian Opera.

She collaborated with directors including Neil Armfield, Lindy Hume, Barrie Kosky, Stuart Maunder and Graeme Murphy.

Personal life Dark and "her best friend", Kanen Breen, who is gay, co-parented their son.

Recordings For Opera Australia and ABC: Lindy (2001) – Stringer/Sally Lowe (Henderson)

For Opera Australia and CinemaLive – DVD and CD recordings: The Marriage of Figaro (2010) – Marcellina (Mozart) The Mikado (2011) – Katisha (Gilbert and Sullivan) Don Giovanni (2012) – Donna Elvira (Mozart) Der Rosenkavalier (2013) – Annina (Strauss)

For the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and ABC Classics (as part of a compilation) I Dreamed a Dream – Hit Songs From Broadway (2013) – "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" from The Sound of Music

Awards Among Dark's major competition achievements are winning the Shell Aria in 1993, Fletcher Jones Memorial Aria and Memorial Aria both in 1994, Ringwood Aria and Geelong Aria both in 1997, Herald Sun Aria in both 1998 and 2000, finalist in McDonald's Operatic Aria in both 1999 and 2000, National Liederfest in 2000.