Robert Gard

Robert Joseph Gard (7 March 1927 – 20 March 2021) was a British-born Australian operatic tenor. He was a leading singer with Opera Australia, and he was particularly associated with the role of Aschenbach in Benjamin Britten's Death in Venice. He premiered the role in Australia, and he sang the role in Tony Palmer's 1981 film of the opera after the originator of the role, Peter Pears, was incapacitated.

Career Robert Gard was born in Padstow, Cornwall, England on 7 March 1927. He started studying in London in 1944, but in 1945 he was conscripted to the British Army, and sang in some army concerts. After the war, he won a scholarship to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he studied with Dino Borgioli, Walter Hyde and Arthur Reckless.

In 1966 he first appeared with Opera Australia, in The Merry Widow for the same fee that Pears had accepted.

Personal life In 1966 he married a fellow singer, Doreen Morrow. In 1970 their daughter Louise died. In 1980 Doreen died of cancer, when he was in the final rehearsals for the Australian premiere of Death in Venice at the Adelaide Festival, in which he sang the role of Aschenbach.

Honours In 1981 he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to opera.

Awards Mo Awards The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards), were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. Robert Gard won one award in that time. (wins only) 1989 Robert Gard Operatice Performance of the Year