“…Tobias Cole is gripping as the golden, nearly nude sun god who propels Aschenbach toward madness and tragic self-knowledge.” (Chicago Reader, May 2004)

 “…Cole was a powerful presence. His strong, clear high voice emerged like a tensile thread from Aschenbach’s murky thoughts.” (Chicago Sun-Times, May 2004)

Versatile young Australian performer Tobias Cole received these reviews as Apollo in Chicago Opera Theater’s acclaimed production of Death in Venice. Earlier, in February, Cole made his United States operatic debut with the same company playing Ottone in L’incoronazione di Poppea and in 2005 he will be returning to Chicago to perform Oberon in Britten’s opera A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Cole has sung with Opera Australia (Giulio Cesare and Rinaldo), West Australian Opera (Orlando), Opera Queensland (Giulio Cesare), Pinchgut Opera (Semele), London Handel Festival (Deidamia), English Bach Festival (The Fairy Queen), Kent Opera (Masque of Dioclesian) and The Australian Ballet (Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater).

Recent acting highlights include the title role of Barnum (Supa Productions, Street Theatre) and Cupid in Troppo Amore (The Tall Poppeas, Darlinghurst Theatre Sydney). He will be performing in the revival of Troppo Amore at this year’s Melbourne Fringe Festival in October while last year he covered Tyler Coppin in the acting role of Puck in Baz Luhrmann’s Opera Australia production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

After graduating from Sydney University with a B.Mus Hons degree, Cole studied at the Royal College of Music on a Churchill Fellowship sponsored by the late Dame Roma Mitchell. While in London he also studied mime, mask and clowning with John Mowat, a former student of The Jacques Lecoq International Theatre School. In 2002, Cole was the winner of the Metropolitan Opera Young Artist Study Award and spent three months studying at The Metropolitan Opera House in New York.

In June Cole gave his debut solo recital on ABC Classic FM.

VASHTI HUGHES' performance experience covers a wide range of acting skills from television and film, to theatre, cabaret, street theatre and voice overs. She studied at the University of New South Wales graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and from there, studied for a Graduate degree in Performance Studies at the University of Western Sydney, Nepean. Vashti has also undertaken various courses at the Actors Centre and most recently, a Mamet Workshop in Practical Aesthetics. Her television and film credits include guest roles on Blue Heelers and the ABC's production of "Correlli", the role of Lucy in the film "Love Lies Bleeding" and Countess Angelica in the mini-series "Ocean Love". On stage, Vashti has performed the following roles: Lady Capulet (Romeo and Juliet), Porter/Witch (Macbeth), Helena (A Midsummer's Night Dream) all with Shakespeare Where You Like It productions; Queenie (The Wild Party) for the Melbourne Comedy Festival and Sydney's Cafe de Lane; Mayor's Secretary (The Pied Piper) which toured in the Czech Republic; The Wife (Wanna Come Home) at the Downstairs Belvoir; Arachnaea the Spiderwoman (A Very old Man with Enormous Wings) at the Darlinghurst Theatre; in the  cabaret show Schnecke Nudel  which has been performed at the Darlinghurst Theatre,  Raffles Hotel in Singapore, and recently at the Glamour Bar in Shanghai and at the Hong Kong Fringe Club; a production at the Bondi Pavilion, "Shorts- Rules of 3" , and as Nurse Sharon (Troppo Amore) with The Tall Poppeas at the Darlinghurst Theatre and this year at the Melbourne Fringe Festival. Vashti has also performed self-devised works this year at the Brisbane Cabaret Festival and Adelaide Fringe Festival and will again appear at this year's Sydney Comedy Festival in two shows, "Jesus Presents..." and "Farty Bra".