Conductor and pianist Robert Andrew Greene passed away on March 12, 2023, due to cancer.

Born in Sydney, Australia, Greene studied at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and graduated in 1974. He conducted “Elixir of Love” for Canberra Opera Society in 1982, and Duhamel’s “The Labours of Hercules” for Adelaide’s Come Out Festival in 1983. In 1985, he made his debut with Opera Australia when he substituted for the conductor in a performance of “Cosi fan tutte.” He would go on to conduct more than 60 productions with the company over the years, including “The Magic Flute,” “The Barber of Seville, “Faust,” “My Fair Lady,” and more.

A longtime proponent of Gilbert & Sullivan, Greene first conducted Victoria State Opera’s production of “Pirates of Penzance” and was a regular conductor with them during the 80s. He most recently worked on the 2017 Opera Australia operetta pastiche “Two Weddings, One Bride,” for which he created, arranged, and wrote new lyrics.

“Numerous singers, too many to list, have been enriched and assisted by Andrew’s work as a coach and accompanist, as he supported them through concerts, singing competitions and radio broadcast recitals,” said Stephen Mould, Senior Lecturer in Conducting at Sydney Conservatorium of Music. “Andrew played a significant role in the development of emerging singers, particularly in his work with the Young Artist Programme at Opera Australia. He was in great demand as a coach at SCM, and many will fondly remember his meticulous preparation of the semi-staged operas that he was music director for – editing and arranging the works, preparing the singers, and then leading the performances from the piano, with impeccable taste and style.

“With Andrew’s death, Australia has lost a significant and much-loved expert and scholar in the world of opera, and music generally, while we at SCM have lost a dear and respected colleague.”