Deborah Cheetham, Indigenous Soprano, actor and author of the internationally acclaimed play, White Baptist Abba Fan, has established her place as an artist in great demand. Since her international debut in 1997 Ms Cheetham has performed in the theatres and concert halls of United States, Europe, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and throughout Australia.
On February 7 2009 Victorians experienced the devastation of the Black Saturday bush fires. More than two hundred lives and one thousand homes were lost. In response, the Federal Government and the State Government of Victoria brought the nation together with a televised memorial service. Attending the service were those men, women and children affected by this tragedy. They were joined by representatives from all levels of the Australian Government and the Royal Family.
The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, led by their chief conductor Oleg Catani presented this stirring arrangement of our national anthem, created by Andrew Bee and John Foreman. Joined by a massed choir of over 500 voices I was honoured to pay my respect to the victims and survivors of these terrible fires by singing Advance Australia Fair.
Deborah Cheetham
