Blair Edgar OAM
Blair Edgar OAM
Blair Edgar was born and Educated in Melbourne. His earliest years in the entertainment industry were spent in radio. Made his 'adult' debut as Lorenzo in The Merchant Of Venice in 1956 for The Australian National Theatre. Gertrude Johnson the founder of the Australian National Theatre Movement took a strong interest over the next three years in Blair's work. She gradually eased him over into an interest in opera.
Upon graduation from the University of Melbourne, he served in the Education Department then very quickly fled to the UK. The strongest theatrical influences on his life have been Gertrude Johnson, Dame Peggy van Praagh, Ray Powell and Franco Zeffirelli.
Blair was very much part of the young London of the early 1960s, swinging London as it was known. He worked in the theatre with some of the major performers of that time and at the insistence of Gertrude Johnson Sir David Webster the Director of Covent Garden took him on board.
Blair also worked in English Rep. at The Royal Shakespeare Company and appeared in plays in Paris, Brussells, Moscow and on New York's Broadway. He has also had a close association with the world of dance all his life and his work has brought together all three forms Opera, Dance and Drama.
In recent years he has concentrated on Opera direction and the dramatic coaching of young singers. He claims to be a grandfather figure now teaching the children and students of the opera singers he taught through the late 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. Blair's mission still remains to be a story teller.
For Melbourne City Opera he has staged Falstaff, Gianni Schicchi, La Boheme, II Tabarro and I Pagliacci.
His interests are in Education, Painting, Dogs, Writing, promoting young people with 'good theatre brains', and in his imminent retirement.
Co Founder of the Green Room Awards, and Founder member of More Than Opera, Blair was awarded the OAM in 1992 for "Services to Education and The Performing Arts."