Ian Cousins has represented Australia in the Pan Pacific finals of the Metropolitan Opera Auditions and won the Victorian State Final of the ABC’s Instrumental & Vocal Competition.
He has performed over sixty principal baritone roles with the Victoria State Opera, Opera Australia, Oz Opera, the West Australian Opera Company, the State Opera Of South Australia and Chamber Made Opera. His recent operatic engagements have included Alidoro in Cenerentola for Opera Queensland, Nachtigall in The Mastersingers Of Nuremburg for Opera Australia, Nick Shadow in Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress for Oz Opera, and Zuniga in Carmen, Dr. Bartolo in The Barber Of Seville, Sharpless in Madam Butterfly, Benoit and Alcindoro in La Boheme and Baron Dauphol in La Traviata, all for Melbourne Opera during 2007 and 2008. He toured extensively for Oz Opera, singing the role of Sharpless in Madam Butterfly, during 2008 and 2009.
He has been engaged as soloist by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, the West Australian Symphony Australia and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, as well as appearing for Orchestra Victoria and the Melbourne Chorale.