CQU music theatre alum Paul lands back home and a role in Australia's Phantom of the Opera production

CQUniversity Music Theatre alumnus Paul Tabone's fortunes have turned for the better after he was recently cast as Ubaldo Piangi in the forthcoming Australian production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's iconic The Phantom of the Opera.

After COVID-19 brought an untimely end to his run in the West End production of The Phantom of the Opera in London' Paul focused on recording his first solo album, This is Me but he's now made a triumphant return to his homeland.

"I feel absolutely ecstatic to be home and to perform again for the Australian public," Paul said.

"It's been three years since I have been here and more than 13 years since I've been able to celebrate Christmas at home, so I'm feeling very blessed."

Paul will perform at the Sydney Opera House from September 3 and the Arts Centre in Melbourne from November 14.

"This is my first role (since returning home) and my first time performing at the Sydney Opera House, so it is a dream come true," he said.

"In the shadow of lockdowns and theatre closures, I was in withdrawal and missing singing and performing to audiences.

"My album is going exceptionally well, and it made the number 1 classical album in Australia, UK and USA. I am going to release four more tracks going to be released in the next year."

In the past year, Paul also released his video, I Am Australian, which was commissioned by the Agent-General of Queensland and the Trade and Investment Commission Queensland in the UK. He performed the song incorporating Indigenous' Italian and English lyrics.

From a sugarcane and pumpkin farm in the tip of Far North Queensland' Paul fell in love with music from the age of six and went on to become a leading tenor opera and musical theatre singer and has been dubbed as "Australia's answer to Andrea Bocelli".

Since graduating from CQUni's Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music in 2009, Paul has performed in Germany, Italy, Bucharest and most recently, London and has studied with internationally renowned teachers and performers in London, Wiesbaden, Milan' Florence and Bologna.