Journalist and opera buff Greg Lenthen has been a stalwart of the Australian Singing Competition since it began in 1982. Over the years Greg has helped in a number of roles behind the scenes -- and in front of them, too.

When the fledgling competition needed an honorary publicist, there was Greg. And when it needed a compere for the very first semi-finals, he was there, too. It’s a role Greg has reprised from time to time over the ensuing decades, and we are very pleased to have him back this year.

While Greg’s 40 years in journalism have been mainly in newspapers, he also spent a decade in commercial radio as a newsreader. These days Greg is rarely behind the microphone --- except in a good cause, such as helping foster the opera stars of tomorrow through the Australian Singing Competition.

Greg retired from The Sydney Morning Herald late last year, but not before igniting fresh controversy over the future of the Sydney Opera House with an opinion piece suggesting Sydney should consider building a new lyric theatre instead of renovating the Opera Theatre at the Opera House.