Vale Jacqueline Dark

The 'indefatigably upbeat' Australian mezzo-soprano died this week, aged just 55.
Jacqui Dark. Head of smiling woman with green eyes and blonde wavy hair against black backdrop.

Acclaimed and much loved Australian mezzo-soprano Jacqueline Dark has died following the resurgence of a rare form of cancer she had previously battled for much of 2022.

Dark, fondly known as “Jacqui”, was born in Ballarat, Victoria in 1968 and cut her teeth as a performer in the regional city’s vibrant amateur music theatre community. She died at St George Private Hospital, Sydney on the night of Tuesday 3 October, aged 55.

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Richard Watts is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM, and serves as the Chair of La Mama Theatre's volunteer Committee of Management. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, and was awarded the status of Melbourne Fringe Living Legend in 2017. In 2020 he was awarded the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize. Most recently, Richard was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Green Room Awards Association in June 2021. Follow him on Twitter: @richardthewatts