The opera star was subjected to homophobic abuse at a major basketball match in Melbourne.

Being invited to perform the national anthem at a major sporting event is a proud moment for a singer. However pride turned to disappointment for Australian opera singer Kanen Breen, who was subjected to homophobic abuse after performing the Australian national anthem at a major Basketball match on Saturday evening.

Breen, who recently wowed audiences as the Beadle in Victorian Opera’s Sweeney Todd, delivered a faultless performance of Advance Australia Fair at the FIBA Oceania Championships on Saturday evening at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, where Australia’s Boomers faced off against New Zealand in the first of two matches in the final. Singing to a capacity crowd of 15,000 spectators as well as a live nationwide television audience on Channel 9, Breen wore a rainbow coloured tie for the event to show solidarity for the campaign for marriage equality in the wake of the Government’s decision last week not to allow Members of Parliament a conscience vote on the matter.

As the applause died down following his performance, an unidentified male spectator shouted “faggot” at Breen. The homophobic...