Australian baritone Geoffrey Chard, one of the country’s most significant opera singers, has died. He was 96.

Born in Sydney in 1930, Chard was a foundation member of the National Opera of New South Wales and enjoyed a career spanning almost half a century. He performed more than 140 principal operatic roles and created 13 roles in contemporary operas, while also establishing an international career in Britain.

Geoffrey Chard, Don Giovanni, Glyndebourne, 1968

Like many of his contemporaries, Chard went to England in 1961 and built his career with the Welsh National Opera, Glyndebourne, the Royal Opera Company at Covent Garden, and at the Aldeburgh Festival and Edinburgh Festival. He was a principal baritone with the English National Opera for 15 years, from 1969 to 1985, performing many major roles, including some roles which were specially written for him. He also appeared as Sergeant Meryll in the 1982 television production of The Yeomen of the Guard.

Returning to Australia in 1985, he also performed many major roles with Opera Australia.