It is a wonderfully rare occasion when the eyes of the opera world look towards Australia for a budding new talent. Such was the case when Albanian tenor Agim Hushi was cast in the role of Des Grieux in the State Opera of South Australia's presentation of Manon Lescaut.

Described as a tenor with perfect timing and a rock solid voice used with wisdom and taste, Mr. David Reid, conductor of the Norwood Symphony Orchestra wrote of Agim Hashi, "it is our loss and Europe's gain that he finds it necessary to return to the more fertile artistic fields of the Northern hemisphere."

Mr. Hushi was highly acclaimed in the lead role in Tosca during the first ever production of the National Malaysia Opera and also gave recitals in Singapore and the Philippines. His future engagements include Giuseppe Verdi in Trieste, as the principal tenor at the Folk State Opera of Vienna, and the Albanian State Opera.

For the past six years Australia has been Hashi's home base. When not traveling away from home for performances he teaches voice to aspiring opera singers across Australia and also in Singapore. On a recent concert tour of the United States he had the opportunity of working with Maestro Franco Corelli, who said the following: "a very rare tenor voice in the world today . . . . who deserves an international career."

It may seem a very long way since completing his degree at the Albanian Conservatory of Music and his appointment as Principal Tenor at the Albanian National Opera in 1991. Nonetheless, the resume of Agim Hushi is impressive, as are the accolades he has received from so many notables in the opera world in such a short time.