Originally from Australia, Sam Weller was one of six ‘designated winners’ of the International Conducting Competition Rotterdam 2025, which saw him conduct ensembles such as the Rotterdam Philharmonic, Klangforum Wien and Orchestra of the 18th Century. 

Sam is enjoying a blossoming career in The Netherlands and Australia with recent debuts including the Tasmanian, Queensland and West Australian Symphonies and conducting Opera Australia’s 70th anniversary gala concert in Melbourne. Recently he also returned to the Adelaide Symphony and Noord Nederlands Orkest. In the past Sam has led performances with The Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, PHION, Phil Zuid and a national tour of Die Zauberflöte with Opera2Day and LUDWIG Orchestra. 

Coming up Sam will return to the Royal Conservatoire, Den Haag to conduct performances of Britten’s War Requiem and, in 2027, he will lead the Melbourne run of Opera Australia’s production of The Magic Flute. 

Sam founded Ensemble Apex in 2016, which has been hailed as ‘one of the most exciting new ensembles on the Sydney scene’ (Limelight Magazine). The orchestra creates exceptional orchestral music experiences for newcomers and seasoned concert-goers alike. Apex has presented sold-out seasons since 2016, with highlights including Bela Bartok’s Miraculous Mandarin at Sydney Town Hall, Rhapsody in Blue with Simon Tedeschi, Strauss’s Eine Alpensinfonie and most recently a critically acclaimed production of Verdi’s Messa da Requiem. In 2024 they launched Apex Festival supported by the Australian Government – a cutting edge new orchestral music festival in Australia. 

In 2022 Sam graduated from the prestigious National Masters of Orchestral Conducting in The Netherlands where he studied with Ed Spanjaard, Jac Van Steen, Kenneth Montgomery OBE and guest professor Antony Hermus. 

Sam is a guest lecturer and conductor at Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Conservatorium van Amsterdam and Koninklijk Conservatoire - Den Haag. 

Kanen Breen made his international debut, in 2003, in the role of Rodolfo, in Baz Luhrman’s Broadway production of La Boheme in New York.

He has been a principal artist for Opera Australia over many years singing an extensive range of roles including Camille in The Merry Widow, Nanki Poo in The Mikado, Truffaldino in The Love For Three Oranges, Florville in Il Signor Bruschino, Alfred in Die Fledermaus, Monostatos in Die Zauberflöte and Ralph Rackstraw in HMS Pinafore, Sellem in The Rake’s Progress, Marco Palmieri in The Gondoliers, Dr. Caius and Bardolf in Falstaff,  Pong in Turandot, Andres/Cochenille/Pittinaccio/Frantz/Nathanael in The Tales Of Hoffmann, Pirelli in Sweeney Todd, Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi, Nadir in The Pearlfishers, The Duke and Borsa in Rigoletto, Count Albert in Die Tote Stadt, the title role in Albert Herring and Rev. Horace Evans in Peter Grimes, the Sorceress in Dido & Aeneas and Damon in Acis & Galatea, Dr. Blind in Die Fledermaus, Guillot in Manon, Ramiro in La Cenerentola, Count Elemer in Arabella, Pliable and Lord Lechery in The Pilgrim’s Progress,  Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Squeak in Billy Budd, Vitek in The Makropulos Affair and Johnny in the company’s world premiere seasons of Bliss at the Edinburgh Festival. His performances of Emilio in Handel’s Partenope were awarded a Helpmann Award.

He was originally a member of the Young Artist Program at Opera Queensland, his subsequent appearances for the company including Nanki Poo, Nadir, Monostatos, Ramiro in La Cenerentola and Sir Richard Dauntless in Ruddigore. Also the role of Andy Warhol in the company’s season of Philip Glass’s The Perfect American in the program of the Brisbane Festival.

For State Opera of South Australia his roles include Peter Quint in Turn of the Screw and Dr. Studz in How to Kill Your Husband.

He was first engaged by Victorian Opera for its premiere season of Through the Looking Glass and has since appeared as The Beadle in Sweeney Todd, Uncle Ernie in The Who’s Tommy and the premiere seasons of Banquet of Secrets and Richard Mills’s ‘Tis Pity while includes a return to Peter Quint in the company’s 2026 season of Turn Of The Screw.

For Opera New Zealand he has appeared as Nanki Poo and Governor/Vanderdendur/Ragotski in Candide.

Breen is also regularly engaged by Pinchgut Opera, in 2021 appearing in the title role of Rameau’s Platée, performances of which Arts Review wrote, ‘…a staggeringly exceptional performance…Breen’s ability to mount every aspect of the punishing vocal demands with rich characterisation is testament to his passion and commitment. With the goods to inhabit a wide-ranging musical landscape, Breen gives his audience an up-close look at one of the country’s most talented performers.’ His other appearances for the company including Erice in L’Ormindo, Arnalta/Nutrice/Famigliari in  L’Incoronazione di Poppea and the Sorceress in Dido & Aeneas.

Other engagements have included the Melbourne Festival’s production of Jonathan Mills’s The Ghost Wife, repeated at the Adelaide and Sydney festivals and in London at the Barbican’s Bite02 festival, the Witch Of Endor in the Adelaide Festival’s season of the Glyndebourne Festival Opera production of Handel’s Saul, his performances receiving a Helpmann Award. For the Malthouse his roles have included Wilhelm in Tom Wait’s The Black Rider for the Malthouse, the Sydney Morning Herald describing his performance as ‘extraordinary’, and Meow-Meow’s The Red Shoes.

And on the musical theatre stage, his credits include the Gordon Frost Organisation’s Australian production of Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, appearing in the lead role of Willy Wonka and the role of Siegfried in the 2025 Sydney Festival production of Siegfried & Roy – The Unauthorised Opera.

His recent concert engagements include Carmina Burana with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and the Sydney Philharmonia Choir.