And he returns the compliment, saying he’s “fallen in love with the North West and its people”.

Hibbard (pictured right), the Brisbane based bass who has sung at Glyndebourne and with the English National Opera will appear for the sixth time at the Opera in the Paddock concert on Saturday, March 15.

“I keep coming back to Opera in the Paddock because it has become part of my family,” he says.

“Not just Peta and Bill (Blyth) but like David Miller (pianist) warned me, I’ve fallen in love with the region and its people.

“What a wonderful, wonderful place. The audience is very sophisticated but we can all have a bit of a laugh. It’s one of the highlights of my year.”

Hibbard says the audience for Opera in the Paddock is highly educated, musically.

“We don’t have to dumb down the repertoire, like we do for a lot of city audiences,” he claims. “You give everything a go. Opera in the Paddock audiences are also very warm and responsive, which always makes me want to do better.

“I truly, really enjoy my time on stage at Opera in the Paddock. Who couldn’t have a ball? Peta, Elizabeth, Shaun, David. It’s like being with your best friends and we all get to show off without getting arrested.”

Ms Blyth, who organises the annual opera concert said she was not surprised at Hibbard’s popularity with local audiences. “David has such a generosity of spirit that really comes through in his performances and interaction with audiences,” she said.

Hibbard will sing with Peta Blyth (soprano), Elizabeth Campbell (mezzo soprano) and Shaun Brown (baritone) at the Twilight Recital of German Song at the Inverell Town Hall at 6.15 pm on Friday, March 14 as well as the Paddock concert the next night featuring works by Handel, duets by Bellini and Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, Bizet’s The Pearlfishers, Flotow’s Martha and selections from Porter’s Kiss Me Kate. The Mimosa Ensemble will again feature with selected instrumental favourites.

New England Credit Union is offering its support through the sale of tickets in all branches. Other sponsors include the Inverell Shire Council and Inverell Tourism, the Ministry for the Arts through Member for Northern Tablelands Richard Torbay, Allianz insurance, Malachite Resources, the Department of Regional and State Development, QantasLink, Country Energy and the German Consulate.

Tickets are available at the Inverell Visitors Centre 1800 067 626 and on line www.operainthepaddock.com.au and at all New England Credit Union Branches. For all enquiries phone: 6724 8561/1800 240 301