Geoffrey Knight: From bikie tough to beautiful tenor

IT'S hardly been an easy ride for aspiring opera singer Geoffrey Knight, who has risen above his past as a bikie to pursue his dream of performing at the Sydney Opera House.

From the age of 16, Knight spent five years as a member of New Zealand's notorious motorcycle gang Highway 61.

"They were real outlaws and used to terrorise all the other motorcycle gangs," he said. "For my first few years it was great, like Easy Rider on steroids, but eventually it changed."

"Since I left I have sometimes have flashbacks and remember incredibly dangerous situations that I was in," he said. "I am so lucky to be alive."

After two near-fatal bike accidents Knight broke away from the gang, determined to pursue a more productive path in life.

"I realised I wanted to be a film star," he said.

In the process of completing various acting courses and taking any job that came his way, including being a stunt man on the TV show Xena Warrior Princess, Knight came into contact with former Opera Australia soloist Grant Dickson.

Dickson immediately recognised Knight's potential as a tenor - and has coached the former bikie for the past five years.

He is currently performing Gilbert & Sullivan's operetta Utopia Limited with the Rockdale Opera.

"The next step for me is getting work with one of the professional Australian companies," he said. "I'm the last person that thought I'd be doing this, but I love it."