Lindsay Farris will play the role of a piano prodigy in the new drama for the HBO network.

Young Australian pianist and actor Lindsay Farris has landed a career-defining role in a new HBO produced show, Virtuoso. Set in the 18th Century, the period drama tells the story of a group of talented classical musicians from across Europe who are enrolled at a prestigious musical academy. Farris, who studied piano at the Central Coast Conservatorium in NSW before focusing on honing his acting skills at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts Young Actors Studio, will play the role of Heinrich, an Austrian piano prodigy.

Only a pilot for the new drama series has been commissioned so far, but the programme has some significant backing: Elton John and David Furnish’s production company Rocket Pictures have been secured as executive producers, and the world famous couple have also had significant input into the plot of the show. Alan Ball, the acclaimed writer-producer behind the hugely successful HBO property True Blood has been confirmed as the script-writer for the show and Lebanese actor Peter Macdissi, who most notably played recurring character Olivier Castro-Staal on the HBO drama Six Feet Under will also star in the programme as the infamous composer Antonio Salieri. The hour-long pilot episode is due to be filmed in the coming months in Budapest, with a release date, yet to be finalised, expected towards the end of 2015.

Farris has an impressive list of top Australian theatre credits to his name, including roles for Sydney Theatre Company, Belvoir Theatre and Brisbane’s La Boite Theatre Company. He notably appeared as Dakin in the critically acclaimed production of Alan Bennett’s The History Boys at the Sydney Opera House in 2013, and has starred in two films by Australian horror director Joseph Sims. However the prestige and international exposure of appearing in an HBO series could mean a significant boost to the young Aussie actor’s profile. HBO are responsible for some of the biggest television hits of recent years, including the phenomenally successful series Game of Thrones, The Wire, The Sopranos, True Detective and Sex and the City

Get Limelight's free weekly round-up of music, arts and culture.