Zara Barrett

Zara undertook postgraduate studies at London’s National Opera Studio in 1996. She has been a member of the Young Artists’ Programs at Glimmerglass Opera and at the Pittsburgh Opera Center. She has studied voice with Richard Miller, Anthea Moller, Kathleen Kelly, Lauran Gilley, Bonnie Koestner, David Harper, Narelle French and Norman Marschke.

Zara has been a three-time regional finalist in the Metropolitan Opera Awards (1993, 2000 and 2001) and winner of Opera Foundation Australia’s Covent Garden Award (1995). She made her operatic debut in 1993 performing the title role in Suor Angelica (for the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University). Other performances include the roles of Lady Dunmow in A Dinner Engagement (for Stopera, Canberra) and the Witch in the chamber opera production of Hansel & Gretel (for OzOpera). She also understudied the roles of Abigaille in Nabucco and the title role in Turandot (for State Opera of South Australia and Opera Queensland).

Engagements outside of Australia include the roles of Mimì in La bohème (for NBR New Zealand Opera), Musetta in La bohème (for Pittsburgh Opera), Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, Amelia in A Masked Ball, Lucy in The Threepenny Opera, Vitellia in La clemenza di Tito and Micaëla in Carmen (for Pittsburgh Opera Center), Masha in The Music Shop and Donna Anna in Don Giovanni (for the Oberlin Conservatory of Music) and Veronica in The Glass Blower and Mimì in La bohème (for Glimmerglass Opera). She also understudied the roles of Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Anna Maurant in Street Scene (for Pittsburgh Opera) and Female Chorus in The Rape of Lucretia (for Glimmerglass Opera). Most recently, she appeared in Jerry Springer: the Opera (at the Sydney Opera House).

Zara’s concert repertoire includes Verdi’s Requiem, Haydn’s Missa in tempore belli, Mozart’s Exsultate Jubilate, Britten’s Spring Symphony, Strauss’ Four Last Songs, Szymanowski’s Stabat Mater Op 53 and Poulenc’s Gloria.

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