The Australian soprano has wowed audiences and critics alike in London, singing the title role in Bellini’s ‘Norma’.

In London you can be sure of two things: there’ll be ravens at the Tower and if an opera singer calls in sick, a young Aussie star in the making will be there to step in. The latest Australian-born London-based cover, in what has become something of a tradition in the London opera scene in recent years, is Katrina Sheppeard, whose debut in a principal operatic role in London has been a long time coming. After being on stand-by to cover six major roles at English National Opera over the past eight years, Sheppeard has finally gone on at the Coliseum Theatre, standing in for American soprano Marjorie Owens in the title role of Bellini’s Norma. 

Sheppeard, who studied at the Western Australian Conservatorium of Music, cut her opera-singing teeth Down Under as part of Opera Australia’s ensemble between 2002 and 2007. She sang a number of major roles for the company, including the Beggar Woman in Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd, and Donna Elvira in Don Giovani. She was also a Young Artist with Opera Queensland in 2007, before moving to London...