About

OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY

PLEASE CONTACT SHAKIRA FOR AN UPDATED BIOGRAPHY BEFORE USE.

Australian/Cypriot Mezzo Soprano Shakira Tsindos was a 2021/2022 young artist with the National Opera Studio, an emerging artist with Oxford International Song Festival and is a Samling Artist.

Recent engagements include Mercédès CARMEN for Staatsoper Hamburg & Shenzhen Opera & Dance Theatre, Hänsel HÄNSEL UND GRETEL for Opera Holland Park, Second Witch DIDO AND AENEAS for Waterperry Opera Festival, a tour of OPERA HIGHLIGHTS with Scottish Opera, Suzy & Lolette LA RONDINE for IF Opera, the title role CARMEN for Opera Loki, Zerlina DON GIOVANNI for Merry Opera, Dorabella COSÌ FAN TUTTE for MOF, Dorothée CENDRILLON & Alisa in LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR for Victorian Opera (Australia), and Agatha the Cat BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON for Opera Australia.

On the concert platform Shakira made her Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra debut as the mezzo soprano soloist in the world premiere of Teresa Barlow Requiem 2020, Mozart Missa Brevis in D minor in Norway, Handel Messiah and Vivaldi Gloria.

Shakira’s principal work has spanned across various companies in Australia including Opera Australia, Victorian Opera, and as a soloist with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Andrew Davis. While at the National Opera Studio Shakira performed with the English National Opera, Scottish Opera, Welsh National Opera and Opera North.

Shakira won the Nigel Beale First Prize at the 2021 Hurn Court Opera competition, is an award holder with: Help Musicians UK, the Tait Memorial Trust and the Australian Music Foundation. She holds a Masters of Performance from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London.

A note from Shakira

heya! welcome to the online home of my weird and wonderful life!

My name is Shakira (yes, you can say it twice) and I’m an Aussie/Cypriot mezzo soprano living in London. Five years ago, I packed up my life and moved to the UK to further study and strengthen my career in music.

At the age of 22, I made my professional principal main stage debut in Victorian Opera’s production of Lucia di Lammermoor in the role of Alisa alongside international soprano Jessica Pratt, conducted by Maestro Richard Mills and directed by Cameron Menzies. I was then offered a position in their Developing Artist programme, where I went on to perform five roles in four productions for their season. Many say that your first opera experience is one you’ll always remember, and I’m especially pleased to call Victorian Opera, a home away from home.

In Australia, my work has spanned across many companies in Australia including Opera Australia, Victorian Opera, The Seven Sopranos, Stonnington: The Classics and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. I have held prestigious awards and scholarships including the Joseph Sambrook Opera Scholarship with the Melba Opera Trust and was the winner of the International Opera Fellowship with the Acclaim Awards, culminating in a European summer spent in Italy studying italiano.

Shakira as Alisa and Jessica Pratt as Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor with Victorian Opera
© Jeff Busby/Victorian Opera

For four years I was an opera scholar with Opera Scholars Australia which awakened another passion for music administration. I was their Media and Administration Coordinator for five years and contributed to the coordination of concerts and their large outdoor events Opera in the Alps and Opera in the Market, with attendance of 3,500 and 2,400 people respectively.

Over the last five years, London has bought such wonderful and eclectic experiences, including the creation of the role of the Daughter for HERA’s Generation. This production was incredibly special and personal, as during the show we discuss our own feelings and opinions about relevant issues of our time from the perspective of myself (representing the millennials), Donna Bateman (Generation X) and Linda Hirst (Baby Boomer).

Further UK and European debuts include Zerlina in Mozart’s Don Giovanni directed by John Ramster, Dorabella in Così fan tutte in Sicily and Second Witch in Dido and Aeneas in Germany and the title role of Carmen in a tour of France and the UK.

My studies and career has been proudly supported by the Austrailan Music Foundation, Tait Memorial Trust, Ian Potter Cultural Trust, Australian Opera Awards Committee, Acclaim Awards, Melba Opera Trust and the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music.

During the dormant years of Covid-19, I originated the role of Jill in the new commission Little England by Mark Bowler, released here.

Hänsel in Hänsel und Gretel with Opera Holland Park. © Ali Wright

In 2021/2022, I was a young artist at the National Opera Studio in London performing with the creatives and orchestras of English National Opera, Scottish Opera. Welsh National Opera and Opera North. I am a Samling artist and recipient of the inaugural Samling and Song grant with my duo partner Lana Bode and was emerging artist with Oxford Lieder Festival.

Directly after my time with the National Opera Studio, I was cast as Suzy and Lolette in La rondine with IF Opera, and as the mezzo soprano soloist in Scottish Opera’s Opera Highlights tour, traveling to 20 Scottish towns and villages.

This summer, I made my house and role debut as Hänsel in Hänsel und Gretel with Opera Holland Park in their Young Artist production, and sang the 2nd Witch in Dido and Aeneas with Waterperry Opera Festival.

Mercédès in *Carmen* with Hamburg Staatsoper in Shenzhen, China.

In January 2024, I made her role and company debut as Mercédès in Carmen in Shenzhen, China with the Staatsoper Hamburg, alongside a stellar cast, including Ginger Costa-Jackson as Carmen, Andrii Kymach as Escamillo and Norman Reinhardt as Don José.

If moving to the UK has strengthened one thing, it’s my love of song.

Europe and the UK have an intense appetite for song, lieder and chansons. There is so much repertoire that tells intricate and detailed stories about love, loss, betrayal, friendship etc. and I am making it my mission to explore and perform interesting and divine song alongside opera engagements – especially with my duo partner, Lana Bode, so stay tuned!

On that note, you are free to peruse and explore this colourful site of photos and videos.

I wish you all a happy and healthy time ahead.