The Aussie star won Young Talent Time at age eight. We caught up with the soprano ahead of her debut in The Merry Widow.

You have a unique genealogical background. What do you think of yourself as nowadays?

My parents were born in Sri Lanka and they’re mixed with Dutch and Scottish heritage, but they met in Australia and that’s where I was born, so I definitely consider myself an Australian. We moved to the US when I was ten, but I always think Australia gave me wings because had I not gotten those opportunities I would have never continued my training. At the same time, America with its pre-university age conservatories that can really harness people who are training at that age, allowed me to continue.

Are either of your parents musical?

My mother took voice and piano lessons, but she never wanted to actually be a singer. She’s incredibly musical and I’m still learning so much from her. The quickest way to describe it is that I feel she taught me the difference between singing and interpreting. You can just sing the notes on the page and you can have a beautiful voice, and then there’s all of the other...