A soprano of huge promise with a captivating stage presence.”
Limelight Magazine (2023)
Australian soprano Samantha Hargreaves is currently a student in the Opera Program at Guildhall School of Music and Drama, studying with Janice Chapman. She began her studies at the University of Melbourne, where she sang the title role in The Coronation of Poppea (Monteverdi), Pamina in The Magic Flute (Mozart), Nella in Gianni Schicchi, and Beth in Little Women (Adamo). With the Lisa Gasteen National Opera Program in 2022, she performed the principal roles Hannchen in Die Opernprobe (Lortzing) and Reserl in Der Häusliche Krieg (Schubert). At Guildhall, she has sung Oberto in Alcina (Handel) and premiered the role of Anna in contemporary opera The Casserole (Snyder/Haden). She will perform Adele in Die Fledermaus (J Strauss) in November.
In May 2024, Samantha created the role of Sarah-Marie in Three Marys, a chamber opera by Australian composer and librettist, Andrèe Greenwell and Christine Evans, that premiered at the Sydney Opera House. A lover of contemporary Australian work, Samantha has been involved in concerts with Lyric Opera of Melbourne, performing unpublished and unrecorded art songs by Peggy Glanville-Hicks, with associate artist, Coady Green. With Lyric Opera, she interpreted the song cycle ‘This Too Shall Pass’ by Anne Cawrse.
Samantha has been the recipient of several awards and scholarships. In 2022, she won the John Fulford Prize at the Herald Sun Aria Competition. Samantha was an artist with Melba Opera Trust for two years (2022-2023). Most recently, she received the Eva Kleinitz Scholarship to help aid with living expenses in London whilst studying at Guildhall School. She is on a full scholarship at Guildhall, supported by the Gita de la Fuente Prize and the Christina and Ray McGrath Scholarship. Her studies in London have also been supported by the Tait Memorial Trust, The Australian Music Foundation and The University of Melbourne. In July, Samantha travelled to Italy for one month of daily lessons with soprano, Valeria Esposito (Winner BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 1987), funded by The Acclaim Awards.