Christine has had a distinguished career as an operatic soprano with Opera Australia, the Victorian State Opera, State Opera of South Australia, Western Australian Opera, Opera Queensland, Melbourne and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras and the Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide Festivals.

​

So, who is Christine Douglas?

​

Christine Douglas is an experienced presenter, professional opera singer, opera director, artistic director and singing teacher. She holds a master’s degree in Vocal Pedagogy from Griffith University, where she received an award for academic excellence. Christine is dedicated to training the next generation of classical/opera singers and does so through her own teaching practice in Melbourne and in her position as executive vice chair of Pacific Opera, the Sydney-based young artist's company she founded in 2003.

Christine has worked as a director for Opera Australia, Opera Queensland, other companies and the NZ Singing School. She was founding artistic director for Sydney-based company Pacific Opera and now works as a freelance soprano, producer, director, vocal coach and mentor to the next generation of Australasian operatic talent. Christine is a Churchill Fellow (Investigation of best practice in opera training in the UK and USA) and was awarded the OAM for services to music.

​

Christine’s creativity spans beyond the stage. Christine now works as a freelance soprano, producer, director, vocal coach and mentor to the next generation of Australasian operatic talent.

​

Opera and Musical Theatre share a common language but different genre and specific elements. For drama and music to be full partners in operatic performance, singers must have a working understanding of how their bodies communicate and are perceived on stage. Christine believes in training young artists to be just as articulate in their physical characteristics as they are in musical and vocal terms. Spatial awareness, physical coordination, body confidence, all these are necessary to communicate effectively with an audience. The Napier Performing Arts Competitions Society Inc. are very fortunate to have Christine Douglas as our Senior Vocal and the ‘Joré Aria2025 Adjudicator next year. Her talents are many and Opera is her passion, and these gifts were shown when in 2019 Christine was invited as a tutor for The NZ Singing School here in Napier.

​

‘Opera is my Passion’ and music and drama are of equal importance in Opera. This conviction underpins all Christine Douglas’s work in a long and successful career. Nothing gives her greater pleasure than facilitating artistic growth in young artists!

​

So, New Zealand singers here is a wonderful opportunity to work and learn with Christine Douglas at the Easter Festival here in Napier!