bio

Emma Nightingale is a versatile soprano, director and writer who centres joy in the creative process and creates transformative experiences for her collaborators and audiences.

As a lyric soprano, Emma’s credits in 2023 include soloist for the 50th Anniversary of the Brisbane City Pops Orchestra, and America! for Voxalis. In 2022 Emma made her principal debut in the Festival of Outback Opera Singing in the Night and Dark Sky Serenade. She also featured as Soloist in Home Grown Opera (Opera Queensland), and chorus in La Traviata (Opera Queensland). 

For Opera Queensland, Emma has appeared as a principal artist, playing Juniper (The Frog Prince), Gretel (Hansel and Gretel) and Mimi (La Boheme). Emma is a regular chorus member with Opera Queensland, appearing in Verdi, Don Giovanni, Peter Grimes, The Sopranos, and Ruddigore. Emma has appeared as a guest artist for the popular Opera Queensland event Sing Sing Sing. 

Other roles and engagements include The Foreign Woman in Menotti’s The Consul, for The CoOperaTive, Soloist in Classic Brisbane with Camerata, an ensemble member of The Seven Sopranos for Bleach Festival on the Gold Coast, Brisbane Lord Mayors Christmas Carols, Opera in the Gardens, Opera by the Lake, and in concert with The Brisbane City Pops Orchestra. 

She was selected as a Young Artist for the Pacific Opera program, with concert credits including soloist in A Viennese Gala with the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra.

As a director, Emma has worked with Opera Queensland and shake and stir as assistant director for The Frog Prince, La Boheme and Fizz. In 2023 she will direct the remount of The Frog Prince for State Opera of South Australia, and make her directorial debut for Brisbane Music Festival with The Telephone. 

Her creative projects include her children’s opera in development, Teddy and the Bee (concept, writer and director) in collaboration with renowned composer John Rotar, and concerts as producer, Homeward (2023) and Hearts Less Heavy (2022). 

In addition to her creative practice, Emma is a dedicated teaching artist who inspires and guides children and adults to unleash their creativity, bring out their inner voice and find their joy in music. In 2022, Emma facilitated Composed in Queensland, a landmark program by Opera Queensland that works with regional school children and communities to write and perform their own songs, as well as delivering five schools workshops as part of the Festival of Outback Opera. As part of the 2022 Muttaburra Stock Show, she facilitated school workshops with the community of Muttaburra, presenting at the show as well as singing in, and assisting in directing the iconic fashion show.