Thursday, 06 November 2025

In October, West Australian Opera announced its 2026 season with the exciting news that soprano Samantha Clarke will be the company’s Artist in Residence next year.

Clarke, who made her company debut as Violetta in La traviata (2022) and appeared in Into the Woods in 2023, will perform dual leading roles as Tatyana in Eugene Onegin and Juliette in Roméo et Juliette.

“This residency feels like such a beautiful full-circle moment,” Clarke says. “I’m thrilled to perform in these two incredible productions and to share what I’ve learned with the next generation of West Australian singers. It’s a joy to be home and to give back to the community that helped shape me.”

Clarke describes how, as a WAAPA alumni, she will forever have an artistic home in Perth.

“One of the most valuable things I took from my time at WAAPA was the incredible connections I made – both professionally and personally.

“The wealth of knowledge our teachers and visiting artists shared with us was invaluable, and I left feeling deeply connected to a place that always feels like I can come back to.”

After graduating from WAAPA’s Classical Voice program in 2013, Clarke went on to study a Master of Music at the Royal Northern College of Music, as a Sir John Fisher Foundation and Independent Opera Scholar, under the tutelage of Mary Plazas. She then continued her training at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, studying with Yvonne Kenny.

Each institution bestowed on Clarke their highest accolade, awarding her the 2017 RNCM Gold Medal and the 2019 Guildhall Gold Medal. She was also a prize winner in the 2019 Grange International Festival Singing Competition.

Since then, Samantha’s career has seen her shine on international stages in a diverse range of roles and concert appearances. She has performed with Opera North (UK), Opera Australia, Pinchgut Opera, Sydney Symphony, Melbourne Symphony Orchestras and West Australian Opera, amongst other companies.

Clarke’s recent performance as Violetta in Opera Australia’s acclaimed production of La Traviata drew superlatives from the critics, being described as ‘astonishingly mature and impressive’ ‘glorious and powerful’ and ‘fully deserving of the standing ovation she received’.

Clarke says that performing La Traviata at the Sydney Opera House on New Year’s Eve was a dream come true.

“During the interval, we stepped out onto the balcony to watch the fireworks over the harbour. I’ll never forget that feeling of singing my dream role in such an iconic place as an Australian opera singer,” she says.

Another ‘pinch me’ moment was Clarke’s debut at the world-renowned Carnegie Hall in New York.

“That stage is so legendary, and standing there for the first time felt like living out a dream I’d had since I was a little girl,” she laughs.

In addition to her WAO engagements, Clarke’s busy 2026 schedule also includes a return to Opera Australia for more performances in La traviata and Orfeo ed Euridice, plus concert engagements with Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Tasmania Symphony Orchestra and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

Overseas engagements include her debut with the English National Opera as Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, and a European tour with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.

This high-flying career might be a long way from her WAAPA days, but Clarke describes the moments of connection and collaboration she experienced there as some of her fondest memories.

“What I loved most about my time at WAAPA were the friendships I forged and the energy of being surrounded by so many other creatives.

“It was inspiring to be immersed in an environment buzzing with artistry – collaborating with other departments, sharing ideas, and watching young stars on the rise.”