Mezzo Soprano Soloist
Opera Highlights Tour

Shetland Times - 10th October 2022

“You could hear them breathing and they could see us sweating which has an amazing effect on going through the show and experiencing it together.”

Mezzo Soprano Soloist
Opera Highlights Tour

Glasgow Theatre Blog - 8th June 2022

A truly international line-up of singers appears throughout the Season. Making their debuts with the Company are Zachary Altman, Viktor Antipenko, Pablo Bemsch, Francesca Chiejina, Julian Close, Lauren Fagan, Samantha Hankey, Andrew Henley, Emyr Wyn Jones, Julieth Lozano, Christopher Nairne, Paula Sides, Holly Teague, Alfredo Tejada and Shakira Tsindos.

Opera Highlights

There will be two tours of the much-loved Opera Highlights in Autumn this year and Spring 2023, when four talented singers and a pianist travel to local venues all over Scotland. Emma Jenkins (National Opera Studio’s Anarchy at the Opera 2022) directs Scottish Opera Emerging Artists Zoe Drummond and Osian Wyn Bowen, along with Shakira Tsindos, and Christopher Nairne in the Autumn, and Holly Teague, Annie Reilly, Andrew Henley and Emerging Artist Colin Murray in the Spring. Once again, the music is skilfully curated by Scottish Opera’s Head of Music Derek Clark, who combines operatic favourites with lesser-known gems. The Music Director/Pianist is Emerging Artist repetiteur Kristina Yorgova (Autumn tour), and Janis Hart returns as designer.

The Autumn Tour, from 22 September to 29 October visits Dundee, Markinch, Fraserburgh, Forres, Banchory, Cullivoe, Lerwick, Linlithgow, Town Yetholm, Stranraer, Castle Douglas, Dunlop, Gartmore, Biggar, Glenuig, Gairloch and Durness. Tickets are on sale this summer.

Joseph Sambrook Opera Scholarship Holder
Melba Opera Trust

4th June 2020

“Before leaving for the UK, Shakira continued to perform as a principal with Victorian Opera as well as performing in Opera Australia’s Schools Company tour of By the Light of the Moon. She is currently completing her master’s at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama Opera School and recently performed the role of Zerlina in Merry Opera’s production of Don Giovanni in the UK.”

Daughter, Generation
HERA

8th March 2020

3 women. A Boomer. A Millennial. The one in the middle. What do they have to teach each other? Or forgive each other for? New operatic gig theatre from HERA. With Linda Hirst, Donna Bateman, Shakira Tsindos and Lana Bode (piano). Music by Cevanne Horrocks-Hopayian, plus Anna Amalia and Gabriella Ferrari (heard here) and many others. Words by Sabrina Mahfouz, Toria Banks and the company.

Artist, Shapeshifter
PERFORMANCE ARTS LAB

18th November 2019

“I’ve really loved this opportunity, having come from a young artist background and a performing background, jumping from contract to contract, and to be in this rehearsal process and [experience] this fine tooth comb work on character, on language, on your understanding, on working with others; all of these things are so important, and it’s been really great to work so intensively on just those things without the pressures of a professional contract.”

Agatha The Cat, By the Light of the Moon
OPERA AUSTRALIA

YPRL Arts & Culture - 17 August 2018

“I am constantly inspired by my colleagues and the artistic work that is created in a rehearsal room. I am encouraged by the depth of expertise and knowledge from a creative team, particularly when presenting a new work for the first time. ‘By the Light of the Moon’ is a new opera devised by Liesel Badorrek, allowing us the unique experience to create characters from scratch, incorporating our own ideas with those of the director.”

“The ability to affect an audience member’s emotions or opening their eyes to an everyday issue. Opera can touch the emotions of all through its music, acting, language, costume, sets and spectacle.”

The Possum, The Magic Pudding
VICTORIAN OPERA

The Melba Magazine - Autumn 2018

Shakira Tsindos says that each time she gets the full cast list for her next opera, she is always excited to see the name of a Melba alumni. “Even if it’s the first time that we have met and worked with each other, we feel as though we are part of the Melba history and its family,” she says. “Working with familiar faces, Brenton, Jeremy, Nathan and Stephen, on one of Victorian Opera’s most hilarious productions was no different!

“It's not every day that you have the opportunity to dress up as an Australian possum in a fat suit and tail in one of our most iconic Australian children stories. Celebrating 100 years, this production is a beautiful representation of the original sketches, reflected in the costuming and set design. It is such a joy to hear laughter from not only the children in the audience, but people of all ages.”

Dorothée, Cendrillon
VICTORIAN OPERA

Prime 7 - 18th November 2016

Students at Wodonga South Primary were transported into a fairytale as Victorian Opera's Cinderella production came to life on their school stage.

Inspired by the classic tale, the children even put on their own impromptu performance.

Mrs Mayor, The Pied Piper
VICTORIAN OPERA

The Border Mail - 15th November 2016

ALMOST 40 Border singers will team up with Victorian Opera on its quirky family production of The Pied Piper in Albury on Wednesday.

Nineteen children and 16 adults will perform alongside Victorian Opera’s professional cast and orchestra after months of rehearsals with Victorian Opera’s music staff in Albury-Wodonga.

Robert Browning’s classic tale The Pied Piper of Hamelin is reborn in outback Australia in Richard Mills’ new take on the fable.

Dorothée, Cendrillon
VICTORIAN OPERA

Win News (Bendigo) - 7th November 2016

Win News Bendigo joined the audience of Cinderella at The Capital Theatre on Victorian Opera's regional tour.

Dorothée, Cendrillon
VICTORIAN OEPRA

Sunraysia Daily (Mildura, VIC) - 18th October 2016

Mildura English Language Centre students Fiona Henry, 16, and Gray Nguyen, 17, fit the slipper on the foot of Cinderella, Victoria Opera developing artist Kirilie Blythman. Fighting over a slipper are the Two Ugly Sisters, Victoria Opera developing artists Cristina Russo and Shakira Tsindos. Picture: Louise Donges

Dorothée, Cendrillon
VICTORIAN OPERA

Herald Sun - 13th July 2016

THE ballroom is a battlefield in Victorian Opera's Cinderella. The characters are colourful and theatrical making it a perfect way to introduce children to opera, Victorian Opera's artistic director Richard Mills says. "We're staging this delightful French opera for the young people of Melbourne and their families, " Mr Mills said. "It's a very good length at just under an hour, and gives an uncompromising encounter with the operatic art form." While the opera in sung in French, there will be English surtitles. Wicked stepsisters Cristina Russo and Shakira Tsindos (pictured above with their stepmother, played by Fleuranne Brockway) are embracing the comic possibilities of their roles.

Alisa, Lucia di Lammermoor
VICTORIAN OPERA

Farrago - 12th April 2016

"Prepare pieces that are well within your development – sing pieces from a role that would suit you right now; a role that you could go straight onto stage and sing. Sing something that the audition panel can visualise you performing, and you will do great."

Alisa, Lucia di Lammermoor
VICTORIAN OPERA

Victorian Opera > Behind the Curtain Blog - 7th April 2016

"Performing with these artists is the best way to learn about the industry in Australia and Europe. Jessica performs in countries around the world and has performed the role of Lucia in 20 productions, and José as Enrico in five. We've had the most incredible conversations about life as a performer. It's so great working with director Cameron Menzies again, too, after The Grumpiest Boy in the World which he also directed. He continues to challenge how I portray my character."

Alisa, Lucia di Lammermoor
VICTORIAN OPERA

Heidelberg Leader - 5th April 2016

IVANHOE opera singer Shakira Tsindos will make her professional debut in the Victorian Opera’s production of Lucia di Lammermoor.

The 22-year-old will perform at Her Majesty’s Theatre in Melbourne just months after graduating from Melbourne University’s Conservatorium of Music.

Lucia di Lammermoor is a tragic tale of Scottish starcrossed lovers from rival clans caught in a love triangle.

Tsindos was cast in the role of Alisa, friend to main character Lucia, just five weeks out after the original cast member fell ill.

“At the end of last year, I was asked to join the chorus ensemble for Victorian Opera’s production of Lucia di Lammermoor,” Tsindos said.

“I was thrilled to perform once again with this dynamic and vibrant company after working for them in various productions in 2015.

“Little did I know the singer who was hired to perform this role (Alisa) fell ill ... miraculously I was called upon to step into the role.”

The former Our Lady of Mercy College student said she was grateful for the opportunity to make her professional operatic debut.

“To perform with singers of this calibre and in a venue that I have grown up watching various musicals in is a dream come true,” Tsindos said.

Lucia di Lammermoor will run from April 12 to 21.