Australian Opera singer Selena Pettifer originally studied as a pianist from the age of 6. She began vocal lessons in her final year of her Bachelor of Music degree in Piano from the University of Melbourne. She has performed extensively as a mezzo-soprano and is currently studying voice as a dramatic soprano with the famous baritone Cesare Colona at the “Internationales Gesangsstudio Berlin eV”. Selena has appeared in a number of Opera productions, concerts and recitals in Australia, and has also performed in Europe and South America. She has performed with “Citi Opera”, “Melbourne Opera”, “Victorian Opera”, “More than Opera”, “Melbourne City Opera”, “Yarra Opera”, “Mornington Peninsula Theatre Company”, the “Heidelberg & Dandenong Choral Society”, “Melbourne Chorale Ensemble”, “Ashton-Smith Singers”, the chamber orchestra “La Fraternita di Solisti”, “Zelman Symphony”, “Berlin Wagner Gruppe”,“Shoestring Opera Melbourne in Berlin” and the Opera quartet “Opera Vivente”.
Selena first went to Germany in 2013, and studied voice with Sami Kustaloglu. She performed a recital of Wagner’s Wesendonck Lieder and Rachmaninov art songs at “Hauptstadt Oper” in Berlin, on the 70th anniversary of Rachmaninov’s death. She was invited to return to Germany again that year under a scholarship for the “Oper Oder-Spree International Opera Course” in Beeskow. This involved 6 performances, including an evening Lieder performance, an Opera production and solo performances with orchestra. In 2015, Selena returned for further study in Berlin and also attended the “Oper Oder-Spree International Opera Course”.
Selena has received over fifty awards, winning many Opera and Art song awards in various singing competitions. She frequently appears as a recitalist in concert and in Oratorio. In 2015 she performed two new Australian works – “Gallipoli Song” by George Dreyfus with the “Zelman Symphony”, and appeared as the Contralto soloist in the premiere of a new cantata by David Kram & Kevin O’Flaherty, about the life of Sir John Monash.
In March 2017, Selena made her debut in the role of Azucena in “Il Trovatore” with Citi Opera. She also released her first album while under the tutelage of Miss Terry Greene in Australia. “Una voce bella” is a collection of 14 Operatic arias with renowned pianist Rhodri Clarke. The album was released during a number of promotional concerts entitled “Berlin Bound”, due to her acceptance into the prestigious “Internationales Gesangsstudio Berlin eV”. She more recently sang the role of Ortrud from “Lohengrin” in a series of concerts, and the role of Wellgunde in “Das Rheingold” in productions with “Berlin Wagner Gruppe”. In July 2019 she performed the role of Annio from “La Clemenza di Tito” with “Shoestring Opera in Berlin”. Upcoming performances include more concerts with “Das Internationales Gesangsstudio Berlin eV” and performing the role of Idamante in “Idomeneo” with Fortitude Productions (formerly Shoestring Opera).