Shauntai Sherree Abdul-Rahman

Multi-faceted vocalist and composer Shauntai Sherree Abdul-Rahman, effortlessly inhabits the worlds of opera, inspirational soul and gospel, classical composition, and theatre making. Known for her warm, rich, smooth clarity of tone and strong stage presence, Shauntai is establishing herself as a voice that touches the hearts of its audience. Shauntai has appeared on a number of occasions as a soloist for Melbourne Symphony Orchestra at Hamer Hall and Sidney Myer Music Bowl singing Deborah Cheetham Fraillon’s Musical Acknowledgement to Country ’Long Time Living Here‘ and was commissioned by Port Fairy Spring Music Festival in 2019 and 2024 to write for the opening gala (2019 & 2024) and closing gala (2019) performances for a string quintet, chamber ensemble and orchestra.

Her stage credits include; Pecan Summer (Old Alice) Short Black Opera, Parrwang Lifts the Sky (Mrs Waa) Short Black Opera & Victorian Opera, The Visitors (Winsome) Victorian Opera, Showboat & Ragtime (Ensemble) The Production Company, Ricercar (Ensemble) Present Tense Ensemble, Corrugation Road (Ensemble) Black Swan Theatre. Concert Repertoire include; Brahms Requiem, (Soprano Solo), Melbourne Recital Centre with Star Chorale and numerous concert performances as Soprano Soloist and Ensemble with Short Black Opera, Australia’s only national Indigenous Opera Company.

Nominated for Most Promising Talent in Music at the Deadly Awards 2005 and Best Actressand Best Supporting Actress for the BroadwayWorld Australia – Sydney Awards 2016.

Shauntai is currently in the process of writing a new exciting Australian Musical, supported by Creative Victoria, inspired by the life of her late father Wally ‘Wait a While’ Carr an Indigenous boxer who held twelve titles across six different divisions across his 15-year career as a boxer and is inducted in the boxing Hall of Fame in Melbourne.

Shauntai is so excited to be making her Opera Australia Debut as Black Mary in the world premier of The Drover’s Wife – The Opera.