Australian mezzo-soprano Shikara Ringdahl is a graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University (QCGU) and holds a Bachelor of Music. She made her professional debut with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra (SSO) singing Elgar’s Sea Pictures Op. 37 under the baton of Benjamin Northey, and became the first vocalist invited by SSO to tour in their 80 years of regional touring.

In 2019 Shikara was invited to study at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Her trip was generously supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland and the Lisa Gasteen National Opera School Scholarship.

Shikara’s opera credits include Der Komponist in Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos conducted by Simone Young AM, Larina in Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin conducted by Richard Hetherington, and Mrs Herring in Britten’s Albert Herring, directed by Bruce Beresford for QCGU and Brisbane Festival. Shikara has also been a resident Young Artist with the Israeli Opera’s Meitar Opera Studio.

Shikara has been a finalist in the IFAC Handa Australian Singing Competition, New Zealand Aria Competition, Sydney Eisteddfod Opera Scholarship, and winner of the BlueScope WIN Wollongong Eisteddfod Opera Scholarship. She has also been the recipient of scholarships from the Lisa Gasteen National Opera School and Bel Canto in Tuscany Opera Summer School. Awards include the Nelly Apt Prize, Saarbrucken Opera House Prize, Phoebe Patrick Award, SSO Prize, and WAAPA International Art Song Academy Prize.

Outside her classical voice discipline, Shikara collaborates with Australian visual artist Hannah Quinlivan on large-scale site-specific installations with sound and movement.

Shikara joins Opera Queensland’s 2023 Young Artist Program. In March she made her company debut as Second Apparition as well as performing with the Opera Queensland Chorus for Macbeth at QPAC’s Concert Hall. In addition, she is currently studying a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) at Queensland University of Technology.