Salmon Arm soprano Stephanie Nakagawa has sung in many places for many reasons.
And now, the talented young singer will sing for all of North America at the 104th annual Rotary International Convention that takes place this month in Lisbon, Portugal.
The convention will also be hosting the second International Rotary Opera Contest, which will bring together young opera singers from around the globe.
The competition committee received auditions from applicants from more than 30 countries.
They have chosen 24 opera singers to compete in the second round in Lisbon.
These singers will perform on the stage of the Lisboa Opera House, the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos.
Not only was Nakagawa the only Canadian chosen to compete in Lisbon, she is the only singer chosen from North America.
The goal of the contest is to provide an international platform for the promotion of young, talented singers in the extremely competitive world of opera and to serve as a stimulus for their endeavours to pursue successful careers as professional singers.
Singers who make it to the final round will have the opportunity to perform with the Orquestra Sinfónica Portuguesa.
Nakagawa will be representing and sponsored by Rotary District 5060, which includes all the Rotary clubs in the Shuswap area.
A Salmon Arm Secondary grad, Nakagawa earned her doctorate of music in voice at Indiana University, studying with Prof. Costanza Cuccaro, who enjoyed an international career in major opera houses around the world.
Nakagawa completed her master’s degree at Indiana University, having received her bachelor of music degree in opera from the University of British Columbia, where she was awarded the UBC Medal.
