Korean-Australian soprano Gemma Nha is recently completed her tenure with Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center. She made her house debut this past season as the Page in Rigoletto, reprised Barbarina, and sang the role of Jess and covered Ashley in Missy Mazzoli’s The Listeners. Gemma has a Master of Music in Vocal Arts from The Juilliard School where she studied with Darrell Babidge as a Toulmin Scholar and Kovner Fellow, and a Bachelor of Arts Gesang (Honours) from the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna where she was under the tutelage of Peter Edelmann.

In a continuing relationship, Gemma joins the Volksoper Wien in the 25/26 season as a soloist in their ensemble, debuting Maria West Side Story, Pamina Die Zauberflöte, Adele Die Fledermaus, Susanna Le nozze di Figaro, and Wendla Spring Awakening. The summer leading up to this, Gemma will perform with Orchestra of St. Luke’s at Carnegie Hall in their Bach Festival under the baton of Maestro Lionel Meunier. She will then be a Filene Artist at Wolf Trap Opera, singing Soeur Constance in Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites.

In the 23/24 season, Gemma made two role debuts as Ruth Baldwin in John Musto and Mark Campbell’s Later the Same Evening, and Flerida in Cavalli’s Erismena, both with Juilliard Opera. She also debuted with the Albany Symphony at the Troy Saving Banks Music Hall, at Carnegie Hall as a prize winner of the Gerda Lissner Foundation Lieder/Song Competition, and with Grant Park Music Festival in Mahler’s Symphony 8, celebrating the end of Maestro Carlos Kalmar’s tenure as Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the festival. Gemma became a National Semifinalist of the Laffont Metropolitan Opera Competition representing the New England Region, and became the first female singer to win First Prize at the 18th Seoul International Music Competition.

In 2023, Gemma was the Liederkranz Foundation Second Prize winner of the Gerda Lissner Foundation Lieder/Song Competition and awarded an Encouragement Award at the Gerda Lissner Foundation International Vocal Competition. She has also seen previous success in the Joan Sutherland & Richard Bonynge Foundation Bel Canto Award, Esther and Myron Wilson Cedar Rapids Voice Competition, the Marcella Sembrich International Voice Competition and The Sydney Eisteddfod, placing first in French Song, Lieder, and Art Song (16-20), as well as Musical Theatre Vocal Duets and Song from a Musical/Musical Theatre (18 & over). Gemma was a 2025 and 2020 finalist of the Lotte Lenya Competition and contributed to the Lotte Lenya Competition Songbook.

In previous seasons, Gemma made her house and role debut as Barbarina Le nozze di Figaro at the Volksoper Wien, sang La Conversa I and covered Lauretta in Juilliard Opera’s double bill Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi, and was an Apprentice Singer at the Santa Fe Opera. Other operatic credits include: Zerlina Don Giovanni and Esmeralda Die verkaufte Braut in the Schlosstheater Schönbrunn for the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (mdw); and Gretel Hänsel und Gretel with PlusOpera. In concert, Gemma performed in Händel’s Dixit Dominus at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and Messiah with the Fiori Musicali Chamber Choir as well as the Tagkhanic Chorale under the baton of Maestro Jason Tramm. She has also worked in masterclass settings with conductor Speranza Scappucci, Dame Jane Glover, Roger Vignoles, Helmut Deutsch, Julius Drake, Keval Shah, Renee Fleming, and Lisette Oropesa.

This month Gemma will be making her role, company and house debut as Gilda in Rigoletto with Opera Australia at the Sydney Opera House.

The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).