Speech Pathologist:In addition to her career as an highly regarded opera singer (see below), Joanna also holds a Master of Speech Pathology. She works with the paediatric population helping children from as young as 2 years old to develop their early communication and social skills through play-based therapy at Kid Sense Child Development. Joanna has a special interest in pre-linguistic skills, articulation, literacy, parent education, minimally verbal or non-verbal children, and particularly enjoys working with pre-school and kindergarten clients. Opera Singer:Acclaimed lyric soprano, Joanna McWaters, has been performing for over 25 years both in Australia and overseas. Consistently lauded for her singing and acting talents, her diverse roles include the title roles in Madama Butterfly and Tosca, Queen of the Night (The Magic Flute), Nedda (I Pagliacci), Rosina (Il Barbiere di Siviglia), Maria (West Side Story), Mabel (Pirates of Penzance), Cupid (Orpheus in the Underworld), Owl/Forester’s Wife (Cunning Little Vixen) and recently, The Beggar Woman (Sweeney Todd) for the State Opera of South Australia.World premiere performances include creating the role of Dolly Pickles in George Palmer’s operatic adaption of Tim Winton’s Cloudstreet and Lily Brayton (At the Dome Room at 2 o’clock) both to high critical acclaim. Joanna also performed the Australian Premiere of Jake Heggie’s solo opera At the Statue of Venus for the State Opera of South Australia.Joanna is a graduate of the Elder Conservatorium, University of Adelaide and has been the recipient of scholarships to undertake post-graduate studies in both Taiwan and Luxembourg, where she achieved a Grande Distinction in Opera Performance. She was an inaugural James & Diana Ramsay Foundation Emerging Artist with the State Opera of South Australia and is an inaugural graduate of the Lisa Gasteen National Opera Programme. Primarily appearing on the operatic stage, she regularly performs in concert and has been engaged as a soloist with most of Adelaide’s leading choirs. Her concert repertoire includes Beethoven Mass in C, Faure Requiem, Handel Messiah, Haydn Nelson Mass, Haydn Harmoniemesse, Haydn The Seasons (Spring & Summer), Mozart Mass in C minor, Mozart Requiem, Mozart Vesperae solennes de confessore, Orff Carmina Burana, and Vivaldi Gloria.