The coloratura, who has become an Italian-based European star, talks about life, Italy, opera and her dog.

This month sees Australian-born coloratura soprano Jessica Pratt returning to sing Violetta in La Traviata with Victorian Opera. Whilst making quite a name for herself abroad, it’s been a fair while since the home crowd have had a chance to see and hear her. We caught up with her to find out what she’s been up to and how she feels about coming home for her latest venture. “I can’t wait to get back to Australia,” she says immediately. “It’s six years since I performed here. This is a double debut for me – it will be my first professional operatic role in Australia and also my first La Traviata.”

Pratt began her musical studies with her father before taking lessons with Maggie Findlay and John Matheson and studying for a year at the Sydney Conservatorium. She’s pretty evangelical about the training available here: “I still go on and on about the way in which Australian singers prepare themselves and the high quality of the courses available to opera singers in Australia,” she says. “In Italy it is difficult to find a...