The Greek Roots of Australian Soprano Katerini Manolatos

Katerini Manolatos’ mother’s family is from near Crete, her father is from Ithaca in the Ionian Islands (the home of Homer’s Odysseus).  Katerini finds it very difficult to resist the call of the islands that comes to her through her music.

Katerini has always been good at singing although she didn’t realise it until, aged 11, her mother remarked on her talent and asked if she wanted singing lessons.

She discovered a love for the beauty and art of singing when she saw her first opera in school.

After her school years in the Young Conservatorium, Katerini wanted to study music and sing full-time, so she attended the Queensland Conservatorium, where she was classically trained for three years.

Katerini was always drawn to Greek music, growing up listening to it in the family car, and learning Greek dancing.

Katerini now specialises in singing Greek songs. She travelled to Greece to promote the Olympics in 2004, and she has released an album.

Katerini came to Cairns with her husband, five years ago and although the couple only intended to stay a short time, they fell in love with the area and decided to stay.

Since Katerini has been in Cairns she has also performed in recitals, concerts and musicals, among which was a role in The Cairns Choral Society’s production of Miss Saigon.

But it’s her heritage and the Greek music that still moves her most. “There will be some well-known Greek songs like Never on a Sunday and then some songs people may not have heard with a classical edge,” Katerini told ‘Cairns.com’.