Mezzo-soprano Caitlin Forrest was born in Bunbury, Western Australia and began her musical journey studying violin before discovering her love of classical singing at the 2019 Perth Choral Institute Summer School. Since then, she has graduated with a Bachelor of Music Performance (Classical Voice) from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), as a student of Emma Matthews.
While studying at WAAPA, her performance highlights included the role of Hansel in Hansel and Gretel, and the roles of Book of Fate, Old Woman and Mrs Northwind in Jonathan Dove’s Enchanted Pig. Caitlin also performed in The Pirates of Penzance and sang in masterclasses with Lynne Dawson, Jennifer Condon, Elisa Wilson. She recently participated in masterclasses with Caitlin Hulcup, Stuart Skelton and Yvonne Kenny with Melba Opera Trust. Her concert appearances have included WAAPA’s performances of Mozart’s Coronation Mass, Vivaldi’s Gloria (WAAPA), Handel’s Messiah (Opus WA), Buxtehude’s Jesu Membra Nostri (St Georges College) and J.S Bach’s Mass in G Major (University of Western Australia Choral Society). In 2025, Caitlin looks forward to making her debut in the chorus of West Australia Opera’s production of Il Trovatore in October.
In 2022, Caitlin was a finalist in the inaugural WAAPA Taryn Fiebig Scholarship. In 2023, she won the Opera Lovers WA Aria Award competition and received first prize in the Fremantle Eisteddfod Art Song Competition. In 2024, Caitlin was awarded the Winifred Hurford Award for Singer in the Royal Over-Seas League Western Australian Branch Young Singers Competition. In 2024, Caitlin became a scholarship recipient with Australia’s prestigious Melba Opera Trust program under Sharolyn Kimmorley. In 2025, she will be continuing her artistic development with the Melba Opera Trust program as a scholarship recipient for a second year.
At Melba Opera Trust, highlights for Caitlin have included working with many industry professionals such as Sharolyn Kimmorley, Jennifer Marten-Smith, Dr Erin Helyard, Matteo delle Fratte (Melofonestica) Lois Redman, and Caroline Dowdle. She is currently the recipient of the Joseph Sambrook Opera Scholarship with Melba Opera Trust.