Imara Thomas
Soprano Imara Thomas was born and raised in Amsterdam, with Aruban and Czech heritage. She studied at the Maastricht Conservatory, where she was taught by Yvonne Schiffelers and Mya Besselink. After completing her studies, she received additional vocal coaching from soprano Roberta Alexander and pianist/vocal coach Brian Masuda. She also participated in masterclasses with renowned artists such as Mirella Freni, Montserrat Caballé, Peter Kooij, and Nelly Miricioiu.
Imara began her career as a freelance singer at a young age, performing from the age of ten. One of her most remarkable early performances was at the age of twelve, when she appeared as a soloist at De Doelen with the Promenade Orchestra. In 2016, she made her television debut on Podium Witteman, where she performed the song Atardi by Jacobo Palm, accompanied by pianist Marcel Worms. Another memorable moment in her career came in 2018, when she performed opera and classical music from the Antilles in the presence of Princess Laurentien.
In 2013, Imara made her debut at Dutch National Opera in Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. A year later, she continued her career in Germany at the Stadttheater Bremerhaven, where she sang both in the chorus and in solo roles, including Una voce dal cielo and Tebaldo in Don Carlos, and Brautjungfer in Der Freischütz. In 2015, she secured a permanent position with the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf/Duisburg, where she strengthened the chorus as a first soprano and performed solo roles such as Novice in Suor Angelica and Lady-in-Waiting in Turandot. Over the years, she has performed in more than 60 different operas in Germany, spanning Baroque to contemporary works.
In 2022, Imara made her debut in the Main Hall of the Royal Concertgebouw, singing Gershwin’s ‘Summertime’ from Porgy and Bess. In 2023, she returned to this prestigious venue for the concert A Night with Caribbean Classics.