Stagecoach Abingdon, Didcot and Wallingford

Tara grew up in a theatre. With a mother who was the director of Children’s Theatre and Puppetry at the University of Hawaii and a father who also loved to perform, she started acting and singing at the age of 5, and it wasn’t long before she was filming commercials, working as an extra on TV and performing on stage in plays and operas.

Tara went on to study singing at the University of Hawai’i and received her BMus in Voice Performance with a minor in theatre while receiving critical acclaim and awards for her performances with local theatre companies. In her first lead role as Marsinah in ‘Kismet’, The Honolulu Advertiser said of her performance ‘Hunt’s singing as Marsinah, Haji’s daughter, is better than lovely. Her soprano is articulate, audible and soaring over the orchestra and chorus whenever needed.’

Tara moved to Oxford in 2005, after completing her MMus in Opera Performance at The Boston Conservatory, and began singing with Opera Companies around the UK and became a member of Equity. The Oxford Times said of her performance in Opera Anywhere’s ‘Proms on the Pond’ ‘Hunt’s mezzo has a warm, expressive bloom, but there was steel within the velvet as she warned us ‘prends garde a toi’.’

In 2012 she turned to her other love, working with children, and trained as a primary school teacher. She left full time teaching to start a family and began teaching singing for Stagecoach Faringdon. She continues to teach private singing lessons in Abingdon. Since moving to Abingdon in 2014, she joined Abingdon Operatic Society, where most recently she performed the role of Deloris van Cartier in Sister Act, as well as taking a back seat and enjoying chorus roles in Annie and Singin’ in the Rain.

A versatile singer, she has received critical acclaim for her portrayals of Norma Cassidy in Victor Victoria*, Fiona in Brigadoon* Marsinah in Kismet** and Cinderella in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella.

On the opera stage she has sung Olga in Eugene Onegin, Dorabella in Così fan tutte, Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro, Miss Jessel in The Turn of the Screw, Mercedes and Frasquita in Carmen and Lauretta in Gianni Schicci to name a few.

She has performed with Opera Piccolina, Candlelight Opera, Vision Opera, Opera Anywhere, Hawaii Opera Theatre, Honolulu Symphony and Metrowest Symphony Orchestra, Abingdon Swingtime Band, Dropout and various jazz ensembles. Tara has won numerous vocal competitions and recorded a variety of music including musical theatre, classical and rock. 
*Nomination/ **Winner: Hawaii State Theatre Council Awards