Tharanga Goonetilleke is a soprano opera singer who was born in Badulla, Sri Lanka, but grew up in Ratmalana. Her singing ability was noticed by a music professor from Converse College while he was visiting Sri Lanka. She is the first woman from Sri Lanka to attend the Juilliard School, one of the world's leading music schools. She lives in New York City, and her career in opera has received international attention.
Goonetilleke began learning to sing in Sri Lanka at the age of 12 under the training of Christine Perera.[1][2] She began attending Converse College in South Carolina in 2001 and graduated in 2005 with Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance and a minor in biology.[3][4]
Representing South Carolina, she entered the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and won.[3] Impressed by Goonetilleke's performance, the judges, who happened to be from the Juilliard School, asked her whether she had considered attending graduate school.[3] Consequently, she decided to apply for admission to Juilliard,[3] and in 2005, she was the first Sri Lankan woman to be admitted to the Juilliard School and was provided a full tuition scholarship.[1][2][5] Her living expenses were covered by President's Fund of Sri Lanka.[3] She graduated from Juilliard with a Master of Music in Voice and Opera.[1]
Goonetilleke grew up in Ratmalana, Sri Lanka, near the capital Colombo.[9] She first became interested in opera when she was thirteen when she heard soprano Kiri Te Kanawa sing.[9] However, she did not think at that time that opera was a career option.[9] A music professor from Converse College, Douglas Weeks,[2] was visiting Sri Lanka and heard her sing; he subsequently arranged for her admission to the college.[5] She had planned to study medical science in Sri Lanka, but to her surprise, when her father found out about the offer for her to attend Converse College, he thought it was a good idea.[5]
Her younger sister Eranga also attended Converse College and afterward obtained her master's degree in Opera and Musical Theater from Southern Illinois University;[3] she is currently a faculty member at Converse College's Lawson Academy of the Arts.[13] Goonetilleke is married, has a daughter, and lives in New York City.[5]
