Sarah Mileham is a 22-year-old soprano from Tauranga and is now based in Hamilton. In 2023, she finished her Bachelor of Music in Classical Performance at the New Zealand School of Music, Victoria University of Wellington under the tuition of Jenny Wollerman. She has recently completed her Bachelor of Music with Honours at Waikato University with Soprano Anna Leese. Sarah is currently studying under Nikki Li Hartliep at Te Pae Kōkako – The Aotearoa New Zealand Opera Studio (TANZOS).
In 2024, Sarah made her debut with NZ Opera singing Maria Bertram, a principal role in Jonathan Dove’s Mansfield Park, and Countess Ceprano in Verdi’s Rigoletto. She also sang the role of Adina in Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love NZ Opera’s Schools Tour, which travelled throughout Aotearoa. She has been awarded first at the Ōtautahi Christchurch Aria, Wellington Aria, Southland Aria, the Nicholas Tarling Aria and the Dame Malvina Major Foundation Waikato Aria. In 2024, she received the Merle Higgie Opera Prize for Potential at the New Zealand Opera School.