Blake Ellis/The Independent

Shayanne de Boer may have grown up outside of Wyoming, but she’s making her way in the world of opera. And it’s something that takes a bit of creativity.

It may seem strange for a young woman who grew up in rural southern Ontario to be drawn to opera but de Boer said it seems to be common that those who end up in the niche arts like opera, didn’t grow up around it.

“We tend to create our own opportunities,” said de Boer, who is currently in the Master of Music in Opera program at the University of British Columbia.

de Boer is doing just that this summer. She and some friends are banding together to showcase opera in a performance called We Are Women. It is a celebration of music written by, about or performed by women at the Sarnia Library Aug. 10.

de Boer, who is a soprano, will be featured with mezzo-soprano Anna O’Drowsky and Sandra Mogensen on piano. O’Drowsky who is also in a masters program hails from Acton and comes from a similar rural background as de Boer.

The Wyoming native says she came to opera in a round-about way. “I did a lot of music as a kid,” says de Boer. She started with piano lessons at six. When she got older, de Boer learned to play the violin and took vocal lessons as well. She sang in her church and went on to play oboe in the high school band, became involved in musical theatre and taught music.

de Boer chose to study vocal music at Western University. After finishing her bachelor degree, she ventured on to the University of British Columbia for her masters to follow her new found love of opera.

de Boer finds performing exhilarating, especially when you are in the moment. She has one more year at the University of British Columbia before she graduates. de Boer then wants to find a way to perform full-time.

For many performers, this takes several more years, as many take on several jobs from teaching music to arts administration or working in the box office.

Just like her performance at the Sarnia Library Theatre this summer, de Boer just might have to create her own opportunities as she navigates through her music career.