A graduate of San Francisco Opera's prestigious Merola and Adler Programs, Mika Shigematsu made international headlines when she sang Elvira in the North American premiere of Bellini's I puritani (the Malibran version) for Boston Lyric Opera. Born in Osaka, Japan, she won the first prize in that country's most prestigious international music competition.

Past engagements include: Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia for Boston Lyric Opera, San Francisco Opera, New National Theatre, Tokyo and Canadian Opera Company; Angelina in La Cenerentola for Opera Colorado and San Francisco Opera; Agnese in Beatrice di Tenda for VARA Radio Orchestra broadcast from the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam; Charlotte in Werther for Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa and Boston Lyric Opera; Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro for Seattle Opera; Madrigal Singer in Puccini’s Manon Lescaut for Opèra National de Paris, Bastille; Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni in Osaka; Suzuki in Madama Butterfly for Opéra National de Lyon; solo recitals in Geneva (Grand Théâtre de Genève), Lyon (Opéra National de Lyon), San Francisco, Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka; duo recitals with counter-tenor Brian Asawa in San Francisco and Lyon (with Christophe Rousset on the harpsichord at the Opéra National de Lyon); soloist in the Duruflé Requiem and El sombrero de tres picos by Falla in Tokyo.

Recent engagements include: Suzuki in Madama Butterfly with Boston Lyric Opera and for a production directed by David Freeman in Royal Albert Hall, London; Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Yomiuri Symphony Orchestra conducted by Gerd Albrecht, which was recorded for subsequent CD release; A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Mendelssohn with Kurt Masur; Sea Pictures by Elgar; several concerts and recitals in Tokyo and Osaka, and a Gala Concert at L'Opéra de Montreal.

Other recent and upcoming engagements include the role of Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Minnesota Opera (4/2001) and Bohème Opera (4/2004), Suzuki in Madama Butterfly with New York City Opera (2002, 2003 and Japan Tour in 2005), Opéra National de Montpellier (2002), the San Diego Opera (2003), Opera Pacific (2003) and Houston Grand Opera (2004). Also at New York City Opera she sang Teodata in Handel’s Flavio in 2003. Ms. Shigematsu sang the role of Romeo in a concert performance of I Capuleti e i Montecchi by Bellini with the Netherlands Radio Symphony Orchestra broadcast by TROS Radio in Utrecht, Netherlands in 2002. In June 2003, she stepped in San Francisco Opera's production of La Cenerentola as Angelina. She sang in El sombrero de tres picos with the Japan Philharmonic in Tokyo under the baton of Jesus Lopez-Cobos and the Verdi Requiem with the Kyoto Symphony Orchestra. She also sang the Mozart Mass in C Minor and C.P.E. Bach’s Magnificat with the National Chorale at Avery Fisher Hall. She was also soloist in the Beethoven Missa Solemnis, Rossini's Stabat Mater, and the Handel Messiah. Most Recently she was the soloist in El amor brujo by de Falla with the Miyazaki International Music Festival under the baton of Charles Dutoit.

Miss Shigematsu currently resides in New York City.