Donaldson started singing at the age of seven, after winning an eisteddfod. She was trained at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, Brisbane, and graduated with a Bachelor of Music and a Graduate Diploma in Opera. While at university, she performed in many shows, including Gilbert and Sullivan's Iolanthe as Phyllis. Her first professional role was as a chorus member and swing in The Phantom of the Opera in 1990. The role that gave her real recognition in the Australian theatre industry was a ...