Ashley Maria Bahri.

DETROIT — West Bloomfield native Ashley Maria Bahri Kashat is the only Chaldean opera singer in the entire country. Her upcoming performances are November 16-24 at the Detroit Opera House where she will be singing Giuseppe Verdi’s classic La Traviata.

She is also the first Chaldean American soprano to receive a Master of Music in Voice Performance at The Manhattan School of Music in New York City. She says some of her local performances have influenced many Chaldeans to get more comfortable and closer to the arts. Traditionally, it hasn’t been common for Chaldeans to pursue careers in the arts. Most seek careers in fields such as medical, law and engineering. In an interview with WDET recently, Bahri said she was happy to be a pioneer in the music industry for her community.