Donna-Maree completed her Diploma of Music (Vocal Performance) at the Australian National University in 1992 and a Graduate Diploma of Music (Opera Performance) at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music in 1993. She has worked with Opera Australia, the Victoria State Opera and Opera Queensland, as well as Canberra City Opera. Her work with the Victoria State Opera has included the title role in Madama Butterfly in their 1996 MODD Opera Production and covering the roles of the High Priestess in Aida and Ungeborenes Kind in the John Cox production of Die Frau ohne Schatten for the 1996 Melbourne International Festival of the Arts conducted by Simone Young. She won the 1997 Australian Singing Competition Armstrong-Martin and Nelly Apt Scholarship. For Opera Queensland, she has covered the role of Hansel in the Australian Opera production of Hansel & Gretel. Donna-Maree was based in Sydney with Opera Australia, covering roles in Ariadne auf Naxos, The Cunning Little Vixen and Dialogues of the Carmelites.

In 1998, Donna-Maree moved to London to further her studies. She performed the title role in Tosca to critical acclaim for European Chamber Opera, Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro (Mecklenburgh Opera), recorded for On Line Classics. She was awarded a scholarship to study with Sherrill Milnes and participated in the Sherrill Milnes televised Masterclasses for London Masterclasses. In 2002, she sang the roles of the Composer in Ariadne auf Naxos, Siebel in Faust for Opera Australia and Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro for Opera Australia. She was soloist in Mahler’s Lieder eine fahrenden Gesellen for Bristol Sinfonia - in 2003, she sang principal roles in Carmen, Salome and Lulu for Opera Australia. 2004 roles included Wellgunde in Das Rheingold/Gottammerung and Rossweisse in Die Walkure for the State Opera of South Australia and Cock/Jay in The Cunning Little Vixen and Cherubino for Opera Australia.