Jayden breaks into the opera big-time
It wasn’t a case of ‘‘break a leg’’ but broken arms as young Timaru soprano Jayden Walker successfully chased his dream to sing with the New Zealand Opera.
The 14-year-old turned up for the audition with both arms in plaster having tumbled from a horse six days earlier.
Did it put him off? Not at all. ‘‘I just sort of went in there, not knowing what to expect, really,’’ he said. ‘‘I went in there as if I was normal.’’
Initially, one of the women in the audition room inquired as to whether his arm would still be in a cast in March – when the show, Tosca, will be staged.
He said ‘‘no’’, however, as he turned around, she realised both of his arms were broken – not just the one, and was quite surprised.
Walker did not let it get to him, though. ‘‘I just thought ‘I’ll go with it’.’’
Walker impressed the panel and he found out a couple of weeks ago he had scored a role in the children’s chorus along with 11 Christchurch boys
. ‘‘For me this is a dream come true,’’ Walker said. ‘‘[Singing for NZ Opera is] something that I’ve always wanted to do, it’s sort of the start of my true career, and passion.’’
Walker sung two songs during the audition. The first was a song his tutor recommended called Santa Lucia. He also had to sing a piece from Tosca, and selected the only solo to be sung by a child during the show Io de Sospiri.
His mum, Kirstyn Graham, said the opera company would cast the characters once rehearsals began in February, and the pair figured he may as well demonstrate he could sing the solo of the shepherd boy.
Breaking his arms hasn’t slowed him down, though. Walker said since gaining the role he had received copies of the music and was busy learning the words to all of the pieces.