‘I love to sing, it is my life’: Baritone is back
The star student of the 2019 New Zealand Opera School will return to Whanganui to teach young students at Wanganui Collegiate School followed by a concert with new Auckland-based opera group The Shades.
Baritone Samson Setu won the Dame Sister Mary Leo Scholarship announced on the final night of the school in January by GovernorGeneral Dame Patsy Reddy.
Reddy described Setu as a triumph for New Zealand and for the opera school in Whanganui.
“I am very proud of this school and this young singer,” she said.
Setu also won Spirit of the Opera School, the Bryan Wyness Trophy.
In a surprise announcement, Auckland software billionaire and rich-lister Guy Haddleton said he was adding $5000 to the 2109 award and for the next four years.
Also in The Shades is former opera school Tongan tenor Manase Latu. Altogether the group consists of Samoan singers Samson Setu and Ipu Laga’aia and Tongan singers Taka Vuni and Manase Latu.
On Friday, June 21, the group will conduct a special classical vocals tutorial at Wanganui Collegiate School. In return for the specalised tuition the school is featuring The Shades in concert in the Prince Edward Auditorium on Saturday, June 22, at 7pm.
The group has performed throughout New Zealand and the four have all performed separately overseas as well.
They have competed against each other in New Zealand and been selected for prestigious programmes including the Dame Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation Programme for young singers.
Setu said he was heading for the United Kingdom at the end of the year to further his studies.
“My dream is and always has been to sing on the world’s opera stages. I love to sing, it is my life. Working with young singers on Friday at collegiate will be fabulous. I love working with young people.”
The Pati brothers, Pene and
Amitai, of Sole3Mio are cousins.
“And look at what they had achieved. I hope I will do the same. They are my role models.”