Opera’s soaring young stars
New Zealand Opera School will again thrill Whanganui audiences
Whanganui music lovers will once again be treated to the prodigious young talents of the New Zealand Opera School. Selected from large auditions, the 21 students representing the 2024 school on January 7-21 will again thrill audiences in Whanganui.
January 2024 marks 30 years of this celebrated residential school based at Whanganui Collegiate School.
The school has nurtured the vocal and theatrical abilities of young New Zealand singers who have gone on to study overseas and make their mark in international opera.
Donald Trott said the school was always his dream.
“The school is a team effort and I’m grateful to everyone who has walked alongside me over the last 30 years.”
Not forgetting the immense pride the people of Whanganui people have had in this much-loved and indemand annual school since its inception.
But the past 30 years haven’t been without their challenges — challenges that have been overcome with dignity and a measured manner by Trott.
A former student at Whanganui Collegiate, he has made his old school home for two weeks each year for this prestigious study programme, variously described as a “monastic musical retreat” or an “opera boot camp”.
For the upcoming school, some of the world’s best tutors have been secured, including Della Jones, Welsh mezzo-soprano and coach at the English National Opera Studio; Glenn Winslade, Opera Australia’s highly regarded technical voice coach; and Japan-born American soprano Nikki Li Hartliep, who has performed and taught at conservatoires around the world, including New York, San Francisco and Florida.
Over the years some students have won the Lexus Song Quest, launching them into international careers.
Jones said when she was last at the school she was amazed at how young some of the singers were, especially the voices coming out of the Pacific and Polynesian churches.
School alumni include renowned international tenor Pene Pati, soprano Amina Edris, Simon O’Neill, Madeline Pierard, Phillip Rhodes, Samson Setu, Bianca Andrew, Amitai Pati and Stephen Diaz.
“With the two weeks of intensive and specialised tuition, this has resulted in an overwhelming number of internationally acclaimed singers who have come back here multiple times — we are very, very proud,” Trott said.
A much-loved story is the formation and success of the popular trio Sol3 Mio, comprising brothers Pene and Amitai Pati with cousin Moses McKay — all former students.
At the final students-only concert in 2012, the three sang the pop song Ten Guitars for a laugh and brought the house down.
The school’s administration along with Trott includes administrator Debbie Macpherson, deputy director Ian Campbell and digital director Jack Bourke and recording and sound expert John Wansborough.
Whanganui Collegiate School headmaster Wayne Brown said Collegiate and the NZ Opera School “had a wonderful history as the school enters its 30th year”.
Brown believes the schools have a synergy, an unshakeable foundation to provide excellence.
He has often spoke of comfort zones to Collegiate students. “Excellence occurs outside this comfort; there is nowhere worth going that can get you there with a shortcut. A message I am sure is delivered to the students of the Opera School.”