2010 New Zealand Opera School

Students workshop a scene from La Traviata at the 2009 New Zealand Opera School under the direction of Aidan Lang. 

The sixteenth New Zealand Opera School is shaping up to be another fine event. We have been inundated with applications and making the elections for the limited spaces has not been easy, but we’ve now done the selections and everyone has been written to with the news. An excellent spread of voice types, a good geographical spread and some very interesting new voices. 

Funding has not been easy this year with some rejections which undoubtedly have their origins in the economic downturn. Still we are very delighted with the personal support we receive from people like Dame Jenny Gibbs, Adrian Burr, (both have been great supporters since inception) the Deane Charitable Foundation, Bev McConnell, Mark and Karilyn Brown, the ASB Trust, the Mercury Theatre Restoration Fund Committee, the Freemasons Roskill Foundation and many others. 

The school runs from the 3rd to the 14th January 2010. A varied programme of public events is staged each year to give the singers performing experience and the public an opportunity to hear our rising opera talent. 

The public programme is as follows: 

3rd Jan School commences 

4th Jan Sarjeant Art Gallery mid-day concert, featuring the NBR New Zealand Opera Emerging Artists 2010 (refreshments served)

7th Jan Several Wanganui cafés host an evening meal with live opera performances by the students from 7.30pm 

8th Jan 1st Public master class with Prof Paul Farrington in the Prince Edward Auditorium Collegiate School @ 7.30pm 

9th Jan 2nd Public master class with Prof Paul Farrington in the Prince Edward Auditorium Collegiate School @ 7.30pm  

10th Jan Chapel Service dedicated ‘To Music’ in the Collegiate School Chapel, choir, soloist and organ @ 11.30am 

11th Jan Opera excerpt - watch a segment of opera being created at the hands of Aidan Lang, General Director of NBR New Zealand Opera @ 7.30pm 

13th Jan Final Concert in the Royal Wanganui Opera House @ 7.30pm 

14th Jan School concludes. 

Do join us.

Eugene Onegin in Review

And if you were wondering what the media had to say about the Genesis Energy season of Eugene Onegin you might like to view some of these:
Radio NZ National - Arts on Sunday
Radio NZ Concert - Upbeat
bFM review/interview with Kristen Darragh

Rank on Rank

The Auckland Town Hall Pipe Organ grows daily. I am fascinated and inspired by rank after rank of beautiful pipes being installed by the small team from Klais, Bonn. From the rank of the smallest pipes, with the littlest of all being no more than 6cms in height to the mighty 32-foot Oboe this musical instrument is a work of art and rightly claims the title ‘King of Instruments’ (W. A. Mozart). The job is up to schedule and planning for the opening next March is in hand. All the citizens who have donated through our ‘Become an Organ Donor’ programme will receive an invitation to the relaunch of this wonderful city amenity. I am sure this instrument will bring a renewed enthusiasm for and interest in the world of the music of the pipe organ.

Eugene Onegin Triumphs

Please read the review from Wellington by John Button, a very experienced, knowledgeable and erudite reviewer. The Wellington season is a ‘sell-out’!