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.