The 2012 New Zealand Opera School

The 2012 and 18th New Zealand Opera School came to a spirited and delightful conclusion in the Royal Wanganui Opera House on the 13th January with all twenty four students performing and excelling before and enthusiastic and capacity audience. Congratulations to each and everyone and in this I include our splendid pianists. It was a great pleasure to have three Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation Trustees and the Foundations Administrator present for the evening and for the pre and post performance festivities. A big thank you to Dame Catherine Tizard for her spirited presentation of achievement certificates and to the Foundation for their wonderful financial and personal support. 

The tutors and pianists have again excelled themselves throughout the nearly two week intensive school. It is very gratifying to see the improvement of all the singers as they give themselves totally into the expert tutoring they receive. 

We are al very proud of them and they have every reason to be proud of themselves. Do have a look at www.operaschool.org.nz 

A special thanks to the admin staff that do a wonderful job in keeping everything running smoothly. Of particular sadness was the occasion to farewell Marion Wyness from the position of Secretary to the School for the past 8 years. We all gathered in the Godwin common room to make a presentation of a piece of beautiful hand blown glass from Wanganui’s Chronicle Glass Blowing Studio accompanied by a signed and inscribed card of appreciation.

WOW again did a splendid job of advertising the School to the community, of running the Sarjeant Gallery concert with a capacity audience and for the all the work behind the scenes they so willingly undertake.

All in all it was a memorable and extremely worthwhile School. Now planning for 2013 is in process.