It’s always a pleasure to hear from our alumnus but the recent news from Chris Berentson was extra special! Chris has been cast in the title role in Don Giovanni in the Lyric Opera Studio Weimar’s 2023 Summer Season. He has been working full time for the past two months with his voice teacher and …
We were thrilled to receive a recent update from alumna Felicity Tomkins, winner of the NZOS 2021 Susie and Guy Haddleton Emerging Artist Award and Dame Sister Mary Leo Scholarship, who has just completed her first university year on the Artist Diploma Course (Opera Vocal Performance) at the Cincinnati College – Conservatory of Music (CCM). …
We’re just so excited with all the fabulous news about our talented alumni! This time – our very own baritone Kieran Rayner; who was announced as the winning singer of the International Sing Finzi Competition 2021 run by the Finzi Trust and Boosey & Hawkes. The jury were particularly impressed by the level of storytelling …
Kieran Rayner wins International Sing Finzi Competition 2021! Read More »
Hawke’s Bay locals Katherine Winitana and Emmanuel Fonoti-Fuimaono have joined an elite collective of young New Zealand opera singers this week after being named semifinalists in the 2022 Lexus Song Quest. The Lexus Song Quest (formerly the Mobil Song Quest) is a premiere biennial event in Aotearoa’s professional arts calendar. The contest, now in its …
Two of our favourites: Flaxmere singers make Lexus Song Quest semi-finals Read More »
We are completely blown away by how many of our School’s alumni (9 out of 10) have gone through to the semi-finals of the prestigious Lexus Song Quest competition. Massive congratulations to Ridge Ponini, Tayla Alexander, Katherine Winitana, Emmanuel Fonoti-Fuimaono, Sarah Hubbard, Sid Chand, Amelia Berry, Felicity Tomkins and Filipe Manu. Congratulations to Patricia Westley, …
Our Alumni are semi-finalists in the Lexus Quest Competition! Read More »
We are delighted to be supporting the 2023 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition and have made a call out to our alumni to invite them to take part! In 2023 the competition will be be celebrating its 40th anniversary. The competition will take place between 10-18th June 2023, and in order to be …
Travelling to Europe during the height of a pandemic wasn’t the plan but a baritone singer says the reality of life in a country with 30,000 daily Covid cases was surprisingly normal. Kiwi duo, Angus Simmons and his wife, Anna are gearing up to perform in Nelson (Feb 2022), showing off their baritone and soprano …
Opera duo moved to Europe during pandemic and had ‘absolute time of our lives’ Read More »
Whanganui’s NZ Opera School graduate awarded Grammy The head of the New Zealand Opera School in Whanganui says he is thrilled that former student Simon O’Neill has won a Grammy award. O’Neill landed the Grammy for Best Choral Performance as part of a rendition of Mahler’s Symphony No 8 conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. His double …
The New Zealand Opera School which thrills opera lovers throughout the country will now showcase the School in all its glory worldwide online from Monday March 14th when the new website is launched. The comprehensive, intricately detailed site includes information about the now 28 year old School held annually in January at Whanganui Collegiate School, …
This was yet another superb showcase final concert from director Jacqueline Coats and her assistant Kararina Walker…Bravo! Again Coat’s sure directorial hand meant the 21 students of the New Zealand Opera School, to put it in today’s idiom “had their moves down’’, and sang with confidence and flair. The audience loved them, from proud parents …
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Whanganui Collegiate School,
132 Liverpool Street,
College Estate,
Whanganui 4500
