Lynette Gunnion

A new Semele allows New Zealand Opera to go ahead with star-studded production

New Zealand Opera welcomes Wellington-based Australian soprano Emma Pearson to the cast for Handel’s Semele at Auckland’s Holy Trinity Cathedral this September. She replaces Sydney’s Celeste Lazarenko, who, following detailed discussions with New Zealand Opera’s management, has withdrawn from the production due to the uncertainty and risks surrounding travel during the Covid-19 pandemic. New Zealand Opera’s General … Read more

New Zealand Opera Goes Global on the Internet

New Zealand Opera singers will be showcased around the globe thanks to two initiatives being launched online this week, The Musical Solidarity Project – a virtual choir, created out of lockdown in Italy, and the addition of the company’s acclaimed production of Tosca to international streaming platform OperaVision. Members of the Freemasons New Zealand Opera … Read more

opera is back

New Zealand Opera’s 2020 season will resume this September with a brand-new immersive production of Handel’s Semele, to be staged at Auckland’s Holy Trinity Cathedral. The sensual story explores a love triangle between Jupiter, King of the Gods (Sol3’ Mio’s Amitai Pati), his wife, the goddess Juno (Sarah Castle), and his lover, the mortal princess … Read more

Studio Artist news

During lockdown, the three singers involved in this year’s Dame Malvina Major Foundation Studio Artist Programme spent their time at home, but they have not been idle. As well as the musical offerings we enjoyed from Anna Simmons, Harry Grigg and Felicity Tompkins (click the names to watch and listen), the Studio Artists have continued … Read more

songs from lockdown: Felicity tomkins

Felicity (in red) performs at NZ Opera School Dame Malvina Major Foundation Studio Artist Felicity Tomkins spent lockdown at home alone in her flat in Hamilton, and she sure did keep herself busy! Felicity talks us through what she’s been up to at home, and what she’s been doing in regards to opera this year. … Read more

From Lockdown in Kent: Jonathan Eyers

Jonathan Eyers is a Kiwi baritone, currently based in the UK, studying at Guildhall School of Music and Drama. You may have seen him on stage as Billy in Ross Harris and Vincent O’Sullivan’s Brass Poppies, performed at New Zealand Festival of the Arts and Auckland Arts Festival in March 2016. He played Belcore in … Read more

Introducing Avenue Opera

Emma Pearson is an Australian soprano, based in Wellington with her husband Wade Kernot. Emma was scheduled to sing the Countess in our production of The Marriage of Figaro, due to open next month and now rescheduled for next year. What has Emma been doing in the meantime? She’s launched Avenue Opera with Wade, a … Read more

Songs from Lockdown: Anna Simmons

Anna performs with Felicity Tomkins Dame Malvina Major Foundation Studio Artist Anna Simmons reports in from Tauranga with her lockdown tips and an update on how she’s been using the downtime. Tell us about where you are in lockdown. Where did you come from to be there? Who are you with? I am riding out … Read more

Songs From lockdown: Harry Grigg

Harry Grigg (centre) with the 2020 Opera in Schools team Our Dame Malvina Major Foundation Studio Artists have been busily working on their programme online during this lockdown period, but they also decided to each record a song to share from their homes to yours. The first in this series features Harry Grigg singing ‘Go, Lovely Rose’ … Read more

how fast can you say ‘papageno’?

As we learnt in the previous post, (go here to view) The Magic Flute is the last opera that Mozart wrote and premiered in 1791. Papageno is one of the characters in the opera, known as ‘The Funny Guy’. Here’s a famous piece from the opera known as the ‘Pa-, pa-, pa Papageno’ duet, curtesy … Read more