World-class opera at Napier’s iconic Art Deco Festival

John Wilkie (principal stage director) and Taylor Wallbank (PPV graduate, performing the role of Monostatos) discuss the interpretation of the character of Monostatos with Katherine Winitana (PPV graduate, assistant director, also performing the role of Papagena). Photo / Supplied

If you love experiencing live performances and music that has stood the test of time, you are in for a treat.

Festival Opera’s highly anticipated production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte) will premiere as part of Napier’s iconic Art Deco Festival.

The season is highly anticipated not only because of Festival Opera’s track record of delivering world-class opera to local and national audiences but because it follows the disappointment of the company and audiences, when the production was postponed following an outbreak of Covid-19 in Hawke’s Bay in late January 2022.

The Magic Flute is believed to be one of the most magical compositions ever written. Sung in German with English dialogues it will be presented by Festival Opera on February 14, 16, 18, and 20, 2023, at the Napier Municipal Theatre.

A star-studded lineup of some of New Zealand’s finest opera stars will bring the enchanting fairy tale of the magic flute to life.

Lexus Song-Quest finalist, NZ Aria Winner and Flaxmere-raised Emmanuel Fonoti-Fuimaono will perform the lead role of “Tamino”. Faced with danger, spells and actions both honourable and foul, Tamino is on a quest for love and to rescue the beautiful Pamina.

Emmanuel is well known to our audiences, performing regularly with Festival Opera and as a long-time member of the Project Prima Volta programme. He was recently a member of the Dame Malvina Major Studio Artist programme at NZ Opera, and with them, performed the role of “Malcolm” in their highly acclaimed season of Verdi’s Macbeth.

Australian Soprano Emma Pearson, who was the principal soprano at Hessisches Staatstheater, Wiesbaden, for nine years, is set to enthral the audience with her rendition of Pamina in a setting where all is not as it seems.

New Zealand soprano Christina Ellison will take the audience to dizzying heights with her performance as “The Queen of the Night”.

Papageno, the whimsical bird-catcher, will be performed by the bass-baritone Kieran Rayner who is delighted to return to Festival Opera, after playing Silvio in “I Pagliacci 2020″. He performs regularly at the Royal Opera House, Royal Albert Hall and across Europe.

The lead cast will be supported by a wealth of young talent including Project Prima Volta Graduates and students, Dame Malvina Major Studio Artists and New Zealand Opera School Alumni.

Festival Opera was founded by Anna Pierard and Sarah Walmsley to not only bring world-class performances onto the region’s stages but to also cultivate local singing talent in Hawke’s Bay alongside the Prima Volta Charitable Trust.

The opera will be conducted by Hawke’s Bay’s own Jośe Aparicio. The Hawke’s Bay Today Person of the Year in 2018, alongside his wife Anna, José emigrated to New Zealand in 2009 after an illustrious musical career in Europe. He is joined again by principal stage director John Wilkie, who has worked with the company supporting the vision since 2019.

Tickets are on sale now from www.Ticketek.co.nz

For further details visit: www.festivalopera.co.nz