Isabella Moore, New Zealand's leading curve model and acclaimed soprano, discusses her dual careers and future plans.
Rain didn’t dampen the spirits of NZ opera star Isabella Moore who mingled with royalty at King Charles III’s Garden Party at Buckingham Palace. She tells SPY about representing the Pacific at the event, and how life in London is going.
New Zealand born, Samoan multiple award-winning opera singer and celebrated model, Isabella Moore, was honoured to be invited to King Charles III’s Garden Party at Buckingham Palace last month, but it was lucky she had an umbrella.
“Unfortunately, in true London fashion, the grey skies opened up and we were all absolutely soaked,” Moore tells Spy.
Invitations to the garden party for the soprano and her husband of one year, baritone Benson Wilson, came after they wowed guests by performing the Samoan classic ‘Tofa mai feleni’ at the Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey, celebrating 75 years. The Queen and the Prince of Wales were in attendance.
At the garden party, Moore wanted to represent the Pacific and turned heads in a hand painted Tahitian-inspired design by PIA, paired with Samoan inspired earrings, hair accessory and necklace.
“The dress was gifted to me by my mother, along with the accessories,” says Moore.
“It’s very hard to get Pasifika fashion and crafts in the UK, so I’m very lucky my mum helped me out for the occasion.”
Prince William, 41, hosted on behalf of his father King Charles, who is taking a break from public duties while undergoing treatment for prostate cancer. Moore says other royals in attendance were the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Zara Tindall, and Peter Phillips.
“I already had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with Prince William after the Commonwealth performance so we just relaxed and enjoyed the afternoon,” Moore says. “It was an adventure, however the rain made mingling quite difficult as we were all hiding beneath our umbrellas.”
Moore says she and Wilson enjoyed bumping into fellow Kiwi guests, including TV presenter Charlie Panapa and some of the Ngāti Rānana London Māori club family.
“Benson and I cheekily did a bit of ‘grounding’ [standing barefoot on the lawn] in the Buckingham palace gardens, which I’m sure not many people can say they’ve done.
“Overall, it was an experience I’ll never forget! Hopefully, I’ll be invited back when the weather is a bit nicer.”
In London, Moore and Wilson live in the Canary Wharf area. They have known each other since high school where they became friends singing in the NZ Secondary Students Choir.
They were still just friends when they attended Auckland University together and their extensive operatic training and various work in different countries has seen them support each other from afar.
Their romance only truly began when Moore decided to join Wilson in London a few months before the pandemic started. The pair married last year in a summer wedding on Waiheke Island.
Despite working with a large array of globally renowned singers, coaches and conductors - including Dame Kiri Te Kanawa - at 33, Moore’s operatic career is just getting ready to fully take off.
It’s been 16 years since Sāmoan soprano Aivale Cole’s 2009 Lexus Song Quest-winning performance inspired Moore to pursue her own operatic career.
“Aivale’s glorious performance empowered me to give singing a proper go.” says Moore, who five years later won the competition herself.
Numerous awards and merits have followed and despite singing around the world at highly regarded venues, she says she is yet to sing at any of her most favourite opera houses.
“I’m aiming for some of those next,” she says.
“There is still much to experience and I’m looking forward to what the future holds for me.”
Moore is currently signed with Pegasus Talent, an opera company that is now a talent agency.
“They provide representation and opportunities for global majority artists to diversify the classical music industry and make it more inclusive,” says Moore.
“I recently had the opportunity to cover the extremely talented soprano Nadine Benjamin for the Pegasus Opera Company production of The Human Voice (La Voix Humaine) by Poulenc.
“It was one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences of my career.
“For me, the music was insanely difficult to learn, which was what made it so rewarding in the end.”
What makes Moore stand out from her contemporaries - fellow Kiwi opera stars such as Amina Edris, Pene Pati, Filipe Manu and her successful husband of course - is the extra stardust she has garnered from her international modelling career.
Moore has been described as New Zealand’s most successful curve model and loves the size inclusivity the fashion industry has taken on globally.
She says the acting, characterisation and storytelling from opera influences her modelling, making her quite versatile.
Moore walked in numerous New Zealand Fashion Weeks and works with top local labels and designers including Hera Couture, Karen Walker, Kowtow, twenty-seven names, Saben and Skinsmiths.
On a recent trip to Brisbane visiting family, she ended up shooting for Portmans and Commonry.
In London, Moore says she generally books two modelling jobs a week and has worked with brands such as River Island and Made with Love Bridal, who she modelled for at Barcelona Fashion Week.
“Barcelona was a new experience for me I have to say,” she says. “I love getting to play dress up in beautiful wedding gowns. It’s a lot of fun!”
Moore has recently signed to a modelling agency in New York and once the paperwork is all approved for her US work visa, she will be jetting off to the Big Apple to see what the fashion industry has in store for her.
“There are very exciting times ahead,” she says.
Moore, a self-described opera nerd is currently prepping for concerts and auditions.
“There’s a lot of preparation involved but I love it so it doesn’t feel too much like hard work.”
She is very proud to be represent her Pacific Island culture and loves the fact she’s not the only one out there doing it.
“There still aren’t many of us, but knowing there are a few out there representing our heritage and culture makes me feel very happy.
“I’m extremely proud of my roots so the vibe is always an empowering one.
“In hard times or times of uncertainty, I can always draw upon my Kiwi and Sāmoan ‘mana’. It gives me hope and makes me feel connected.”
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