Different Whanganui Opera Week due to Covid limits

Opera students sing from a tram in a flash mob event at the Whanganui River Markets. Photo / NZME

There were calls to cancel it, but a restricted Whanganui Opera Week will happen in January as usual.

It's based around a New Zealand Opera School learning experience for young singers that runs from January 9 to January 23 at Whanganui Collegiate School. The event will have fewer public events than usual because of Whanganui's current Covid-19 red traffic light restrictions.

"We are doing the very best we possibly can under extraordinary circumstances. We run the school according to the regulations of Her Majesty's Government," New Zealand Opera School executive chairman Donald Trott said.

Under the red traffic light status, members of the public will be limited to 100 at a garden recital and a chapel service, both held at the school.

The Great Opera Moments concert at the Royal Whanganui Opera House will also be limited to an audience of 100. Funders of the event have been invited, and the public may be able to buy any remaining tickets.

Only those who are fully vaccinated will be able to attend the events in person - but the school aims to livestream all three to the www.operaschool.org.nz website, making them available to anybody.

However, if Whanganui's traffic light status changes to orange, the number of vaccinated people at events will not be limited.

Singers at the school won't get as much audience exposure as they have in previous years, and Trott said that was unfortunate. "The interface of aspiring young opera singers with the public is terribly important to them."

Next year's will be the 28th Opera Week.

"It's been hard work, but it's been an absolute joy to see so many of the singers from the school perform so well in Europe and the United States," Trott said.

Missing will be the usual public masterclasses, cafe recitals and a talking opera event.

In previous years, there have been opera flash mobs at the Whanganui River Markets, and three years ago there was an outdoor concert on the river with singers aboard the PS Waimarie. Trott would like to replicate that, perhaps for the school's 30th in 2024.

The 21 young singers at the school next year will include members of the Fonoti-Fuimaono family - two tenors and two baritones.

Emmanuel Fonoti-Fuimaono could be the next New Zealand singer to take the world by storm, Trott said. "His singing at the moment is a delight."

The school is funded by a grant from Creative New Zealand, and The Freemasons Foundation is a major sponsor. There are also contributions from Auckland, Wellington and Whanganui supporters, and proceeds from ticket sales provide extras such as musical performers from out of town.