Opera in Schools visits Whanganui for first time

Singers Will King (left), Pasquale Orchard, Angus Simmons and Manase Latu at NZ Opera School Recital in January. Photo / Stuart Munro

The burgeoning success of the New Zealand Opera School in Whanganui has led to the Opera in Schools programme 2019 heading to Whanganui this week for the first time.

NZ opera School chairman Donald Trott said it was it was very exciting that at last the in-school programme would visit Whanganui.

Four of the five singers performing the 45 minute, English language version of "The Barber Of Seville" were students from the 2019 opera school.

They are school award winner Manase Latu who won the Merle Higgie Memorial Award for most improved student. Also the Dame Malvina Major Emerging Artists - Will King, Pasquale Orchard, and Angus Simmons.

Opera in Schools will perform at 10am Friday, March 8, at Wanganui Collegiate School in the Prince Edward Auditorium. The cost is $5 a student.

Opera in Schools has been performing in the main centres of Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch for the past seven years.

However, the success of the opera school in Wanganui has paved the way for in-schools programme to include the regional city as well, Trott said.

"We are thrilled especially as students from the school are performing."

Opera in Schools spokesman Andrew Gordon said the goal at New Zealand Opera was to ignite a passion that will last a lifetime and foster young talent.

"We involve future audiences by offering live performance and creative workshops. These are opportunities where young people can engage and join in different aspects of opera and the performing arts."

Singing every day is heaven, say four former opera school students.

Manase Latu, Will King, Angus Simmons and Pasquale Orchard say their time at the New Zealand Opera School had been an incredible gift

All four are also hoping to study overseas later this year with 2018 overseas tutor Professor Cesar Ulloa, who is head of voice at the San Francisco Conservatoire.

Trott said students were very comfortable with this master.

"Cesar is kind, sensitive and sympathetic. He is a warm and caring man, his future students can count themselves very lucky.

"We are very fortunate to have Cear return to us."