Reviewed by Lin Ferguson
It was a glorious concert that never missed a cue or a beat.
These New Zealand opera students were a vibrant, talented and truly
joyous cast of singers.
The capacity audience was captured from the opening set in the Grand Hotel, where the singers gathered for a wedding, with many personal asides all dramatic, funny and thrilling.
There were no low spots. This show was seamless, with each soloist in top voice and form.
Cadence Chung was delightful as the young lobby boy, Urban, singing “Nobles Seigneurs, salut” to the gathered wedding guests.
Her mezzo soprano voice rang out with a message of secret love for one of the wedding guests.
Baritone Blake Scanlen was soulful with “Look through the port comes the moonshine astray” as he lay in his prison cell, his voice warm and beautiful.
Tenor Ivan Zhang comforted his friend in a soaring rendition of Gluck’s “Iphigenie en Tauride”, a lovely interlude from a fine young tenor.
Wrapping the first half was a glorious rendition of Dvorak’s “Song To The Moon” from soprano Sarah Mileham.
Hers is a voice which will soon be on the opera stages of the world; she is a remarkable young soprano.
In Act 2, baritone Tomairangi Henare was glorious with his rendition of “Ach, wir armen Leute”. He has stature, together with a large, ringing voice, which is quite beautiful.
Countertenor Jack Doyle thrilled the audience with his soaring voice singing Handel’s Tolomeo.
You could feel the audience gasp as this young singer’s voice filled the opera house with a musicality that rang out with ease.
These singers were testament to the inspired direction once again by Jacqueline Coats.
The New Zealand Opera School has thrilled Whanganui music lovers once again.
