The success of Sol3 Mio has inspired more young men to consider opera as a career. Photo / File
The success of Sol3 Mio has inspired more young men to consider opera as a career. Photo / File
Next year the acclaimed Whanganui-based New Zealand Opera School celebrates its 26th year, with 21 young Kiwi classical singers attending.
But this 2020 school celebrates with one major difference, according to school director Jonathan Alver.
"Half of the students for the first time are young male singers," he says.
Alverbelieves the extraordinary success of former students Pene and Amitai Pati and Moses Mckay - the hit trio of Sol3 Mio - have been the inspiration.
"They are hugely popular as well as being very likeable and cool and I think they have inspired young males to give classical singing a go. We, of course, are delighted and thrilled to have so many young men keen on an operatic singing career."
Those former students who have gone on to forge great careers are Wagnerian tenor Simon O'Neill, Pene and Amitai Pati and Moses McKay of Sole3 Mio; and award-winning soprano Isabella Moore.
Among the 21 singers who auditioned successfully for the 2020 school, which runs from January 6 to 19, are some returning for a second and third time.
School founder and chairman Donald Trott said the calibre of the intensive, residential school at Whanganui Collegiate School means the young singers are steeped in quality tuition.
Founder and chairman Donald Trott said the school gives young singers quality tuition. Photo / Supplied
"They live and breathe singing," he says. "They live on campus, they train on campus. It is the perfect environment to learn and assimilate the finer points of their craft."
Building a strong operatic voice means years of work and for the best the chance of studying and singing overseas.
The overseas tutors have all had world-class opera careers, including master tutor Cesar Ulloa from the Adler and Merola opera programmes of San Francisco Opera and Chair of voice at San Francisco Conservatoire.
Both Pati brothers were accepted into his stellar San Francisco programme after first studying at the Cardiff Academy in Wales four years ago and are now both headed into world opera careers.
Ulloa said earlier that tenor Pene was a "young Pavarotti" destined to go far.
This is Ulloa's third time at the school where as well as his tutorials he will present a public masterclass on January 10 at 7.30pm in the Prince Edward Auditorium at Whanganui Collegiate School.
Coming from London is Nuccia Focile who was born in Sicily, studied in Turin and has sung many times with Luciano Pavarotti and currently teaches at the Royal Academy of Music in London.
Completing the illustrious trio of overseas tutors is world acclaimed Australian operatic tenor Glenn Winslade.
Jacqui Coats is the new director of acting for next month's New Zealand Opera School in Whanganui. Photo / Supplied
School director Jonathan Alver described Winslade as one of the most technically exacting vocal coaches in Australasia.
"He strives for perfection and is an incredible vocal coach."
Newcomer to the school is acting and movement coach Jaqueline Coats from Wellington.
The enormously popular final night concert Great Opera Moments on Saturday, January 18 will be choreographed and directed by Coats.
Coats has a passion for theatre and opera for young people and has run creative workshops for NZ Opera since 2006.
In 2015 she directed a condensed version of Rossini's The Barber of Seville as part of NZ Opera in School's programme.
Coats comes directly to the school from Britain where she has been working with Opera North at the University of Leeds.
Last year she directed the end of year production Shakespeare's The Two Gentlemen of Verona for Toi Whakaari NZ Drama School.
On January 8 at Heritage House replacing the former luncheon recital is a recital starting later at 2pm and followed by afternoon tea.
And the following Wednesday, January 15, the always popular Dining with Opera from 7pm is at three venues, Frank Bar and Eatery, Red Lion Inn and Quality Inn Collegiate.
In Praise of Music at the Whanganui Collegiate chapel on January 12 at 11.30am with all 21students will feature the J S Bach Magnificant in D major.
The chapel once again will be filled to capacity, Trott says.
"It is probably one of the only church services where the congregation start arriving an hour early and fill every seat."
