Whanganui Opera School to celebrate 30th anniversary in style

Students perform during the final show of the 2021 Opera Week. Photo / Lewis Gardner

A rousing final night concert by students of the 30th NZ Opera School will rock the rafters of the Royal Whanganui Opera House.

And director Jacqueline Coats is excited about the January 20 event.

She is convinced the Whanganui community, which has supported these young singers unreservedly year after year, will be thrilled with this year’s final offering.

The 21 students would celebrate the 30th birthday and ensure it would be a big, glorious onstage party, Coats said.

“As with all birthday parties it is a celebration of our life... a coming together, remembering old friends, years gone by ...special moments.

“There will be pictures of former students who have gone on to make music their career.

“As I said, it’s all about remembrance.’’

Travelling for two weeks every January was a huge part of the school’s success, she said.

“Everyone being in one place for the two weeks, eating together, working, training and socialising daily and not having to travel is just perfect.

“We all look forward to it and it wouldn’t have the same wonderful atmosphere if, for example, it were in Wellington or Auckland.

“Being in the middle of a big city wouldn’t have that special cohesiveness we have here with and of course, the very supportive Whanganui community.’’

Coates said they were privileged to be in the “historic Royal Whanganui Opera House”.

The past few months had been busy - collecting all the material to ensure the final night of the Opera School would be another success, she said.

“It could well be the great opera rock concert... remembered forever.’’

Jacqueline Coats is an NZ-based theatre director who has worked in both opera and children’s theatre, as well as for various organisations, including the New Zealand Festival, New Zealand Opera and Victorian Opera (Melbourne).

She said she loved opera, loved the operatic voice but knew the voice alone would not define the singer.

To translate the beauty of opera singers also needed “the moves”.

Coates was the stagecraft director and choreographer for the school’s final concert last year, which was also held at the Opera House.

Whanganui Opera Week runs from Sunday to January 21, with students of the Opera School appearing at various public events before the final show.

Founder, executive chairman and director Donald Trott last month said the school had always been his dream.

“The school is a team effort and I’m grateful to everyone who has walked alongside me over the last 30 years.

“With the two weeks of intensive and specialised tuition, this has resulted in an overwhelming number of internationally acclaimed singers who have come back here multiple times - we are very, very proud.”