Ipu Laga'aia will always be remembered for gate-crashing Dame Kiri Te Kanawa's gig in November 2019 when the Aotea Centre theatre was renamed in her honour. Her former student brought his own accompaniment back then — a guitar for his Spanish-style song, to which Dame Kiri danced the Flamenco.
Now Laga'aia is part of a line-up of some of Aotearoa's most accomplished performers: Sophie Morris (Mamma Mia, Cats, Grease), Rutene Spooner (Modern Maori Quartet), Chris McRae (Tosca, Don Pasquale, La Boheme) and Laughton Kora (founder and lead singer of Wellington band Kora).
![The New Zealand string quartet, four suits and a soprano rehearse for their upcoming nationwide tour at the Pitt St Methodist Church. Photo / Alex Burton](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/6S7OIEYHMA4BC7PHTYDCBZZGX4.jpg?auth=ff1952765bd644a1abf6734e76685be5fef27ab6dc606904d1e6287428bcd4b6&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)
This time the accompaniment is the New Zealand String Quartet, Four Suits and a Soprano, the chamber ensemble who have wowed audiences around the globe. They head on a nationwide tour this month until the end of May.
Laga'aia may always be remembered for his gate-crashing, but now he'll be creating new musical memories.