Six opera students from the University of Waikato will take centre stage and audition at the Sydney Opera House next week as part of their degree.
The students have been selected for the university’s new opera programme Te Pae Kōkako – The Aotearoa New Zealand Opera Studio (Tanzos) which combines academic, professional and industry training.
The programme is based at the Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts in Hamilton and will also bring internationally acclaimed opera practitioners to Waikato to mentor promising talent.
The audition in Sydney is only the first of several international auditions for Alfred Fonoti-Fuimaono, Katherine Winitana (Ngaariki Kaiputahi, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa), Emmanuel Fonoti-Fuimaono, all three of Hastings, Yufan Cecilia Zhang, of Auckland, Taylor Wallbank (Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Ngāti Kahungunu ki te Heretaunga) of Hastings and Rhiannon Cooper of Whangārei.