Auckland singer wins Lockwood New Zealand Aria in Rotorua

Elizabeth Mandeno performing at the Lockwood New Zealand Aria in Rotorua. Photo / Tony Whitehead

The New Zealand Aria has been held in Rotorua since 1946 and has become a staple on not only the local events calendar but also a "must win" for any up-and-coming classical singer. Journalist Scott Yeoman chats to the latest winner and finds out why hearing her name called out as the winner was a jaw-dropping experience.

A Kiwi outsang two Australia-based singers to win the prestigious Lockwood New Zealand Aria competition in Rotorua at the weekend.

Elizabeth Mandeno, from Auckland, took out first place in a field of 40 entrants, from New Zealand, Australia and the United States.

Ayako Ohtake was second and Kirsten Jones was third, both of them Australia-based.

The event, which was held this year at Distinction Hotel and Destiny Church Auditorium in Rotorua, has been around since 1946. This was the 73rd edition.

It is the largest annual competition of its kind in New Zealand and this year there was a prize pool of more than $45,000 up for grabs.

The event has been around since 1946. This was the 73rd edition. Photo / Tony Whitehead

Mandeno told the Rotorua Daily Post she was "absolutely thrilled" to have won.

"I hope someone captured my expression on camera when it was announced because it came as a huge surprise. It honestly could have been any of us, I thought all the finalists were incredible, and I'm excited to see what they all do in the future."

The 29-year-old grew up in Auckland in a musical family and studied at the University of Auckland and the Wales International Academy of Voice. She is a current Freemasons Opera Artist with New Zealand Opera and a former Dame Malvina Major Emerging Artist.

Lockwood New Zealand Aria chairwoman Jo-Anne La Grouw said the singers were getting "better and better each year" and this year's competition was "brilliant".

She praised the high quality of the entrants, many of whom, she said, were "extremely young to be doing so well".

Lockwood New Zealand Aria chairwoman Jo-Anne La Grouw. Photo / File

La Grouw said two adjudicators from Australia were "blown away" by the "extremely high" calibre of the singers.

"And they couldn't get over the number of male voices. They said, 'we just don't get that in Australia'."

Six Australians in total entered the main, open-class event and four of them got into the finals. There was also an American entrant.

Elizabeth Mandeno, from Auckland, won first place at the Lockwood New Zealand Aria in Rotorua. Photo / Tony Whitehead

The Festival Weekend of Song also included several restricted age-group competitions and altogether there were close to 100 singers taking part.

La Grouw said if she and the other organisers were to continue to grow and improve the event, they would need to return to the Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre.

She hoped that would happen within the next couple of years.

"And then it will be all go because that will be our 75th anniversary."

THE LOCKWOOD NEW ZEALAND ARIA 2019 Results

Under 21 Section
Class 1 Own Selection Under 10 years
Chloe Slater First Place
Anja Van der Merwe Second Place
McKenzie Tidd Third Place

Class 2 Folk/Traditional Under 10 years
McKenzie Tidd First Place
Will Connolly-Tevendale Second Place
Anja Van der Merwe Third Place

Class 3 Sacred/Oratorio Under 10 years
Will Connolly-Tevendale First Place
Chloe Slater Second Place
McKenzie Tidd Third Place

Class 4 Light Entertainment Under 10 years
McKenzie Tidd First Place
Will Connolly-Tevendale Second Place
Anja Van der Merwe Third Place

Class 5 Own Selection 10 & Under 13 Years
Te Pumanawa o toku ate Rogers First Place
Emile Rosset Second Place
Wai Kimihia Douglas-Karauna Third Place

Class 6 Folk/Traditional 10 & Under 13 Years
Jazz Vidamo First Place
Matahiapo-Waimarie Maxwell Second Place
Nikau Grace Chater Third Place

Class 7 Sacred/Oratorio 10 & Under 13 Years
Nikau Grace Chater First Place
Te Pumanawa o toku ate Rogers Second Place
Nicholas Klein Third Place
Jazz Vidamo Very Highly Commended

Class 8 Light Entertainment 10 & Under 13 Years
Nikau Grace Chater First Place
Jazz Vidamo Second Place
Jasmine Hulton Third Place

Class 9 Own Selection 13 & Under 16 years
Seumas Eade First Place
Venessa Joyce Second Place
Samuel Gifford Third Place
Zeeah Rona Waerea-Tamai Highly Commended
Anabel Jamieson Highly Commended

Class 10 Folk/Traditional 13 & Under 16 years
Isabella Reid First Place
Venessa Joyce Second Place
Gemma Brunt Third Place
Charles Adams Highly Commended
Bonnie-Marie Wetting Highly Commended

Class 11 Sacred/Oratorio 13 & Under 16 years
Anabel Jamieson First Place
Ruaeo Te Moni Second Place
Charles Adams Third Place

Class 12 Light Entertainment 13 & Under 16 years
Anabel Jamieson First Place
Ranithu Sendiv Rodrigo Second Place
Charles Adams Third Place
Isabella Reid Very Highly Commended
Samuel Gifford Very Highly Commended
Seumas Eade Very Highly Commended

Class 13 Restricted Class Under 14 Years
Ranithu Sendiv Rodrigo First Place
Tyla Pope Second Place
Anja Van der Merwe Third Place

Class 14 N.Z. Composer Under 14 Years
Maia Patterson-Foster First Place
Charles Adams Second Place
Ranithu Sendiv Rodrigo Third Place

Class 15 Maori Song Under 14 Years
Maia Patterson-Foster First Place
Te Pumanawa o toku ate Rogers Second Place
Charles Adams Third Place

Class 16 Restricted Class 14 & Under 21 Years
Samuel Gifford First Place
Gina Fischer Second Place
Gemma Brunt Third Place

Class 17 N.Z. Composer 14 & Under 21 Years
Jasmine Jessen First Place
Aidan Phillips Second Place
Isabella Reid Third Place

Class 18 Maori Song 14 & Under 21 Years
Anahera Waiariki First Place
Tamati Cassidy Second Place
Ruaeo Te Moni Third Place

Class 19 Own Selection 16 & Under 18 Years
Jean-Daniel Rosset First Place
Hannah Morgan Second Place
Ishbel Eade Third Place

Class 20 Folk Traditional 16 & Under 18 Years
Jasmine Jessen First Place
Edward Smith Second Place
Jade Okey Third Place
Anipatene Williams Very Highly Commended

Class 21 Sacred/Oratorio 16 & Under 18 Years
Ishbel Eade First Place
Edward Smith Second Place
Anipatene Williams Third Place

Class 22 Light Entertainment 16 & Under 18 Years
Jasmine Jessen First Place
Jade Okey Second Place
Jean-Daniel Rosset Third Place

Class 23 Own Selection 18 & Under 21 Years
Sid Chand First Place
Aidan Phillips Second Place
Hannah Ashford-Beck Third Place

Class 24 Folk Traditional 18 & Under 21 Years
Sid Chand First Place
Libby Montgomery Second Place
Aidan Phillips Third Place

Class 25 Sacred/Oratorio 18 & Under 21 Years
Hannah Ashford-Beck First Place
Maeve Herd Second Place

Class 26 Light Entertainment 18 & Under 21 Years
Sid Chand First Place
Hannah Ashford-Beck Second Place
Libby Montgomery Third Place
Class 27 Own Selection 16 & Under 21 Years
Sid Chand First Place
Hannah Ashford-Beck Second Place
Katie Trigg Third Place
Aidan Phillips Very Highly Commended
Tamati Cassidy Very Highly Commended

Class 28 Oratorio/Sacred Song 16 & Under 21 Years
Aidan Phillips First Place
Hannah Ashford-Beck Second Place
Katie Trigg Third Place
Libby Montgomery Very Highly Commended
Maeve Herd Very Highly Commended
Jacob Siohane-Royle Highly Commended

Class 29 Lieder/Art Song 16 & Under 21 Years
Sid Chand First Place
Hannah Ashford-Beck Second Place
Katie Trigg Third Place
Aidan Phillips Very Highly Commended
Jacob Siohane-Royle Very Highly Commended

Class 30 Operatic Aria 16 & Under 21 Years
Aidan Phillips First Place
Sid Chand Second Place
Maeve Herd Third Place
Katie Trigg Very Highly Commended
Jacob Siohane-Royle Very Highly Commended

NZ Aria Award - Most promising competitor in the under 21 Yrs Section
Jacob Siohane-Royle

Mike Steiner Interior Design Junior Award
Aidan Phillips First Place
Sid Chand Second Place
Hannah Ashford-Beck Third Place

Kowhai Award - Highest Mark in NZ Composer
Jasmine Jessen

Highest Mark in Maori Song
Maia Patterson-Foster

Adult Section 18 Years and Over
Class 330 Baroque Classical Aria
Felicity Tomkins First Place
Carla Camilleri Second Place
Aidan Phillips Third Place

Class 332 Solo Own Selection
Laura Loach First Place
Harry Grigg Second Place
Cecily Shaw Third Place

Class 333 Oratorio or Sacred Solo
Joshua Oxley First Place
Laura Loach Second Place
Te Ohorere Williams Third Place

Class 334 Lieder own Selection
Will King First Place
Harry Grigg Second Place
Nathan Hauraki Third Place

Class 335 Folk or Traditional
Felicity Tomkins First Place
Beth Goulstone Second Place
Nathan Hauraki Third Place

Class 336 20th Century Art Song
Will King First Place
Felicity Tomkins Second Place
Beth Goulstone Third Place

345 New Zealand Aria - 2019
Kirsten Jones Finalist
Felicity Tomkins Finalist
Michaela Cadwgan Finalist
Will King Finalist
Harry Grigg Finalist
Ayako Ohtake Finalist
Joshua Oxley Finalist
Emmanuel Fonoti-Fuimaono Finalist
Elizabeth Mandeno Finalist
Sheridan Hughes Finalist

Ethel & William Harman Ambassador's Award
Emmanuel Fonoti-Fuimaono Winner

John Bond Award
Angus Simmons Winner