Hamilton opera student hits the right notes at Australian singing competition

Emmanuel Fonoti-Fuimaono already performed with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra. Photo / Tony Whitehead, Wildlight Photography

University of Waikato opera student Emmanuel Fonoti-Fuimaono, 25, has hit the right notes in Australia as he has been chosen as one of 10 young singers to perform in the IFAC Handa Australian Singing Competition semi-finals.

The competition, run by the Australian arm of the International Foundation for Arts and Culture (IFAC) since 1982, is open to classical and opera singers from Australasia under the age of 26 and offers a range of prizes, awards and scholarships, including the acclaimed Marianne Mathy Scholarship ($30,000).

Emmanuel has been chosen as one of two New Zealanders alongside fellow Kiwi Michaela Cadwagan of Wellington. The other semi-finalists are Benjamin Del Borrello, Cassandra Doyle, Ellena Hicks, Rachael Joyce, Yvette Keong, Daniel Ott, Eden Shifroni and Amelia Wawrzon coming from Australia.

The ten semi-finalists will perform in the Semi-Finals Concert next Sunday, July 23 at Sydney’s Independent Theatre. Five finalists will then be selected to perform in the Finals Concert on August 31 at the Concert Hall at The Concourse, Chatswood.

The last Kiwi to win the Australian Singing Competition was Manase Latu in 2019.

Emmanuel is originally from Flaxmere, Hastings, but currently lives in Hamilton where he studies a Master’s degree at the University of Waikato as part of their new Te Pae Kōkako - The Aotearoa New Zealand Opera Studio (Tanzos) programme.

Emmanuel Fonoti-Fuimaono.

Earlier this year, the Samoan tenor won the inaugural Tarling Aria Competition in Auckland and the 2023 Sydney Eisteddfod Aria Award.

Emmanuel started singing at a very young age together with his brothers Jordan, Faamanu and Alfred. As Emmanuel got older he joined the youth initiative Project Prima Volta where he was introduced to classical music and he caught the opera bug.

His portfolio also includes work with NZOpera, Wellington Opera and Auckland Choral.

Wellington-based soprano Michaela completed her Bachelor of Music Honours degree in 2020, alongside a Bachelor of Arts in German and Italian at Victoria University of Wellington.

She collaborated as a soloist with numerous organisations including the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and Wellington Orchestra.