Australian Singing Competition 2023: University of Waikato opera student crowned winner

Emmanuel Fonoti-Fuimaono, 25, a Hamilton-based University of Waikato opera student, has won this year's Australian Singing Competition. Photo / IFAC Handa Australian Singing Competition

University of Waikato opera student Emmanuel Fonoti-Fuimaono, 25, has hit all the right notes across the ditch, winning this year’s IFAC Handa Australian Singing Competition.

With his performance of the aria Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schon from the world-famous opera Die Zauberflote (The Magic Flute) and the aria Ah leve toi soleil from the opera Romeo et Juliette, Emmanuel outsang his four competitors: soprano Michaela Cadwgan from Wellington, mezzo-sopranos Cassandra Doyle and Ellena Hicks, and soprano Yvette Keong, all of New South Wales.

The competition’s national adjudicator, Patrick Togher, said: “Emmanuel’s beautiful line and timbre endeared him to all of the judges. His presentation of [the two] arias in the finals was especially poignant for an old ex-tenor like myself.”

The Australian Singing Competition, managed by Music and Opera Singers Trust since 1982, is open to classical and opera singers from Australasia under 26 and offers a range of prizes, awards and scholarships, including the acclaimed Marianne Mathy Scholarship ($30,000).

Taking home “The Mathy” felt unreal, Emmanuel said.

“Even now, I’m still in shock. It has always been a dream of mine, not to necessarily win it, but to be a part of this competition.”

Australian Singing Competition 2023 finalists Cassandra Doyle, Ellena Hicks, Emmanuel Fonoti-Fuimaono, Michaela Cadwgan and Yvette Keong. Photo / IFAC Handa Australian Singing Competition

Emmanuel is originally from Flaxmere, Hastings, and started singing at a very young age together with his brothers Jordan, Faamanu and Alfred. In high school, Emmanuel joined the youth initiative Project Prima Volta, which he credits for catching the “opera bug”.

“As part of the programme, I was part of the Festival Opera in Napier in 2014. They performed Le nozze di Figaro and I was in the chorus. It was the best experience ever.”

He studied at the New Zealand Opera School in Whanganui for several years and now lives in Hamilton where he is studying towards a master’s degree at the University of Waikato as part of the new Te Pae Kōkako – The Aotearoa New Zealand Opera Studio (Tanzos) programme.

“I’ve always been curious about everything related to singing. Even now, when I hear someone sing, I wonder how they make certain sounds and see if I can do that too. [Classical music] is challenging, it’s thrilling. I really want more young people listening to it.”

Emmanuel said Te Pae Kōkako played a huge part in his development as a singer.

“A lot of my progress [as a singer] has happened this year ... because of this amazing programme.”

Emmanuel Fonoti-Fuimaono is studying at the University of Waikato as part of the new Te Pae Kōkako - The Aotearoa New Zealand Opera Studio (Tanzos) master's degree. Photo / Charles Brooks

He has been following the Australian Singing Competition since he first started studying.

“I’ve seen all these great singers win it, and now winning it myself is crazy, it feels like I’ve come full circle.”

The first people to know about his win were his family.

“They stayed up late, until 1.30am NZ time, to hear the results. I was in the dressing room and gave them a [video] call. All of their heads popped up and I couldn’t even get out a proper sentence, but when they caught on, there were about 10 seconds of just cheering.”

“When I got back to the hotel, I just crashed — in my suit. Singing is hard on your body because your whole body is the instrument. It takes preparation and stamina, just like an athlete — by the end of a concert you often feel like you have run a marathon.”

Emmanuel Fonoti-Fuimaono during a rehearsal with Festival Opera. He is embodying Tamino from the world-famous opera Die Zauberflote. Photo / Kirsten Simcox

Looking ahead, Emmanuel has big plans.

“I want to go overseas and continue to study. There is always room for me to work on my craft.”

All five singing competition finalists were allowed to choose their own repertoire for the grand finale. Emmanuel says he chose the two arias because they suited his voice.

“I was meant to sing Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schon with Festival Opera in Napier earlier this year, but it was cancelled due to the cyclone. I studied this piece and practised it with my teacher and vocal coach, so I felt very comfortable singing it ... Both of the arie are very me.”

The last Kiwi to win the Australian Singing Competition was Manase Latu in 2019. Other notable Kiwi winners are Paul Whelan who won the competition in 1987 and the first winner, Nicola Waite, in 1982.

This year’s national adjudicator was tenor Patrick Togher, who was joined by fellow judges opera language coach Nicole Dorigo, Australian soprano Amelia Farrugia, Opera Australia conductor Paul Fitzsimon, and Sydney Conservatorium of Music vocal studies lecturer Dr Anke Hoeppner-Ryan.

The finals concert was dedicated to Togher’s wife and Australian soprano Romola Togher (nee Tyrrell) who died in June. The competition’s finalists were accompanied by the Opera Australia Orchestra conducted by maestro Vladimir Fanshil.

As the overall winner, Emmanuel has taken out the Marianne Mathy Scholarship, the Audition Prize, which is an opportunity to audition for Lyric Opera of Chicago’s professional artist development programme, the Lili Ussher Portrait Prize, which is a painting of him in concert dress, the Oral History Award, a taped interview by oral historian Diana Ritch, recorded and retained within the Oral History Collection of the National Library of Australia, and The WinkiPop Media Prize, which includes photographic prints of the winner at the finals concert.