Acclaimed New Zealand opera stars Pene Pati and Amina Edris to return to Whanganui for NZ Opera School

Tenor Pene Pati and soprano Amina Edris will be two of the tutors at the 2021 New Zealand Opera School in Whanganui. Photo / Cheshire Isaacs

World acclaimed tenor Pene Pati is happy and "much comforted" to be home in New Zealand.

He is thrilled to be one of four New Zealand tutors at the 2021 New Zealand Opera School in Whanganui in January.

However, just three weeks ago Pene was about to open at the Berlin State Opera House in one of his major operatic roles to date, singing the lead of the king in the Mozart opera Mitridate, when it was cancelled due to Covid-19 on the eve of the opening night.

The cancellation floored the cast as it was brutally sudden with no warning.

The shock was huge and Pene said it took him a few days to come to grips with it.

"My mental health was suffering. I wasn't in a good way and knew the best remedy for me was to come home to New Zealand."

Pene left isolation in Auckland last Friday and laughed when he said his quarantine at a hotel in Ellerslie had helped get him back on track.

"It was as though it was meant to be. The enforced rest and the time to think things through were exactly what I needed. I have been very fortunate. I love this country, we are very blessed to live here."

So instead of life feeling gloomy and empty it quickly became the reverse.

Pene was immediately sought after for concerts here at home, both solo and with SOL3 MIO, the popular trio with his brother Amitai and cousin Moses McKay.

But being selected as a tutor along with his wife, international soprano Amina Edris, world acclaimed Wagnerian tenor Simon O'Neill and the much-loved and celebrated Dame Malvina Major at the New Zealand Opera School, was the height of excitement, he said.

"It will be wonderful … the first opera school to have all New Zealand tutors. I can hardly wait to be in Whanganui and get started."

This 27th opera school was initially in a temporary state of flux when chairman and founder Donald Trott realised he couldn't bring in, as in former years, all international tutors.

However, undeterred Donald and his team set about organising an all New Zealand team of tutors at the school for the first time.

"These tutors have all worked internationally and three - Simon, Pene and Amina - are all former students of the school. Their grounding at the opera school has led to their outstanding accomplishments on the world's opera stages. But also significant in the success of the school over the years is how the city of Whanganui has played a huge part."

The 2021 New Zealand Opera School at Whanganui Collegiate School gets under way on January 4, with 21 students from throughout the country.

Public events will include the afternoon recital at 2pm on January 6 at Heritage House, the Collegiate Chapel service (11.30am, January 10), Public Master Class with Dame Malvina Major at the Collegiate Auditorium (7.30pm, January 11), Dining with Opera (7pm, January 13), Talking about Opera (2pm, January 15) and the final concert Great Opera Moments at the Royal Wanganui Opera House (7.30pm, January 16).