Review: New Zealand Opera School students shine at Whanganui recital

Husband and wife Angus and Anna Simmons delighted the audience at the afternoon tea recital. Photo / Bevan Conley

An afternoon tea recital at Heritage House on Wednesday by four students of the New Zealand Opera School was balm for the soul for the capacity audience of 200.

Featured were husband and wife team Angus (baritone) and Anna (soprano) Simmons, with Harry Grigg (tenor) and Felicity Tomkins (soprano), singing a range of opera arias to loved songs from well-known musicals.

It's difficult to believe that these students are not yet fully fledged opera singers. Their level of musical prowess, accompanied by the masterful accompanist David Kelly, was a concert that was quite beautiful.

Grigg thrilled with a New Zealand piece, Sings Harry by Douglas Lilburn, words by renowned poet Dennis Glover.

His clear tenor voice together with his personable demeanour delighted the audience who applauded this true and expressive version of Glover's immortal words.

Angus Simmons was delicious with his rendition of Some Enchanted Evening from Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical South Pacific.

Simmons' voice resonated through the room and had many in the audience sighing with pleasure as his sure, rich voice soared.

And diminutive soprano Anna Simmons held the audience captive with her clear, sparkling voice caressing the well-known glorious Puccini aria Oh My Beloved Father.

Again, many of the audience sighed and smiled.

Felicity Tomkins soared through an aria from Smetana's The Bartered Bride, adding zing to top notes which were true and strong.

Felicity has a strong and beautiful stage presence, together with a glorious voice. She is a singer to watch and note.

Again, Anna Simmons was a joy with her expressive version of I Could Have Danced All Night from the musical My Fair Lady. She was a winsome Eliza Doolittle with panache and a voice that rang bright and clear.

New Zealand Opera School students (from left) Harry Grigg, Felicity Tomkins, Anna Simmons and Angus Simmons at Heritage House. Photo / Bevan Conley

The duet from the opera Figaro between the countess and Susanna, sung by Felicity and Anna, was an exciting piece for the two sopranos and was performed with joy and verve.

From the Vaughan Williams' song cycle, Angus Simmons' version of the song Infinite Shining Heaven was just that … heaven.

This afternoon tea concert replaced the luncheon recitals of former years.

But nothing was lost in this time change.

This concert once again shone the spotlight on the wonderful talented singers who are accepted into the New Zealand Opera School to immerse themselves in intensive vocal training.