Tenor Mike Liu works as a tunnel engineer. Photo / John Wansbrough
Young talented tenor Mike Liu is attending the New Zealand Opera School being held in Whanganui on January 7-21.
To study there he had to take two weeks’ annual leave from his work in Auckland as an engineer specialising in tunnels.
He is currently working on designs for new tunnels in Singapore, Sydney and Melbourne.
Liu laughed when he said he told his fellow engineers a couple of years ago that he was in training to sing opera.
“They stared at me and then said sing something.”
Not only did he sing but he managed to convince a few of them to have a night out at the opera.
The Marriage of Figaro was on in Auckland and they loved it, he said.
Liu was born in Shanghai when China had a one-child-only policy. “So I’m an only child and my parents immigrated to New Zealand when I was 2.”
But when he reached school age they returned to China for Liu to attend primary school there. “They wanted me to experience the culture and to speak Chinese.’’
His love of music was born in him, he said.
“My parents were not musical but they encouraged and helped me. They are very dedicated Chinese parents.”
The family returned to Auckland for his high school years and Liu went to Auckland Grammar where his love of classical singing began.
As well as working with his singing teacher and repetiteur Rosemary Barnes, he has been able to focus on his voice after achieving his engineering degree.
He also sings in the New Zealand Opera chorus.
His two weeks at the school would be exciting and a fine learning time, Liu said.
“It’s also amazing meeting everyone else and socialising ... I am loving it.”
He said he was off to rehearse an oratorio with a fellow student for the chapel service on Sunday.
“I just love it here.”
But when the school finishes on Sunday, January 21, he won’t have time to talk it over with his fellow students.
“I have to be back at my desk on Monday and back to tunnels,” he laughed.
A low pressure system takes over bringing winds, rain and heat to the district.