It was hard to believe the four singers lined up in a New Zealand Opera School master class at the Wanganui Collegiate Auditorium on Monday evening were still just students.
Even international tutor Della Jones was thrilled with their voices and without hesitation told them several times they were excellent. Soprano Alexandra Gandionco ) from West Auckland had the audience spellbound.
This young soprano sang an aria from The Pearl Fishers by Bizet.
As Leila, a priestess of Brahma, her delivery and powerful soprano voice was phenomenal. She impressed Jones who could only critique a few phrases of interpretation.
When Gandionco arrived on stage and announced what she would be singing, Jones told the audience immediately that yes there was "more to The Pearl Fishers than the famous duet for tenor and baritone".
Gandionco had much of the audience sighing with pleasure as she soared through the range of top notes.