New Zealand-born Samoan tenor Ipu Laga’aia has been singing all his life.
Under the mentorship of Dr. Te Oti Rakena at the University of Auckland, he has undertaken classical voice studies, supported by the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation. A highlight of his journey so far has been performing alongside Dame Kiri Te Kanawa at the 2019 renaming gala of the Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre. In 2024, Ipu performed the role of Nemorino with NZ Opera’s ‘Opera in Schools’ touring production of Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love, sharing the joy of opera with students across Aotearoa.
This year, Ipu will make his professional role debut as Theseus in NZ Opera’s Australasian premiere of The Monster in the Maze, and is the 2025 New Zealand Opera Freemasons Foundation Company Artist. He is also a proud member of The Shades, a dynamic quartet of Tongan and Samoan voices who blend their classical training with other musical genres and Pacific Island roots. Ipu is fueled by his aspiration to explore opera on a global stage and loves sharing his engaging stage presence with audiences.