Cast pages
Proudly supported by the Ryman Healthcare Dame Malvina Major Foundation Mina Foley Award Manase Latu is an award-winning lyric tenor, raised in Auckland’s Ōtahuhu and currently based in New York City. After completing his studies at the University of Auckland (BMus, First Class Honours) and the Royal College of Music (pgDip in Vocal Studies) from … Read more
Michaela Cadwgan is a soprano from New Zealand currently based in Australia. In 2020 with she graduated with First Class Honours in BMus from The New Zealand School of Music—Te Kōkī, Victoria University of Wellington, studying under the tutelage of Dr. Margaret Medlyn, Wade Kernot, Dr. Jenny Wollerman, and Bruce Greenfield. Alongside this, she earned … Read more
Taylor Wallbank (Te Whānau-ā-Apanui) has completed his BMus (Hons) Classical Voice (1st), Master of Music and is currently undertaking a Master of Music in Advanced Opera Studies under the tutelage of Kristin Darragh. He has placed 1st place in the Dame Malvina Major Waikato Aria Competition (2022), 1st place in the South Auckland Competition Recital/Aria … Read more
South Auckland Samoan Bass-baritone, Joel Amosa debuted with NZ Opera as Fiorello in the 2019 season of Barber of Seville. Joel was a Young Artist with NZO and performed Bartolo in the Marriage of Figaro with the company. Joel was the winner of the 2018 Lexus song quest competition, which led to performances in San … Read more
James Harrison studied at the Royal College of Music where he won the prestigious Lies Askonas Prize, then went on to the National Opera Studio. James has appeared in concerts at the Royal Albert Hall, The Barbican, The Wigmore Hall and throughout Europe and New Zealand. Since returning to Aotearoa James has sung in Candide, … Read more
New Zealand-born Jud Arthur has been Australian-based since 2003. He has sung over 40 operatic roles for Opera Australia, West Australian Opera, Victorian Opera, State Opera South Australia and Opera Queensland as well as frequently returning to New Zealand Opera. A particular highlight for Jud was creating the roles of Hunding and Fafner in Opera … Read more
Dynamic and celebrated Australian mezzo-soprano, Sian Sharp, has been described as “one of Opera Australia’s most versatile and accomplished singers” (Australian Arts Review). In 2023, she reprised the roles of Suzuki (Madama Butterfly), Giovanna and Maddalena (Rigoletto), and featured as La Muse in Damiano Michieletto’s new production of Les contes d’Hoffmann for Opera Australia. She … Read more
Praised for his vocal phrasing and colour, James is one of the most versatile singers to emerge from Australia in recent years. He has been lauded by audiences and reviewers alike for his performances throughout the opera houses and concert halls of Australia, New Zealand and Asia. Critical acclaim has been received for his portrayals … Read more
Hailing from Perth, Western Australia, soprano Elena Perroni is a 2018 graduate of the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. This season Elena will sing the role of Rusalka with West Australian Opera and make her house debut at New Zealand Opera as Gilda in Rigoletto. Recent performances include her Carnegie Hall Debut performing … Read more
Stepping into the spotlight at Philharmonie de Paris in a concert of Bizet’s Les pêcheurs de perles in 2019, Amitai Pati announced himself one of the new lyric voices of the next generation. Since then he’s made a string of acclaimed debuts including Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni for San Francsico Opera in Michael Cavanagh’s new production under Bertrand de Billy; as Alfredo … Read more