Earlier this year, NZ Opera, Auckland Philharmonia, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and Christchurch Symphony Orchestra kicked off an exciting search for hundreds of adult and youth community singers and musicians across Aotearoa. New Zealand Opera will be presenting the Australasian premiere of opera The Monster In The Maze by successful UK composer Dove in September 2025, featuring some of the country’s finest professional singers and orchestras.
The Monster in the Maze by Jonathan Dove and Alasdair Middleton is a globally celebrated community-based opera, which has been performed in multiple languages across more than 20 productions worldwide since its 2014 Berlin debut. In 2025, the project features award-winning creative Anapela Polataivao ONZM (Red White & Brass, Things That Matter, Wild Dogs Under My Skirt) at the helm in her NZ Opera directorial debut, and performances will be accompanied by the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, and the Auckland Philharmonia.
Scored for professional singers, a youth chorus, a children’s chorus, a community choir and orchestras of professional players playing alongside young or pre-professional players drawn from the local area, The Monster in the Maze is an opera designed to celebrate the embedding of a performing arts organisation within its community.
The project is currently looking for enthusiastic people who love music and want to be part of a joyous experience – and for community singers, no experience or music-reading ability is required.
● Free to take part
● No auditions
● All music learning materials provided, learning tracks etc.
● Choose to take part in Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch
● Weekly rehearsals are evenings and some weekends – outside standard work hours
● Rehearsals take place across 8 weeks in July-August 2025
● Two performances in each centre across September
● Opera is short (50 minutes), easy to learn and in English
Expressions of interest to take part in this very special opportunity to perform live on stage with professional opera singers and New Zealand’s finest orchestras are now welcomed. Visit this page for more information about The Monster in the Maze – and if you’re ready to put your name forward, fill out our quick and easy application form here
