TANZOS 2025 eNews, Issue #3: Including upcoming performances and successes

A Word from our Chair in Opera...

Kia ora koutou,  

I'm just home from singing Amelia in Wellington Opera’s production of Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera – an incredible role and opera. I’ve been reflecting on the past few years and fully appreciate the privilege it is to be required to continue performing internationally whilst running TANZOS. It has a massive impact on the programme, both in the way that we’re able to be responsive to the constantly shifting state of our industry and with the need for a team that works to ensure the programme thrives. Mention has to be given at this point of our phenomenal TANZOS Programme Coordinator, Scott Bezett, and Nikki Li Hartliep, our Head Vocal Teacher, who both work hard to keep the programme running smoothly and effectively.  

It’s hard to believe that we’re only six months into our third year. In June, we said farewell to our 2024-25 artists, Jasmine Jessen, Jordan Fonoti-Fuimaono, Ridge Ponini and Sam McKeever. Since then, Jasmine has performed Adina in Sicily with amazing feedback, Ridge has been performing to great acclaim in Australia both as runner-up in the prestigious Sydney EisteddfodOpera Scholarship and as featured soloist in ‘Miss Cook Islands Australia Pageant’, Sam performed a stonking Count Ribbing in Wellington Opera’s Un ballo in maschera and is preparing for German auditions and Jordan has received wonderful accolades since performinga beautiful Britten Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings with The Christchurch Symphony Orchestra.  All four are in the midst of their overseas plans and we are enormously proud of them. 

Our first-year artists had a whirlwind two-week residency with Opera Australia, our third annual residency, which included immersion in the rehearsal process of the three operas in production (Carmen, Rusalka and Le nozze di Figaro) and the experience of auditioning on the iconic stage at The Sydney Opera House.  At the end of this residency, we farewelled our Associate Artist, Edward Smith, who is embarking on studies at Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, USA. 

Our most exciting piece of news is the announcement of a public livestreamed masterclass with the globally-revered Joyce DiDonato,  the American mezzo-soprano celebrated for her incredible series of masterclasses at Carnegie Hall. This will feature TANZOS artists exclusively with Jette Parker Artists coach and pianist, Carrie Dowdle, who will be playing for the masterclass. This is in partnership with the NZSO with support from the Dame Malvina Major Foundation, and will be an unmissable event! Tickets will be strictly limited to attend live, but the livestream will be available in perpetuity. 

Please do read on to find out more!  

Noho ora mai,

Madeleine Pierard

Dame Malvina Major Chair in OperaUniversity of Waikato

What we are up to...

A lot has happened since our last TANZOS update – most notably our first artist recitals of 2025 and our annual residency with Opera Australia.  

June and July saw our 2025/26 artists present their first solo recitals as TANZOS artists. All of them presented wonderful programmes that showcased their artistry and growth over the first months they’ve had with us. Safe to say, we are very proud of all of them! A big thank you too to our artists' amazing stage partners, pianists Catherine Norton and Jonathan Dunlop. Missed seeing the concerts live? You can find recordings of them all right here. 

In between these recitals, our artists spent two weeks in residency with Opera Australia at their base in Sydney. 2025 was the third iteration of this residency and is always a highlight for the cohort each year. This year, the students were able to watch three productions in rehearsal and on the stage of the Sydney Opera House, meet the amazing artists involved onstage and off, and experience the buzz of being inside a repertory opera company. 

Alongside observing the company in action, the students also had coachings with Glenn Winslade, Donna Balson, Sharolyn Kimmorley, Cheryl Barker, Peter Coleman-Wright, Siobhan Stagg, Nicole Dorigo and head of Opera Australia’s own Young Artist Program, Francis Greep, stagecraft and movement sessions with Stefano Vizioli, Dr. Ben Schostakowski and Dani Evrat,business sessions with Becca Kitelinger (OA Development Director) and Janet Glover (OA Senior Communications Manager), and an audition workshop with Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Michael Black.  

The culminating moment of the trip was the ‘mock audition’, where our artists were able to sing on the mainstage of the Sydney Opera House to a panel of guests. The panel consisted of Johannes Fritzsch, who was conducting OA’s production of Rusalka, and singers Kiandra Howarth and Michael Sumuel, the Countess and Figaro in The Marriage of Figaro, which was in rehearsal while we were in residence. This is always one of the big highlights of the residency and this year was no different!  

We are now back to scheduled programming in New Zealand, with the artists workingintensively with head vocal teacher, Nikki Li Hartliep, and enjoying our usual programme of work. We were delighted to have Thomas Johnson with us in August as our resident coach and look forward to welcoming Donna Balson back to Kirkiriroa Hamilton in September. September will also see us auditioning for our 2026/27 TANZOS cohort and we are excited by the applications that we have received so far – watch this space!

Outside of the programme, our artists have wowed across the motu in a number of regional competitions. In the Wellington Aria competition adjudicated by Bruce Greenfield, Sarah Mileham took first place in a final also featuring TANZOS artists Jasmine Jessen and Alfred Fonoti-Fuimaono. A week later, a strong contingent of TANZOS artists made the trek down to Dunedin for the Otago Daily Times Aria competition. Alongside many successes in the minor classes, five of the six finalists for the aria competition selected by adjudicator James Harrison were TANZOS artists, and our artists took out all three podium spots. Fresh from her time at the Mediterranean Opera Studio and Festival, Jasmine Jessen was awarded first place, withsecond going to Sarah Mileham, and third to Samuel McKeever. Jordan Fonoti-Fuimaono and Tomairangi Henare were also selected for the final.  

Announcement

NZSO Partners with TANZOS to Present Globally Livestreamed Masterclass with World-Famous Opera Singer, Joyce DiDonato 

We are thrilled to announce that, on Thursday 27 November, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO) in partnership with Te Pae Kōkako - The Aotearoa New Zealand Opera Studio (TANZOS) will present a rare and inspiring opportunity for young artists and music lovers alike: a globally live-streamed vocal masterclass with world-renowned mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato, known internationally for her Carnegie Hall Masterclass Series.  

The masterclass will feature select TANZOS artists working one-on-one with DiDonato in an open teaching setting. The event will be broadcast from the Michael Fowler Centre to audiences across Aotearoa and internationally, offering an intimate look into the artistry and discipline that have defined DiDonato’s celebrated career. Read more here. 

In conjunction with this event, TANZOS will be appearing for the first time to Wellington audiences on Saturday 29 November in Una Serenata Italiana, an evening of Italian Opera Favourites in Wellington, with pianist Caroline Dowdle and director Elaine Kidd, both of the Jette Parker Artist Programme at the Royal Ballet and Opera, Covent Garden, and presented in association with the Italian Embassy.  

Upcoming Performances...

Taylor Wallbank (TANZOS Artist 2023/24) has just departed for Florence to begin his two-year tenure with Fondazione Mascarade Opera. Before leaving Aotearoa’s shores, he sat down with Radio New Zealand’s Bryan Crump to talk about his journey and what the future holds. Listen here. 

Cecilia Yufan Zhang (TANZOS Artist 2023) has picked up a number of credits over the past few months. Since returning to New Zealand in April to perform as Julia Bertram in Mansfield Park (New Zealand Opera), she has had her Wigmore Hall recital debut with Secrets and Desire: The Life and Songs of Mel Bonis, taken on the roles of Clorinda in Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda (RCM, directed by Sir Thomas Allen) and Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus(Westminster Opera), and stars as Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro (RCM), now streaming on OperaVision.

Ridge Ponini (TANZOS Artist 2024/25) placed second in the illustrious Sydney Eisteddfod Opera Scholarship (formerly the Sun Aria Competition). 

Upcoming Performances...

TANZOS Artist Recitals

Our first-year cohort will present their first solo recitals as TANZOS artists. All recitals will take place at 7pm in the Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts Concert Chamber – entry by koha.

The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra a Masterclass with Joyce DiDonato, co-presented with TANZOS.

Thursday, November 27 at 6pm, Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington. Get your tickets here. 

TANZOS presents Una Serenata Italiana: An Evening of Italian Opera Hits.

Saturday, November 29 at 7:30pm, Public Trust Hall, Wellington. Get your tickets here.

Other Events Featuring TANZOS Artists:

The Marlborough Opera Festival returns to Blenheim this October. Sarah Mileham performs in the title role of Lucy Mulgan’s Red! and as a featured soloist in the Festival alongside TANZOS alumnus, Alfred Fonoti-Fuimaono. October 2-4, ASB Theatre, Blenheim.

Napier Civic Choir presents Haydn’s Nelson Mass.

Tomairangi Henare sings as the baritone soloist. Friday October 17 at 7:30pm and Sunday, October 19 at 2:30pm, St. Paul’s Church, Napier.   

If you know of anyone who might be interested in hearing more about Te Pae Kōkako - The Aotearoa New Zealand Opera Studio, please ask them to contact tepaekokako@waikato.ac.nz to be added to our mailing list.