Exclusive Partnership for 2024 Lexus Song Quest
Posted on 12 June 2024
PRESS RELEASE
12 February 2024
The Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation on board as major partner for the 2024 Lexus Song Quest
Aotearoa's premier biennial opera singing competition, the Lexus Song Quest, is thrilled to announce The Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation as a major Co-Presenting partner with Lexus New Zealand for the 2024 Lexus Song Quest.
The Lexus Song Quest (formerly known as the Mobil Song Quest) has been an iconic feature of New Zealand since 1956 and the Foundation have been longstanding supporters for the last decade. In addition to significant cash prizes of up to $90,000, with $50,000 going direct to the winner, it has been the launch pad for a number of extremely successful careers, including Teddy Tahu Rhodes, Jonathan Lemalu, Dame Malvina Major, Anna Leese, Amitai Pati and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa herself.
Angela Green, the Executive Director for Tāwhiri, the producers of the Lexus Song Quest, is overjoyed with the elevated partnership.
“Dame Kiri Te Kanawa is deeply connected to the Song Quest, having won the Mobil Song Quest in 1965 and has gone on to have an extraordinary career, world-wide. It is this kind of legacy and opportunity to make their mark on the world stage that the Lexus Song Quest can offer our young singers. We are grateful that The Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation are increasing their support of the competition from 2024 as Co-Presenting Partners with our lead naming rights partner Lexus New Zealand. As a charitable trust, support from our partners and funders is vital for the ongoing sustainability of the competition. It is a beautiful coincidence that this new partnership aligns with Dame Kiri’s 80th birthday year.”
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa is delighted to uplift the Foundation’s support of the Song Quest. Te Kanawa reflects that the Lexus Song Quest has embedded itself in the affections of New Zealanders and launched many international careers, including her own.
“The Foundation supports young New Zealand classical singers with exceptional potential. With its invaluable and prestigious on-stage experience and support for our country’s finest young singers, the Song Quest is a perfect fit for the Foundation’s work. My Foundation has supported the Song Quest for the last ten years in a number of different ways, but the announcement today raises that support to a new level”.
Since 2004, The Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation has made more than 160 grants and provided invaluable mentoring to over 40 young New Zealand classical singers with exceptional potential. A number of these singers have gone on to pursue successful international careers.
Vice President of Lexus New Zealand, Andrew Davis says of the new partnership, “as a long-term supporter of the Lexus Song Quest, we are thrilled to welcome The Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation on board as a Co-presenting partner. We see a natural alignment between the prestigious Lexus brand and the undoubtable prestige of Kiri Te Kanawa and her Foundation.”
Over the next six months, the competition will take talented young singers on an incredible journey that culminates in New Zealand’s most glamorous night of opera, where finalist’s talents will be showcased at the Lexus Song Quest Grand Final Gala with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra at the Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington on Saturday 3 August.
KEY DATES
Thursday 9 May 2024 Lexus Song Quest Semi-finalists announced
Wednesday 22 May 2024 Grand Final Gala tickets on sale
Saturday 27 – Sunday 28 July 2024 Lexus Song Quest Semi-finals
Saturday 3 August 2024 Lexus Song Quest Grand Final Gala
Photo: Filipe Manu (2022 Lexus Song Quest winner), Dame Kiri, and Emmanuel Fonoti Fuimaono (2022 Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation ‘Exceptional Potential’ Scholarship winner)
Photo credit: Hagen Hopkins