My Site

  • Home
  • About
    • Putting New Zealand singers on the world’s stages
    • Our Mission & Values
    • Special Projects
  • Grants
    • Grants by both Foundations
  • Galleries
  • Donations

  • news
  • contact
  • search

full menu

  • Home
  • About
    • Putting New Zealand singers on the world’s stages
    • Our Mission & Values
    • Special Projects
  • Grants
    • Grants by both Foundations
  • Galleries
  • Donations
  • news
  • contact

News from around the world - Oliver Sewell

Posted on 15 April 2016

The first half of my second year at Manhattan School of Music is almost over and it has been the busiest and most productive six months of singing and development I have had to date. I have been cast in two lead roles at school, planned and prepared a new recital and was treated to an amazing day working with Dame Kiri in New York City.

It is currently tech week for the Manhattan School of Music main stage production of the opera version of the book, play and, most famously, the movie The Dangerous Liaisons. I am playing the young, innocent and corruptible love interest Chevalier Danceny (the tenor lead). The MSM Opera Studio unfortunately has to cast an A and B cast for their productions.

The A cast performs two of the three shows (opening and closing night) and is, in this case, also doing a commercial recording of the opera. I was very pleased to be offered the role in the A cast. This tech week will be one of the more interesting and challenging ones for me as I have to play the harp on stage. Playing in time with the orchestra from on stage in my period costume will be quite the exercise. For the opera I have been receiving harp lessons from the harp teacher at MSM, Susan Jolles. Susan has been playing in the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra for the past 40 years and had an amusing and beautiful anecdote about one particular singer who, while singing a very difficult aria from the opera Capriccio, also mimed playing the harp while Susan played from the side of the stage.

Susan said that to convincingly mime playing the harp was no easy task. However, one evening at the Met Susan’s husband was in the audience and he thought the singer looked so natural on the harp he was convinced that they must be actually playing: that particular singer being the one and only Dame Kiri Te Kanawa. I have a lot to live up to!

For all of you lucky enough to be in New Zealand for the festive season please take an extra walk in the evening sunshine for me. And to everyone, my best wishes for a happy and joyous Christmas.

Previous Article Back to news Next Article

News Archives

Year
Month

    Other articles

  • Bequests - Leaving a gift in your will3 Jul 2012
  • Inaugural Laurie Coon Foundation scholarship announcement26 Jun 2008
  • Hard work paying off for English soprano25 Jul 2017
  • Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation - Singer Development Initiative15 Apr 2016

Te Kanawa Foundation @Kiri_TeKanawa • Aug 21

The new name for Auckland’s Aotea Centre ASB Theatre, the Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre, will be launched on 20 November w… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

Te Kanawa Foundation @Kiri_TeKanawa • Aug 21

‘One of the world’s greatest sopranos is being celebrated in a grand theatre tradition, with a permanent tribute to… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

Te Kanawa Foundation @Kiri_TeKanawa • Aug 9

This beautiful korowai. twitter.com/whaeavee/statu…

Te Kanawa Foundation @Kiri_TeKanawa • May 4

Congratulations to Julien Van Mellearts @Julien Van Mellaerts on his selection for the Cardiff Singer of the World competitio… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

Te Kanawa Foundation @Kiri_TeKanawa • Mar 7

Many highlights including a clip of Dame Kiri in the 1966 film, Don't Let It Get You, singing an aria from the Barb… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

Te Kanawa Foundation @Kiri_TeKanawa • Mar 2

Interview with Jim Mora on @RNZ Sunday Morning with Jim Mora; Dame Kiri Te Kanawa: encouraging the next generation radionz.co.nz/national/progr…

Te Kanawa Foundation @Kiri_TeKanawa • Dec 21

RT @Clarence House: Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Soprano, today became a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour for Services to Music. http…

Te Kanawa Foundation @Kiri_TeKanawa • Dec 20

RT @The Royal Family: Congratulations to Dame Kiri Te Kanawa who became a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour, for services to music…

Te Kanawa Foundation @Kiri_TeKanawa • Aug 3

RT @Lexus Song Quest: Our hard-working and humble winner Joel Amosa chats with Eva Radich on @RNZ Concert about letting his operatic ambitions…

Te Kanawa Foundation @Kiri_TeKanawa • Jul 29

RT @Lifewise: FA'AMALO Niuafolau Joel Amosa! Congratulations for winning the 2018 @Lexus Song Quest! Joel is one of our amazing Lifewise #B…

Newsletter Signup

Receive the latest updates and news about the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation

Email address

  • Legal
  • Site Map
  • Links

proudly supported by

Copyright © 2023 Kiritekanawa.org. All rights reserved

web design / web development by Web Torque

© Web Development by Web Torque