Opera

Peter Hoar reviews New Zealand Opera and Victorian Opera’s production of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s Sweeney Todd. It stars Teddy Tahu Rhodes as Sweeney Todd and Australian soprano Antoinette… Audio, Gallery

In Chemnitz the composer narrowly avoids arrest after his involvement in the Dresden Uprising Audio

Accomplished Australian soprano Antoinette Halloran is in New Zealand to play the role of ‘The Worst Pies in London’ maker Mrs Lovett in New Zealand Opera’s Sweeney Todd, which opens next week in… Audio

New Zealand School of Music puts on a show this week featuring its vocal performance students in a mix of classical opera and musicals. Music Director Mark Dorrell used to work in London’s West End… Audio

Gregory Camp, Director of Postgraduate Studies at the University of Auckland's School of Music, announces a major new sponsor  for its Opera Teaching Programme.  Dr Camp is Director of the… Audio

Sydney based New Zealand tenor Jonathan Abernethy, who has been excelling with Opera Australia, returns to perform in his home town of Wellington for the first time since crossing the ditch. He’s… Audio

Stuart Maunder from New Zealand Opera talks about a fundraising concert for soprano Anna Leese and her husband Stefano Guidi, who has Motor Neurone Disease. The concert will raise funds for the couple… Audio

New Zealand Soprano Joanne Roughton-Arnold premieres a one woman opera in London this week.  Iris Dreaming is based on the life of New Zealand writer and pioneering feminist, Iris Wilkinson, who wrote… Audio

NZ Barok and Auckland Opera Studio are collaborating for the first time - combining baroque music with Italian opera - for two performances of Handel’s Oreste. Ben Henson will direct the production… Audio

Peter Hoar reviews the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra’s semi-staged performance of Verdi's Otello,  featuring famed New Zealand tenor Simon O’Neill. The opera, which Verdi came out of retirement to… Audio

Texan baritone Scott Hendricks is singing the role of  Iago in the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra concert performance of Verdi's Otello opposite Kiwi tenor Simon O’Neill in the title role. His… Audio

The 2016 Lexus Song Quest winner, baritone Benson Wilson from Auckland discusses how tough the competition is, what it was like to win the top prize, and if he’s going to follow in the footsteps of… Audio

While home to star in NZ Opera's production of La Cenerentola, Sarah Castle talks with Kate Lineham about her musical life (RNZ) Audio

From accountancy to a life on stage - Teddy Tahu Rhodes is one of our most successful operatic singers. He is back in New Zealand to play the lead role in 'NZ Operas Sweeney Todd. He joins Wallace to… Audio

The Head Judge of the 2016 Lexus Song Quest Yvonne Kenny announces the prizes. The winner, Benson Wilson performs his encore, "Mein Sehnen, mein Wähnen" from the opera Die Tote Stadt by Korngold. Audio

The complete second half of the 2016 Lexus Song Quest, in which Filipe Manu, Tavis Gravatt, Madison Nonoa, and Benson Wilson perform two arias each with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, conducted… Audio

Benson Wilson sings "Chanson de la mort de Don Quichotte" by Ibert, and "La Belle Jeunesse" by Poulenc, accompanied by Terence Dennis. The MC is Stuart Maunder. Audio

Soprano Madison Nonoa sings "Ständchen" by Strauss and Britten's arrangement of "The Last Rose of Summer", accompanied by Terence Dennis. The MC is Stuart Maunder. Audio

Bass-baritone Tavis Gravatt sings "Der Doppelgänger" by Schubert and "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables" by Schönberg, accompanied by Terence Dennis. The MC is Stuart Maunder. Audio