New Zealand’s Top Young Singers Ready for Contest

Lexus Song Quest Finals: New Zealand’s Top Young Singers Ready for Contest

Six of New Zealand’s most promising young opera singers take centre stage tonight to perform in one of the biggest events of their careers, the prestigious Lexus Song Quest 2009.

The six finalists, Aucklanders Wade Kernot, Kristen Darragh and Andrew Glover, Hamilton’s Julia Booth, Aivale Cole from Wellington and Christchurch’s Polly Ott have completed a gruelling week of preparation leading up to the final at Auckland Town Hall on Thursday 23 April.

Each singer performs a lieder with pianist Terence Dennis, and two arias accompanied by the full New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.

During the past week, the finalists have been working intensively with international judge and world-renowned German tenor Siegfried Jerusalem.

Formerly known as the Mobil Song Quest, the biennial Lexus Song Quest is the most prestigious singing competition in New Zealand and is committed to the development of talented young New Zealand singers with the prize pool totalling $63,500 in cash and Lexus Study Scholarships.

Following the final concert, the three prizewinners will accompany Siegfried Jerusalem on a Recital Tour around the country. Recitals will be held in Christchurch (26 April), Dunedin (28 April) and Wellington (30 April). This Lexus Song Quest Recital Tour is an opportunity for audiences around the country to hear these promising young singers at the start of their career.

Previous winners have included Dames Malvina Major and Kiri Te Kanawa, and in more recent years, Teddy Tahu Rhodes, Jonathan Lemalu and Anna Leese who are carving out successful international careers.

The Lexus Song Quest is an initiative of the New Zealand International Arts Festival. For more information and to hear the six finalists, visit www.nzfestival.co.nz

The Lexus Song Quest Final takes place on Thursday 23 April at Auckland Town Hall, THE EDGE. Book tickets on 0800 BUY TICKETS or www.buytickets.co.nz
The Lexus Song Quest Recital Tour is on Sunday 26 April at 7pm at the Great Hall, Arts Centre, Christchurch; on Tuesday 28 April at 8pm at Glenroy Auditorium, Dunedin Town Hall and on Thursday 30 April at 7pm at The Opera House, Wellington. Tickets for the Christchurch and Wellington recitals are available from TICKETEK on 0800 TICKETEK (842 538) or www.ticketek.co.nz; and for the Dunedin recital from TicketDirect on 0800 484 253 or www.ticketdirect.co.nz.

ENDS

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