The main focus of Foundation sponsorship is through the New Zealand Opera Artist Development Programme.
Co-ordinated and administered by New Zealand Opera, the Artist Development Programme provides an opportunity for some of New Zealand’s most promising young opera singers to develop their craft within the context of our national opera company.
Each year, early career singers are selected as Dame Malvina Major Foundation New Zealand Opera Studio Artists (previously Emerging Artists). Dame Malvina is part of the selection panels. Artists are equipped with the skills necessary for an opera career through a programme of vocal and dramatic training encompassing languages, movement, interpretation, stagecraft, and mentoring by international experts. They are supported through role-study and performance opportunities with New Zealand Opera with the programme tailored specifically to meet the needs of each individual artist.
Selection of Dame Malvina Major Foundation New Zealand Opera Studio Artists
Applications for the New Zealand Opera Artist Development Programme are invited annually via New Zealand Opera’s website.
Dame Malvina Major Foundation Studio Artists 2021
Samuel Downes, baritone
Samuel Downes began his career as a member of the Auckland Chamber Choir, Auckland Youth Choir and New Zealand Youth Choir. He has a Bachelor of Music with Honours, and has performed with New Zealand Opera’s Freemasons Opera Chorus performing in Candide, La Boheme, l’elisir d’amore, and Don Giovanni.
Ben Kubiak, pianist
Ben Kubiak is a multi-faceted musician whose work spans multiple instruments and genres. He is currently completing a PhD in musicology at the University of Auckland. He holds a Bachelor of Music (Hons) majoring in classical voice from the University of Auckland, graduating with first class honours and winning the Drake medal for his dissertation.
Katie Trigg, mezzo-soprano
Katie Trigg is a University of Waikato Sir Edmund Hillary Scholar, and is completing her final year of a Bachelor of Music with Honours majoring in classical voice. In 2018 Katie placed first in the Dame Malvina Major Foundation University of Waikato Aria Competition. In September 2021 Katie travels to the Guildhall School of Music to further her studies.
Katherine Winitana, soprano
Katherine Winitana has experience in a wide variety of music genre as a performer and composer. In 2016 she was the inaugural recipient of the Vodafone and Recorded Music New Zealand scholarship award and performed a song she composed to commemorate the ANZAC Centenary at the 2015 Waiata Maori Music Awards.
“Thank you all so much for your commitment and belief in this wonderful programme... I will forever treasure this special time in my extraordinary journey.”
Studio Artists
2020
HARRY GRIGG
ANNA SIMMONS
FELICITY TOMKINS
Emerging Artists
2018-19
PASQUALE ORCHARD
WILL KING
ANGUS SIMMONS
2017-18
NATASHA WILSON
MANASE LATU
SAMSON SETU
2016-17
(DMM Scholars)
ELIZA BOOM
JAMES HENARE
OLIVIA SHEAT
2015-16
KATHERINE MCINDOE
MADISON NONOA
2014-15
JARVIS DAMS
CHELSEA DOLMAN
FILIPE MANU
EMILY SCOTT
CHRISTIAN THURSTON
2013-14
CHEUKY CHAN
ELIZABETH MANDENO
OLIVER SEWELL
THOMAS ATKINS
2012-13
BIANCA ANDREW
EDWARD LAURENSON
KIERAN RAYNER
2011-12
EMMA FRASER
MOSES MACKAY
STEPHEN DIAZ
2010-11
AMELIA BERRY
CAMERON BARCLAY
RACHEL DAY
XING XING WANG
2009-10
ALEXANDRA IOAN
ANDREW GRENON
BRIGITTE HEUSER
POLLY OTT
2008-09
ANNA ARGYLE
CLAIRE BARTON
DANIEL O’CONNOR
2007-08
BARBARA GRAHAM
BARBARA PATERSON
HADLEIGH ADAMS
JULIA HILL (BOOTH)
MATTHEW LANDRETH
MICHAEL GRAY
2006-07
CATHERINE NORTON
DAVID KELLY
RACHELLE PIKE
SARAH-ANN WALKER
2005-06
MALCOLM EDE
PALOMA BRUCE
REBECCA CRABTREE
SARAH WOOD
2004-05
ANDREW GLOVER
KRISTEN DARRAGH
PHILLIP RHODES
WADE KERNOT
2003-04
CARLA PARRY
ELAINE WOGAN
SARAH McONIE (now COURT)
SEAMUS CASEY
STEPHANIE BAIN
2002-03
ANDREW CONLEY
EMMA SLOMAN
SARAH-JANE RENNIE
SEAMUS CASEY
2001-02
ANDREW CONLEY
APRIL MARIE NEHO
HELEN LEAR
JOANNA HESLOP
TODD MOHI
2000-01
BRENDON MERCER
JAMES HARRISON
JAMES MENG
JOANNA HESLOP
PENNY DAVIS
WENDY DAWN THOMPSON
Young Artists/Fellows
2019
JOEL AMOSA
2018
THOMAS ATKINS
2017
JAMES HARRISON
2016
EMMA FRASER
2015
AMELIA BERRY
2014
RACHELLE PIKE
2013
ANNA LEESE
2012
PHILLIP RHODES
2011
PHILLIP RHODES
2010
DAVID KELLY
2009
KRISTIN DARRAGH
2008
WADE KERNOT
“One of my personal favourite parts of the program was the constant availability to work with visiting artists from overseas.”