Alfred Fonoti-Fuimaono says winning a major opera singing competition is one thing, but to be chosen as the winner by opera great Dame Kiri Te Kanawa is quite another.
Fonoti-Fuimaono was stunned after being named winner of the ODT Southern Aria Competition at the Glenroy Auditorium on Saturday, ahead of seven other high-performing finalists.
The star-struck young performer said: "It’s a nice way to meet [Dame Kiri].
"I don’t know how else I can describe winning — it’s a good feeling."
He said he had won other singing competitions, but this one ranked as the most prestigious for him so far.
The Hastings singer performed Vincenzo’s Ah! Per sempre io ti perdei and Mozart’s Se Vuol Ballare to an enthusiastic and appreciative audience.
He said he would return to his studies at Waikato University today, where he is studying classical voice (honours).
"I came down here to catch up with some friends, do some more singing and put myself under some pressure and hope to get better at dealing with nerves."
He planned to continue singing at Waikato next year, and hoped competitions like the Southern Aria would open doors for opera roles in the future.
"I want to do some big things."
Competition was strong. Recent winner of the Wellington Regional Aria Competition Erica Paterson was runner-up in the Southern Aria Competition, and Taylor Wallbank was third.
"All the singers were extremely good, and Alfred’s was particularly good," she said.
"He was well-studied; he understood the music very well — he’s done his work and he was very, very good."
She said the quality of the performers was so high it was difficult to pick a winner.
"There’s got to be one moment where you say, that one is it.
"We were all in agreement — there wasn’t a dispute."
She was impressed with the amount and quality of music coming out of Otago.
"So much music is coming out of Otago — so much music.
"It’s a real hub. Everything that ever happens, comes out of Otago.
"It’s getting better year by year.
"It’s so important to recognise it and to celebrate it."
