Zachary McCulloch said he had always been passionate about music as he came from a very musical family.
From the age of 7 he spent every Saturday’s morning in music classes, which included violin and piano lessons.
But it was when he was studying at James Hargest Junior Campus that he had his first taste of opera.
"I remember there was a touring company from New Zealand Opera that came to school and I think that was the first time I’d seen an opera.
"I remember being very smitten with the soprano who was singing very high notes and looked very pretty ... I think that was when it started to kick things off."
He was encouraged by a teacher to audition for the New Zealand Secondary Students’ Choir which was a big deal.
"That, for me, was the thing that made me sort of convinced that I should go and study music as my tertiary studies ... Much better than psychology, which was plan B," he said.
After completed his studies at James Hargest, he moved to Australia to study at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music in 2016, where he honed his craft as a tenor and then furthered his technique with lessons in Italy, London and New York.
After this experience his career took off — he led performances with esteemed companies including Opera Australia, Victorian Opera, Theatre du Capitole in Toulouse and Deutsche Oper in Berlin.
" I feel very lucky.
"I’ve sung everywhere — I think I’ve been to, in the last nine months I’ve been on 62 flights.
"Coming from a small place like Invercargill ... I remember I was very shy as a kid.
"I confess the fact that I’m on a stage, you know as my job, is still so strange to me."
After about five years away, McCulloch would be returning to New Zealand next month where he would be performing the role of Gualtiero in Bellini ’s Il Pirata for Days Bay Opera in Wellington.
After that, he would be travelling to Invercargill to spend a couple of weeks giving vocal lessons to aspiring singers.
"Returning to Invercargill is a full-circle moment for me.
"I’m eager to perform for a New Zealand audience again and to offer my services to mentor the next generation of singers in my hometown."
