Stunned ODT Aria winner Maia Vegar. Photo by Peter
McIntosh.
Incredibly beautiful singing that could have been
"performed on any stage, in any country", is how adjudicator
Stuart Skelton described the achievement of the winner of the
Otago Daily Times Aria competition, Dunedin student Maia
Vegar.
Miss Vegar (20), of Hokianga, was speechless after the
presentation of the Celebration of the Century Cup, the $4000
ODT award and the $1000 Val Braumann award at the aria
final at the Mayfair Theatre last night.
"It's a massive shock, incredible," said the University of
Otago student who studies with Judy Bellingham.
Mr Skelton, of Sydney, who is considered to be one of the
finest helden-tenors of his generation, described Miss
Vegar's arias as "clearly the winning performance" of the
evening.
He was full of
praise for the "incredible talent" he had heard during the
four days of the Dunedin Performing Arts Society annual
competition.
It was very close last night between the six finalists Alex
Wilson, Kawiti Waetford, Ms Vegar, Jonathan Abernethy, Imogen
Thirlwall and Bryony Williams, he said.
"Each singer brought more to the performance tonight."
He urged the audience to take the opportunity to invest time
and, if possible, money in the "vocal future of your
country".
"It is a incredibly nerve-racking, incredibly frightening
thing to do to get up in front of people ... but they've done
a marvellous job."
Second prize of the $2000 Royal Dunedin Male Choir award and
the Chambers Family Trophy went to Kawiti Waetford, of
Dunedin; and the third prize the $1000 Honor McKellar award
was won by Jonathan Abernethy, of Wellington. The people's
choice award went to Dunedin student Alex Wilson.
- rebecca.fox@odt.co.nz
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