Martin Snell, Jonathan Lemalu, Anna Leese - opera singers who have and are treading the boards around the world.
They all have two things in common, their Dunedin connection and having won the Lexus Song Quest or Mobil Song Quest as it was known when they won it.
The competition’s last winner was also Dunedin trained - Joel Amosa. There have also been many other Dunedin singers who have reached the finals and semifinals such as Simon O’Neill, Emma Fraser, Clare Barton and Matt Landreth.
The Song Quest is New Zealand’s premiere singing contest and like so many arts events has had the past two events cancelled due to Covid-19.
This year, it is hoped the show will go on and again there is planning to hold auditions in Dunedin next month. The age range has been increased by two years to allow those who have missed out to take part.
Lemalu says the success of Dunedin’s internationally recognised voices, its teachers and coaches in New Zealand and abroad has been well documented.
"Each city has its musical community and having auditions locally adds real excitement and buzz which I think fed into the competition itself."
Eleven Dunedin singers - the biggest field in many years - have entered hoping to be selected to go through to the semifinals and win part of the $95,000 in cash and scholarship prizes, and the prestige of being top of their field.
However, Covid has also scuppered many of the Dunedin singers’ opportunities to perform on stage during the past two years.
Opera Otago has had to cancel two of its planned seasons, which are often where young singers get to test their voices.
So, to support these singers, Opera Otago has planned two concerts to give them the chance to perform some of the songs they will perform at the auditions.
Opera Otago spokeswoman Judy Bellingham, who has been entering students in the competition since 1994 and was a finalist in the competition herself, says the fact the song quest still holds auditions in Dunedin is a testament to the quality of teaching and students in the city.
It is also important as it means auditioning is within the financial reach of all singers unlike having to travel.
Being able to get some stage time in front of an audience prior to the competition is important, she says.
"It helps them learn to cope with nerves, they get feedback and get to know their work better."
It is a demanding competition as it requires singers to prepare six items even though they will only be asked to perform three.
"They do not know what it’s going to be."
However, the competition does now ask what song the entrants would like to sing first and it is expected they will also need to sing an aria so the size of their voice can be judged against an orchestra.
It is not only their singing that needs to be spot on but their presentation and study plan outlining what they would do if they won.
"I am encouraging them to keep it simple and achievable. We just don’t know with Covid what is possible. But at the end of the day they have to follow their dreams ... so they at least know they’ve tried."
Leese agrees, saying the singers need to be quite obsessive about preparing for the competition including things such as making sure they fill in the paperwork correctly and have the right time, to catch transport.
"Have I thought through all the things I’m going to be required to know about my pieces and about my career aims in conversation with judges ... Many thousands of hours and sweat and tears goes into training to being a classical singer, and your work is never done."
For Leese and Lemalu the competition helped launch their careers overseas.
Leese, who is now teaching singers who will be auditioning in Dunedin, remembers the night she won for its near disaster.
"I locked myself out of backstage just before my final aria, which was La Rondine by Puccini. I wanted to test my top C at the last moment so I sneaked into a hallway, and the lock clicked behind me! In my great big frock I had to run around front of stage trying doors till I found one that worked. I went on stage out of breath and somehow faked my way through those big Puccini phrases."
But the experience also stood out for providing her first chance to perform with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
"Winning the Lexus changed everything. Suddenly, a career and study overseas was not irrational and actually probably the most sensible thing to do. The win pushed me to enter and win many other major competitions in Australia and Europe with confidence and fund much of my study overseas before I left the shores of New Zealand."
She also found that people in the industry immediately expected big things of her as a winner.
"I was categorised as someone to watch before I even opened my mouth. It’s a big step in the door of an international career in opera."
For Lemalu the competition was his first. He was a finalist in 1996 and won in 1998. The experience for him was a validation that he and his teacher, Honor McKellar, were on the right track.
"Winning and even being a finalist was a major springboard into being noticed, gaining opportunities, and for me to study in the UK and travel worldwide to perform, and the honour was recognised internationally. It is still the premiere singing competition in our country, and the winners, finalist and semifinalists are a who’s who of our flourishing operatic exports.
"It’s a vital part of our operatic landscape in Aotearoa and in my opinion, needs to keep reaching the singers in as many centres as possible."
He found being on a national platform, with a major orchestra, with an international judge and conductor, with the lights, cameras and audience was good experience for what he was to face in London, putting him under a similar pressure to that which the business puts on singers on a daily basis.
"I was able to compete with international colleagues in London ... and often had more experience and ability to deal with nerves, expectations at a young age, having been through the song quest experience. It also reminds you that singing is a subjective art form, and some like what you do, and some don’t."
Learning how to focus on the task is hugely important, he says.
"Offering an audience the total storytelling package of voice/performance under pressure is the job description of an opera singer."
He urges singers to enter competitions as it is a great goal to have and a chance to sing songs they love and have worked on with their teachers. It is also a way to continue to develop their skills.
"Representing yourself, your community and and city is wonderful. Yes, it’s a competition but it’s also a celebration of your talents, skills, goals and desires to be your best. Winning is not the only sign of success. I encourage anyone to have a go."
To see
"The Road to the Lexus"
Mornington Methodist Church
March 27 and April 10, both at 3pm.
Song Quest
First held in 1956 as a radio contest. Contestants recorded a song at their local BCNZ radio station, later broadcast.
At the start contestants sang songs from a variety of genres.
Was originally run and sponsored by Mobil Oil New Zealand. In 2002 it was passed on to the New Zealand Festival of Arts Trust to run.
Sponsorship taken up by Lexus.
Has been an opera-singing competition for many years.
Winners of the title include Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Dame Malvina Major, Teddy Tahu Rhodes and Sol3 Mio’s Amitai Pati.
Past Dunedin winners:
1993: Martin Snell
1998: Jonathan Lemalu
2002: Anna Leese
2018: Joel Amosa
Anna Leese’s tips for competitors
• Keep a cool calm head backstage. Treat it like a professional gig. Use your energy onstage not off.
• Use your time backstage to think through your opera libretti and think about your characters
• Stick to the plan. Keep to your usual routine. Keep your teacher’s voice in your head. If you’re going to give "more" onstage, give it from the body and the heart, not the throat.
• Don’t oversing in your warm-ups, if your top C was there 10 minutes ago it’ll still be there now. You have a finite number of high notes which you can sing on any given day. Save it for the crowd!
• Never expect to get a place. Always sing the best you can ON THAT DAY- but prepare yourself not to be a winner.
• Please don’t open a door backstage if you don’t know where it leads to - you may find yourself locked out!
