The 50-year-old Grammy Award-winning bass/baritone will be there to receive an honorary doctor of music degree, and give the graduation address.
He said it would feel ‘‘weird’’ to be on stage and not sing, so he planned to sing a couple of songs to entertain the audience and perhaps calm his nerves.
‘‘I think what's going to be daunting is the speaking bit, which, yeah, that terrifies me slightly. It's slightly out of my comfort zone.
‘‘So, I will be singing a little song or two on both graduations.’’
The Otago alumnus is only the fourth person to be awarded an honorary doctor of music from Otago since 1969, and the first in about 19 years.
Prof Lemalu studied law and music at Otago and graduated with a bachelor of laws in 1999.
Rather than pursue a career in law, he continued to study music and went on to graduate with distinction from the Royal College of Music, where he received the college’s top award — the Tagore Gold Medal — presented by the then-Prince Charles.
In 2010, he won a Grammy for Best Opera Recording for his work on Benjamin Britten’s Billy Budd.
He was made a fellow of the Royal College of Music in 2022 and, in the same year, he was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for his services to opera in the Queen's Birthday and Platinum Jubilee Honours.
Now he is a vocal studies professor and deputy head of vocal and opera at the Royal College of Music in London.
Prof Lemalu said it was humbling to be receiving major recognition for doing something he loved doing.
‘‘It's not really work.
‘‘In its purest form, singing is storytelling, and there has always been a joy there for me.
‘‘If there's not joy, this job can kind of eat you up in terms of the time away from home, the late nights — there's no such thing as a weekend off.
‘‘You can't even see your family six to eight months a year.
‘‘Joy allows you to make it through the slightly more dreary parts of the job.’’
Calling the honorary doctor of music degree ‘‘an honour’’ did not do it justice, he said.
‘‘To be recognised for what I’ve done in my field so far in this way is truly humbling.
‘‘Given my work in higher education at the Royal College of Music in London, supporting students in their degree and master’s degree vocal studies, this feels even more poignant — a full circle moment in many ways.
‘‘My parents have always prioritised education and so I accept this honour standing proudly on their shoulders, accepting it on their behalf as well.’’
While in Dunedin, Prof Lemalu will present a concert at the Glenroy Auditorium on Monday to recognise the ‘‘vibrant Dunedin singing scene that shaped me’’.
‘‘I’ve invited several ensembles that I’ve performed with as a student, including the Otago Capping Sextet and the School of Performing Arts.
‘‘It’s a chance to say thanks, celebrate them and in some instances sing with them again.’’
