'Incredible talent' at 'ODT' Aria final

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