Young tenor in ‘Messiah’ lineup

Rising opera star Jordan Fuimaono, who will perform as tenor soloist in this month’s City Choir Dunedin performance of Handel’s Messiah, comes from a family of talented opera singers.

Three of the Fonoti-Fuimaono brothers, tenor Emmanuel and baritones Fa'amanu and Alfred, have already established themselves on the New Zealand opera scene.

Now they have been joined by a fourth, tenor Jordan Fuimaono.

In fact, all five of Fuimaono’s siblings are musical (he has another bass-singing brother and a soprano sister), along with his mother and father — singing together comes naturally to this New Zealand-Samoan family.

A multi-award-winning singer, Fuimaono is this year's winner of the Dame Malvina Major Foundation Scholarship and the Jim Stevenson Tenor Scholarship.

Fuimaono holds bachelor of music with honours and master’s of music degrees from the University of Waikato.

He has just completed his second master’s of music degree as a resident artist for 2024-25 with Te Pae Kōkako: The Aotearoa New Zealand Opera Studio.

Joining Fuimaono, City Choir Dunedin and the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra on stage at the Dunedin Town Hall for the performance of Handel’s Messiah next Saturday, November 29, will be critically acclaimed soloists Joanna Foote (soprano), Maaike Christie-Beekman (mezzo-soprano) and bass David Greco (bass).

City Choir director David Burchell will conduct the concert from the harpsichord, with organist Micah Yang providing additional colour from Burchell’s small continuo organ, which will be on stage with the orchestra.

Burchell said it was exciting to be working on the Messiah again — the oratorio is a popular staple for City Choir Dunedin, performed every second year.

"I believe our soloists, apart from Maaike Christie-Beekman, are new to Dunedin audiences, and it will be great to hear them perform," he said.

The choir will also be joined by up to seven new members for the first half of the concert and for the Hallelujah chorus — all local singers who have participated in a programme offered by the choir to provide special tuition to encourage community singers to have a go.

"We have one very keen chap who is planning to sing the whole thing," Burchell said.

Composed in just 24 days in August and September, 1741, Handel’s Messiah is renowned for the power of its musical imagination and wealth of ideas.

Burchell said a performance of the Messiah was more than just a concert, it was a spiritual journey.

"It is an important story, told with great music and a wonderful experience for the audience in the leadup to Christmas."

• City Choir Dunedin presents Handel’s Messiah on Saturday, November 29, from 7.30pm at the Dunedin Town Hall, with soloists and the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra.

Tickets are available through the Regent Box Office or online from Ticketmaster (booking fees apply).

brenda.harwood@thestar.co.nz