NZ Opera School Sends Graduate to Royal Opera House

Emmanuel Fonoti-Fuimaono grew up in Flaxmere, New Zealand, and just became the first Kiwi to train at London's Royal Opera House without studying overseas first.

He's a 2023 graduate of Te Pae Kōkako The Aotearoa New Zealand Opera Studio, a program that's only three years old but already making waves internationally. The school, based at the University of Waikato, was born from opera legend Dame Malvina Major's dream of creating world-class opera training right here in New Zealand.

Now that dream has secure footing. A new legacy fund launched on Dame Malvina's 83rd birthday will provide long-term financial support to keep the program thriving.

The TANZOS Dame Malvina Major Legacy Fund received its first major donation from The Sir William and Lady Judi Gallagher Foundation. Lady Judi, who has championed Dame Malvina's vision for years, says the graduates are "world class" and "will take the opera world by storm."

Director Madeleine Pierard, a soprano herself, says the international success has been "unprecedented" for singers coming straight from New Zealand training. But with that success comes funding challenges, which makes the new endowment critical.

"After only three years, we're experiencing unprecedented international success," Pierard said. The fund ensures "Dame Malvina's dream can go on forever."

Why This Inspires

This story shows what happens when vision meets support. Dame Malvina Major spent decades dreaming of a homegrown opera training ground that could compete with the best in the world. Three years in, that dream is already delivering results that typically take generations to achieve.

For young Fonoti-Fuimaono, now living his dream in London, the program provided a path that didn't exist before. "This is a dream come true," he said. "I plan to make the most of every moment."

The fund will grow through Momentum Waikato's endowment portfolio, generating investment income for grants that directly support school operations. It's open to public donations and bequests, meaning anyone can help write the next chapter of New Zealand's opera story.

With graduates already finding international stages and a financial foundation now secured, this little school in Waikato is proving that world-class talent can be nurtured right at home.