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TANZOS is based at the Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts at the University of Waikato Hamilton Campus
About TANZOS
Te Pae Kōkako – The Aotearoa New Zealand Opera Studio (TANZOS) is an intensive, dedicated programme for aspiring singers that combines academic, professional and in-situ industry training, encompassing the long-held vision and dream of Dame Malvina Major.
TANZOS is an extended programme with a maximum of six places, each supported by a significant grant to enable the specialised nature of the programme: travel, international coaches, residencies - and is based in the world-class facilities within the Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts on our Hamilton Campus.
TANZOS helps talented opera singers prepare in New Zealand for the international stage by providing high-level, comprehensive training and also by helping to form international connections with opera companies and young artist programmes.
Key Aspects of the TANZOS programme:
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Fully-funded extension programme
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Bringing international experience to the students here in Aotearoa
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Offsite company residencies with working opera companies and orchestras
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Regular masterclasses, including public masterclasses with visiting international tutors
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Regular performances
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Professional and pastoral support
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Auditions for external national/international companies and artist managers
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Coaching from some of the world's most recognised opera specialists
The TANZOS course focuses on these areas:
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Vocal technique and performance practice with our primary teacher
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Vocal and stylistic coaching with guest and faculty vocal coaches
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Repertoire knowledge: Preparing vocally-suitable roles in their entirety
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Musicianship – sight-singing, keyboard skills, score-reading, IPA
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Recital programming – lieder and art song
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Oratorio preparation and historically informed performance practice
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Audition technique
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Stagecraft - learning established methods and building confidence, especially factoring performances of scenes from the students' core roles
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Language coaching, particularly German, Italian and French
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Experience working with an orchestra and within a company
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Resilience programme: performance psychology, practical and pastoral support, career advice
Assessment includes:
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Staged opera scenes, whether during a company residency or public performance on-site
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Solo recitals of lieder/art song and opera
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Three suitable roles prepared throughout the year and assessed in their entirety
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Performance of a contemporary work, including one module in collaboration with the Waikato University Conservatorium of Music Composition Department
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Viva voce and researched written element.
ABOUT OUR NAME
Te Pae Kōkako
Our name was gifted by Professor Tom Roa in his capacity as Te Mata Ahurangi of The University of Waikato. A local oral history of the Ngāti Apakura iwi avows that their tupuna, Pikirangi, had a pet kōkako, which he trained to sing a particular song that was full of meaning for his iwi.
The 'pae' is the kōkako's perch, where it gathers in strength before taking flight. Like the kōkako, our students come from all parts of Aotearoa New Zealand. Establishing TANZOS will mean that talented opera singers can be encouraged to thrive locally, in New Zealand, for the international stage, following the example set in the efforts of the Pirongia Te Aroaro o Kahu Restoration Society that has helped regenerate the kōkako.
Our patron and figurehead, Dame Malvina Major, is also the patron of Pirongia Te Aroaro o Kahu Restoration Society’s efforts to regenerate the population of this incredible bird.
We love our name, we love our kaupapa and we love that we have a wonderful synergy with the opera and music landscape in Aotearoa and internationally, celebrating the sharing of knowledge, the nurturing of our gifted young singers and a profound love for what we do. We believe that in a close-knit community with a shared passion, the best way forward is a culture of collaboration and openness. We make many of our events and educational experiences available to the wider opera community, as well as our local community here in Kirikiriroa. We are also engaged in partnerships with companies including New Zealand Opera, Opera Australia and The Royal Opera in London.
Te Pae Kōkako TANZOS and the NZ Opera School
Want to know why our logo is similar to the New Zealand Opera School? Because we're partners - and the kōkako is our national song bird. When our name was gifted, we reached out to The New Zealand Opera School (Aotearoa's long-established two-week residency programme held in Whanganui every January) as their symbol has been the kōkako for many years. They generously agreed to our collective use of the image of the bird, and encouraged engaging the same designer for the kōkako icon to represent the synergy between the two programmes and a seamless integration into the Opera training eco-system – signalling collegiality and partnership with TANZOS and the NZ Opera School - to the wider Opera and learning sector . They are the top rung of the ladder on the way up to the 'perch', where all our young opera singers get a taste for the intensity and passion required for a career in opera at a high level before going on to full-time studio study at TANZOS or elsewhere.
ABOUT
Dame Malvina Major
Beloved Kiwi soprano, Dame Malvina Major was born in Hamilton. After winning the Mobil Song Quest in 1963 and the Melbourne Sun Aria in 1964, Dame Malvina went to London and embarked on an international career as well as a rich home life in New Zealand.
Known for her down-to earth character and incredible generosity, Dame Malvina established the Dame Malvina Major Foundation in 1991 in recognition of what she had been given as a young singer to allow her to follow her dream of becoming an opera star. Today her vision to “Share the Dream” continues to underpin everything the Foundation does to support young New Zealanders across the whole spectrum of the performing arts.
TANZOS has been developed and designed in consultation with practitioners in Aotearoa and globally by our Dame Malvina Major Chair in Opera and Director, Madeleine Pierard.