The winner of the Lexus Song Quest last night was Joel Amosa, a bass baritone. He was one of 5 finalists at the Auckland town hall last night. They each sang one song accompanied by a pianist, then two songs accompanied by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. There is always an international judge. It was a long journey to get to the finals beginning with auditions in May.
Joel Amosa is aged 28. He is Samoan but was born in New Zealand. He grew up singing hymns in his church choir but was encouraged to become an opera singer. His prize is $20,000 and a study and travel scholarship of $30,000.
The Lexus Song Quest began in 1956 as the Mobil Song Quest and some of our most famous opera singers were winners over the years, like Dame Malvina Major in 1963 and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa in 1965. Usually winners travel overseas where they have more chance of establishing a career as an opera singer.
Vocabulary
• bass baritone – wikipedia lists 6 types of voice for opera singers, from high to low; female: soprano, mezzo-soprano, contralto; men: tenor, baritone, bass
• audition – trial performance of an actor or musician to show their skill