Our Artists
Auckland Opera Studio supports singers at pivotal stages of their professional development, providing intensive training and performance opportunities as they begin their careers. Many artists who have worked with the Studio have gone on to appear with leading opera companies and orchestras in New Zealand and internationally.
The artists featured here represent a selection of singers who have been part of the Studio over the years and whose achievements reflect the breadth and success of its work. We are also delighted to welcome alumni back to New Zealand when opportunities arise, with many returning to perform alongside emerging artists in concerts and special projects, fostering a continuing community of artists connected through AOS.
Amitai Pati, Tenor
Samoan tenor Amitai Pati has appeared with leading international companies and festivals, including Opéra National de Paris, Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, San Francisco Opera, Théâtre du Capitole de Toulouse, Deutsche Oper Berlin and Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, performing roles such as Tamino (Die Zauberflöte), Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni), and Alfredo (La traviata). A past winner of the Lexus Song Quest, Amitai is widely known in New Zealand as a member of the vocal trio Sol3 Mio.
"Frances and Stephen of the Auckland Opera Studio have been unwavering supporters of my vocal ability and operatic career since day one. They have given me so many opportunities to perform including numerous lessons and coaching sessions to help with refining my craft. I will always be grateful to them for everything they have done and continue to do for me and the other singers they support. I absolutely credit a huge amount of my current operatic success to them both and am truly grateful for the amazing life mentors and family that they are."
Natasha Te Rupe Wilson, Soprano
New Zealand-born soprano Natasha Te Rupe Wilson (Te Arawa, Ngā Puhi) has quickly become a standout talent in the opera world, having appeared with Staatsoper Stuttgart as Ännchen (Der Freischütz), title role (Zaide), Frasquita (Carmen), Nannetta (Falstaff), and Thibault (Don Carlos). As Pamina, Natasha has performed in Barrie Kosky’s celebrated production of Der Zauberflöte in Stuttgart, Düsseldorf, and Lille. In the United States, she has sung Morgana (Alcina), and Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro) with Pittsburgh Opera, and her New Zealand credits include Oscar (Un ballo in maschera), Paquette (Candide), and Zerlina (Don Giovanni). Natasha holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in Vocal Studies from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, is a first prize winner of the Napier, Becroft, McCormick, and Dunedin Aria competitions, and is a recipient of the Dame Malvina Major and Circle 100 awards.
"The Auckland Opera Studio has given me so many opportunities. With AOS I’ve been able to explore both new and existing repertoire, particularly at times when opportunities to do so elsewhere in New Zealand were limited. Performing new repertoire in highly esteemed venues such as the Auckland Town Hall has been incredibly important to my professional development over the past few years, and I’m immensely grateful for that support. Alongside performance opportunities, the Studio has also provided vital funding through the McCormick Aria competition. Receiving the award in 2018 allowed me to travel to the USA to complete my postgraduate degree at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where I grew exponentially as a singer and performer. My time with Auckland Opera Studio means a great deal to me. Even now, living and working in Germany, I always look forward to returning home to perform alongside wonderful singers, in wonderful programmes, in wonderful performance spaces."
SIMON O'NEILL ONZM, TENOR
New Zealand tenor Simon O’Neill is internationally recognised as one of today’s leading heldentenors, performing at the world’s foremost opera houses including the Metropolitan Opera, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Teatro alla Scala, Vienna State Opera and the Bayreuth and Salzburg Festivals. He is acclaimed for his interpretations of Wagnerian and dramatic repertoire such as the title roles in Siegfried, Parsifal, Lohengrin and Verdi’s Otello, alongside Siegmund (Die Walküre) and Tristan (Tristan und Isolde). Simon has appeared with distinguished conductors including Sir Antonio Pappano, Daniel Barenboim, Riccardo Muti and Sir Simon Rattle, and is featured on Grammy Award–winning and critically lauded recordings. An Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, he trained at Victoria University of Wellington, the Juilliard Opera Center and the Manhattan School of Music.
"It is a great pleasure for me to offer my support for the Auckland Opera Studio, an organisation that has played such a vital role in nurturing young singers in New Zealand.
Over the years I have had the privilege not only of being a patron of the Studio, but also of working alongside many of its talented young artists. When I performed the title role in Mozart’s Idomeneo in Auckland, I was reminded once again of the exceptional level of preparation, musicality and dedication that the Studio instils in its singers. The professionalism and commitment I have encountered from its students speak volumes about the quality of the training and mentorship they receive.
The Auckland Opera Studio provides something incredibly important for emerging artists: a bridge between study and the professional stage. It creates an environment where young singers can develop not only their vocal technique but also the artistic confidence and stagecraft that are essential for a sustainable career in opera.
Most importantly, however, I would like to acknowledge and celebrate the remarkable vision of the Studio’s founder, Frances Wilson ONZM. Frances was the person who first recognised my potential and, crucially, acted upon it. She took me to New York to study with her and set me on a path that would ultimately lead to my international career. I will always remain deeply grateful for her belief, guidance and unwavering commitment to young singers.
The impact of Frances’s work through the Auckland Opera Studio cannot be overstated. Generations of singers have benefited from her insight, generosity and determination to see New Zealand artists succeed on the world stage.
I am proud to support the Auckland Opera Studio and the extraordinary work it continues to do for the future of opera in New Zealand."
FELICITY TOMKINS, Soprano
New Zealand-British soprano Felicity Tomkins is emerging as a standout talent of her generation, having won the 100th Herald Sun Aria, the Sydney Eisteddfod Opera Scholarship, the Joan Sutherland & Richard Bonynge Bel Canto Award, and the New Zealand Aria. She was runner-up at the Lexus Song Quest and has performed with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonia, Manukau Symphony and Bach Musica in repertoire such as Annina (La traviata), Cio-Cio-San (Madama Butterfly), Giulietta (Les contes d’Hoffmann), Madame Lidoine (Dialogues des Carmélites), Mahler’s Symphony No. 4, Handel’s Messiah, and Bach’s Mass in B minor. In 2026, she makes her mainstage company debut with New Zealand Opera, singing Countess Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro. Felicity graduated with an Artist Diploma in Opera from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.
"Frances and Stephen - what a dynamic team! I am very grateful for the ongoing support of the Auckland Opera Studio a personal level, and for how their enthusiasm and passion for this special art form has shaped many generations of singers. It is always a joy to sing with the Auckland Opera Studio, and to share these wonderful experiences with our communities, made possible by the vital vision of Stephen and Frances."