Te Pae Kōkako - The Aotearoa New Zealand Opera Studio

18/09/2026

Congratulations to Dame Susan Hassall, Chair of the Te Pae Kōkako - The Aotearoa New Zealand Opera Studio Advisory Board and Chancellor of The University of Waikato, on her investiture today at Government House.

Dame Susan Hassall, JP, of Cambridge, DNZM for services to education.

Dame Susan Hassall was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2021 for her services to education, and has since expanded her contributions to the wider sector. Dame Susan was Headmaster of Hamilton Boys’ High School from 1999 until 2024, overseeing many significant academic and sporting successes and growth of the school. Her contributions to education and the wider community were recognised with the Hamilton Kirikiriroa Medal by Hamilton City Council in 2024. Having been on the University of Waikato Council from 2016 and Pro-Chancellor since 2017, she was appointed Chancellor in 2025 and is a member of the University of Waikato Foundation. She contributed to the signing of a kawenata between Waikato-Tainui and the University of Waikato in 2025, setting a foundation for how they will work together on programmes supporting their strategic objectives. Dame Susan is Chair of Hospice Waikato Trust and was Acting CEO for 10 months from 2024 to 2025, having been on the Board since 2018. She became Deputy Chair of Momentum Waikato in 2026, supporting community development projects and charities, having joined the Board in 2025. She was a founding member of the Association of Boys’ Schools of New Zealand in 2001 and has held several executive offices since 2008. Dame Susan has contributed to gifted education through giftEDnz and many years with the Minister’s Advisory Group.

16/09/2026

Check out two of our gorgeous graduates, Katherine Winitana and Jasmine Jessen who will be stunning audiences in World of WearableArt (WOW) opening this week!

05/09/2026

Massive toi toi toi to Jordan Fonoti-Fuimaono for this weekend!!!!!

Have you booked your tickets to this year's Bel Canto Award and Sydney Int Song Prize Final? Here's how, don't wait just DO IT and get your chance to vote for your favourite artists.
https://events.humanitix.com/joan-sutherland-and-richard-bonynge-bel-canto-award-and-sydney-international-song-prize-finals/tickets

24/08/2026

Toi toi toi TANZOS graduate, Jordan Fonoti-Fuimaono for the Bel Canto Award finals in Sydney!!

Get to know the 2026 Bel Canto Award Finalists. Finals 5&6 September, book now www.humanitix.com. Jordan Fonoti-Fuimaono is a 25-year-old Sāmoan tenor from New Zealand. A graduate of the University of Waikato in Hamilton, he holds a MMus in Advanced Opera Studies at Te Pae Kōkako: The Aotearoa New Zealand Opera Studio. Performance highlights include: Normanno in Lucia di Lammermoor for Wellington Opera, Nemorino in The Elixir of Love schools' tour for New Zealand Opera, Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi for Festival Opera HB. Jordan received the Dame Malvina Major Foundation scholarship in 2025 at the prestigious New Zealand Opera - alumnus 2021-2023, 2025. Competition success includes: North Shore Aria (winner), Jim Stevenson Tenor Scholarship (winner) and New Zealand Aria 2025 (3rd prize).

13/08/2026

Toi toi toi to Tomairangi Henare who has made it to the final of the Sydney Eisteddfod Opera Scholarship Final!

05/08/2026

We’re pretty excited about this landmark concert for to celebrate Malvina Major and her dream! The rehearsals are sounding AMAZING! And the theatre really is stunning.

There are a few tickets still remaining. So don’t miss out! Visit www.nightattheoperanz.org

We recognise the extraordinary village outside of aiga and church that contributed to the inspiration and training for these singers before they came to Te Pae Kōkako - The Aotearoa New Zealand Opera Studio (TANZOS) which the segment doesn’t mention (even though it was mentioned throughout the interviews!).

Particularly Project Prima Volta and New Zealand Opera School, and University of Waikato Conservatorium of Music.