Sāmoan tenor selected for prestigious training at Royal Opera House

Opera singer Emmanuel Fonoti-Fuimaono is reaching new heights in the classical music scene.

The Hawke’s Bay tenor is one of a select few singers chosen from over 600 applications for the prestigious spot in London.

“From growing up in Flaxmere to stepping onto one of the world’s greatest opera stages, this is a dream come true,” he says.

“To now have the Royal Opera House as my training ground for the next two years is an incredible opportunity, and I plan to make the most of every moment.”

Fonoti-Fuimaono (Malie, Salani in Sāmoa) recalls the moment he was accepted after getting through rounds of video and in-person auditions.

"I had a gig in Auckland, and I received an email at six in the morning. I'd woken up and I just looked at my phone, half awake, and it said: 'Here's an offer, would you like to come to London for two years?' I'd never fully woken up so fast I was just like, 'No way!' and then I couldn't sleep for seven days."

Speaking to Malo Toe on PMN Sāmoa, he says the international travel for the audition was funded by previous competition winnings and donors.

"It's not cheap and I wouldn't have been able to do it all on my own.

"I'd never been on a plane, I was like 24 hours in the cabin alone, so I had to consider many obstacles, but a lot of generous kind people have reached out to say, 'Let me make this easier', and then I just had to focus on my voice and maintaining jet lag and all of that."

The Jette Parker Artists Programme serves as a talent pipeline for aspiring ballet and opera performers in London. Over the next two years, Fonoti-Fuimaono will have access to courses, commissions, and opportunities to interact with prominent figures in the opera sector.

Fonoti-Fuimaono says he is the first New Zealand applicant ever invited to audition without having studied overseas.

Before heading to the United Kingdom, Fonoti-Fuimaono will travel to San Francisco in June to take part in the Merola Opera Programme, which selects 28 emerging artists from 1300 applicants.

Local training ground for talent

Fonoti-Fuimaono began his singing career at home during family prayers and remembers performing for White Sunday.

"My grandma Tulsi used to have my kauloko sorted, I didn't mind singing a solo, so it all began in my church, EFKS Hastings.

"I grew up singing, I just thought it was a thing that everyone had and that everyone could harmonise."

Emmanuel Fonoti-Fuimaono performs at Re-Imagine Lakeside in Rotorua, 2024. Photo/Instagram

From 2019 to 2022, Emmanuel attended the New Zealand Opera School, where he received the Guy Haddleton Emerging Artist Scholarship and was awarded the Dame Kiri te Kanawa Scholarship at the Lexus Song Quest.

In 2023, he won two major Australian singing competitions: the Sydney Eisteddfod Opera Award and the IFAC Handa Australian Singing Competition.

In 2024, he received the Iosefa Enari Memorial Award from Creative New Zealand, named after the opera singer and pioneer who combined traditional Sāmoan songs with classical music arrangements.

Watch: Emmanuel Fonoti-Fuimaono speaks about his opera journey

He is grateful to those who have supported him over the past 10 years, including New Zealand soprano Dame Malvina Major, whose foundation helps talented performers launch their professional careers through grants and scholarships.

“I am incredibly proud to see Emmanuel take this next step, and I know he will make New Zealand proud,” Dame Malvina says.

“Emmanuel’s success is a shining example of the exceptional talent we have in Aotearoa. His dedication, perseverance, and artistry have taken him to one of the most prestigious opera houses in the world.”

As a teenager, Fonoti-Fuimaono participated in opera training through initiatives led by the Prima Volta Charitable Trust, which provides vocal and stage coaching for youth and opportunities to perform alongside internationally-renowned artists.

Anna Pierard, founder of Project Prima Volta (PPV), says she is proud of his growth.

“Even then, his ability to connect with music and audiences was extraordinary. His success is entirely his own, driven by talent, hard work, and a deep passion for his craft.”

Main stage auditorium of the Royal Opera House, London. Photo/Facebook

Fonoti-Fuimaono says he is inspired by talented Pacific and Māori singers who have paved the way, such as Pene and Amitai Pati, Moses Mackay, Jonathan Lemalu, and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa.

"As soon as I saw a brown face doing this, especially those Sol3 Mio boys, got me hooked. I was like, 'man, how are they doing that?'."

Looking ahead, the 26 year old has dreams being named in the core cast for an opera, and then bringing his passion and newfound skills back to Aotearoa and the Pacific.

"I've heard it a few times, that it's not a real job, but I want to share that there is a pathway here and there are people who have done this ... and great things can come from singing and performing."