New Zealand baritone selected

New Zealand baritone selected for new Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation initiative with the Royal Opera House

New Zealand baritone Phillip Rhodes is one of two opera singers selected for a prestigious career development opportunity with the Royal Opera House. He will join soprano Hulkar Sabirova from Uzbekistan in a new scheme, funded by a grant of £70,000 from the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation (UK) in recognition of Dame Kiri’s 70th birthday, which will see outstanding emerging artists given performance experience at Covent Garden.

The grant is being used by the Royal Opera to support singers to take on cover roles where The Royal Opera might not normally be able to have a cover in place. This could enable a selected artist to gain significant international exposure should an opportunity to sing the role arise.

Mr Rhodes and Ms Sabirova will cover the roles of Enrico and Lucia respectively in The Royal Opera’s new production of Lucia di Lammermoor.

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa said she is delighted that the Foundation has taken up this opportunity to make such a significant contribution to the careers of emerging artists.

“The world of international opera today is very different from the one I entered 44 years ago. The field is full to overflowing with highly trained, motivated and ready-to-go young artists who have everything it takes to build a career – except performance experience. I’m very excited to be collaborating in this way with the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and to watch the careers of the exceptional young artists chosen for the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation awards unfold.”

Phillip Rhodes made his debut as Enrico with Auckland Opera Studio last year. His recent roles have included Marcello (La bohème) with Opera New Zealand and Opera North and Aeneas (Dido and Aeneas) for Opera North.

Hulkar Sabirova made her debut in the role of Lucia for Deutsche Oper Berlin in May 2014. Her recent roles have included Queen of the Night (Die Zauberflöte) for Deutsche Oper Berlin, and Olympia (Les Contes d’Hoffmann) and Adele (Die Fledermaus) in Essen.

ENDS

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