A competitor in this year’s Lexus Song Quest says opera is a way to express his love of performance and language.
It’s the 68th year of the contest, with previous winners including Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Teddy Tahu Rhodes, Phillip Rhodes and Jonathan.
Countertenor Austin Haynes says he’s been singing since he was a child.
He also teaches online courses for Learn Māori Abroad.
He says music and literature are ways we describe the human experience.
“Mōteatea from the 19th century, or I’m looking at like an Italian opera from like, the 1600s we’ve always felt profound love, we’ve always felt grief, we’ve always cried. We’ve always had a sense of tragedy when that befalls us. So whether I’m looking at Italian stuff, French stuff, things in te reo Māori or Latin even, I’m always blown away by how human we all are, how understandable people are no matter where they’re from or what language they’re speaking,” Haynes says.
