The Opera in Rarotonga, talented and powerful Pacific trio, have arrived thrilled and ready to showcase a repertoire of opera classics, Pacific Imene, Waiata and contemporary songs over two nights this week - Friday and Saturday.

Our very own Cook Islands tenor Ridge Ponini, alongside mezza soprano Elisha Fai-So’oialo (Samoa) and tenor Benjamin Fifita Makisi (Samoa/Tonga) who flew in from Aotearoa, New Zealand, will kick off the two-day event with “POPERA” pop up vocal experiences around the community.

This morning the opera trio will feature at the Bank of the Cook Islands (BCI) at 10am, then head to 88 FM for an interview with GDub (George Williams), followed by a special visit to the Creative Centre then onto the Kent Hall, Titikaveka for the vocal training youth workshop.

Ridge Ponini is excited to be home once again to perform.

“It’s a dream come true,” he said.

“I’m looking forward to showcasing what I have learnt and have trained for in the past few years.

“Just performing for the people and trying to engage them in the world of classical singing, from one of their own.”

Ponini would like the audience to be entertained and to enjoy the art of opera, and says people can expect operatic Arias, classics, and maybe some Cook Islands songs.

He was also ecstatic to meet an aunt who flew in from Aotearoa as a surprise just to see the concert.

“I’m so happy, a lot of my family have flown in and my family here too will be at the event, it’s so exciting.”

Elisha Fa’i-So’oialo first performed on Rarotonga in 2014 and again in 2018.

She said coming back again makes her feel at home.

“Right from the first time I came here, people have made me feel at home.

 “I’m just excited to see everyone again and reconnect with everybody through music doing something that we have a love for.”

Fa’i-So’oialo says everyone can expect a whole lot of music, excitement, opera, pop opera and contemporary, “trying to get everyone on the edge of their seats and to have fun.”

She has been on the opera scene for 20 years, since she was 18.

Fa’i-So’oialo loves the stories of opera, the emotional connection with the audience through those stories.

“They’re actually really relatable as well a lot of the time, the loss of a loved one can be as general as that, and then all of sudden it connects to the person, so it’s a very personal thing as well and that’s all through story telling.”

Benjamin Fifita Makisi was the very first tenor in Opera in Rarotonga in 2010, he performed again in 2011.

His workshop at Tereora College influenced the Cook Islands rising star tenor Ridge Ponini.

Makisi was “so excited” to be returning again he has been planning ahead.

At the age of 53, he says when you’re young and carefree you don’t know what you’re coming to, but as you get older you start to plan things.

“There also so much more as an older singer, so much repertoire to choose from,” said Makisi.

“I always say opera is like a bottle of red wine, the longer its been preserved the better it becomes… throughout the years you become a lot more mature, such a sweeter and broader sense of idea about performing.

“I think you get to that age now it’s fun.

Makisi said the concert nights are going to be a lot of fun and there will be many song selections that people will be familiar with .

“We will try and mix it and make it interesting.

“What’s really exciting is having the other two artists including Ridge.

“I work with a lot of young people it’s a really good experience for him (Ridge) to have that moment.”

Why does he love opera?

“I love the drama, the passion, the emotions that it carries… I think to convey that through your voice and to reach the audience is powerful, its amazing; to me that’s the best thing, when you’re given a God given talent to do that, to help give somebody that feeling,” said Makisi.

Tickets have sold for Opera in Rarotonga that will be held at Tamarind House, hosted and re-launched by Motone Productions - The Creative Company team of musician Maurice “Mo” Newport and film producer Glenda Tuaine.

The opera team will be heading to Aitutaki tomorrow morning (Thursday) to conduct a vocal workshop at Araura College from 10.30am - 12.30pm.