Against the alluring backdrop of sky and ocean blue, the Tamarind House lawn came alive with the incredible Opera in Rarotonga event, offering a unique fusion of combined artistry and nature, to local audience over the weekend.

Combining their years of training in different skill sets, opera singers Soprano Katherine Winitana, Opera brothers: tenors Emmanuel and Jordan Fonoti- Fuimaono, with baritone Fa’amanu Fonoti-Fuimaono, and our very own Cook Islands star tenor, Ridge Ponini, showcased their exquisite talents on Friday and Saturday.

The opera singers performed a stunning two-hour recital in the Bank of the Cook Islands (BCI) Opera in Rarotonga event, which is held annually through the support of sponsors Creative New Zealand, bringing Pasifika and Māori singers to Rarotonga.

Glenda Tuaine, an arts producer, director and promoter, along with her husband, Mo Newport of Motone Productions, organised the event. They are both passionate about working with and developing local talent.

Tuaine said the Opera in Rarotonga concert was about celebrating heritage and culture and sharing that with the audience. It also spoke about the progression and the absolute traction that Pacific and Māori opera singers are having now globally.

On Friday night, judging by the cheers and rounds of applause, the over 100 strong audience appreciated the concert which featured Pacific flair, a Cook Islands Māori original composition by Ponini, and young local talent, including the wonderful voices of Ngakaara Wong and Ashleigh George.

Opera singer Jordan Fonoti- Fuimaono, 25, shared his first impressions of his first trip to Rarotonga.

“It’s green, warm and beautiful and I feel very comfortable,” he said, “it feels very homely and relaxed.”

He says there is a “real seriousness” to opera.

“You know the drama, the pain, and sorrow you feel from the endings of the operas trying to bring our different cultures together. Basically, we’re trying to bring our different cultures together,” said Jordan.

The Samoan brothers, Winitana and Ponini became friends years ago when they met at a singing competition. They clicked and have remained close ever since.

“He’s one of the nicest people we’ve ever met,” said Jordan.

He and his brothers were inspired by Aotearoa’s beloved trio Sol3 Mio, a group of Samoan opera singers who are now “killing it” on the international stage.

“We heard them once and we decided we wanted to try. Those boys were it for us.”

Budding local talent, Ashleigh George and Ngakaara Wong, have a time to shine on stage. MELINA ETCHES/24101415

The Fonoti-Fuimaono brothers were gifted their first Sol3 Mio album by a music teacher when they were younger. They have listened to it countless times.

“Music is like an imitative art form as well as practical (when) you’re listening a lot and you develop really good ears from this art form,” said Jordan. “Where it is very important to learn music theory and things but our nature is learning everything by ear, by listening and communicating…”

He added that they were fortunate to open one of the Sol3 Mio concerts in New Zealand which sparked their passion and was a game changer.

According to Winitana, they are basically trying to sum up who they are as people “because we are opera singers and we are Māori Pacific people and we want to represent those things”.

Winitana won the prestigious New Zealand Vodafone Award in 2015.

She started classical studies in 2020.

“Lucky thing music and performance was important in our upbringing, so it came easy for us,” says Winitana.