New Zealand Opera Appoints Director Of Music

Saturday 25 June 2005

New Zealand Opera Appoints Director Of Music

The NBR New Zealand Opera has announced the appointment of distinguished international conductor and musician, Wyn Davies, to the newly-created position of Director of Music.

Mr Davies takes up his new role immediately and coincides with him being in New Zealand to conduct The NZI Winter Season of Don Giovanni. He will continue to be based in the UK but will be in New Zealand as required on a regular basis, to fulfil his duties as Director of Music.

"Wyn Davies brings a wealth of international expertise and experience to the company and opera in New Zealand. We are delighted and privileged to have a musician of his high standing and depth join us," says Alex Reedijk, General Director of The NBR New Zealand Opera.

"The creation of this new role is a key strategic move towards building a stronger platform for opera in this country. We are confident that, in time, this will mean an even more stimulating and exciting opera experience for New Zealand audiences."

Mr Davies is a highly respected conductor and musician. Born in South Wales, his career has taken him to four continents, and has included a wide variety of conducting, teaching and concert work across a variety of repertoire. He has worked with a wide range of opera companies and orchestras around the world.

A graduate of Christ Church, Oxford, he began his career with Welsh National Opera as Staff Conductor and has since become a seasoned and regular guest conductor for English National Opera, Opera North, English Touring Opera, Opera Northern Ireland, Scottish Opera, Sadler's Wells Opera and Carla Rosa Opera. In the late-80s he spent two years as assistant conductor at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, and undertook two seasons for the Banff Centre for the Performing Arts in Canada.

He has conducted productions for the Brighton Festival, the London Opera Ensemble and the Buxton Festival. In New Zealand, he has conducted Gianni Schicchi, L'Heure Espagnole and La Boheme for Opera New Zealand (Auckland). In 2001 he conducted Falstaff for The NBR New Zealand Opera and returned recently for the Don Giovanni season during June-July 2005.

As an orchestral conductor, Wyn Davies has worked on a regular basis with major orchestras in the UK including the Halle Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, English Northern Philharmonia and Northern Sinfonia.

Mr Davies is closely associated with the National Opera Studio in London and Clonter Opera, both well-known training grounds for young singers. He is also the musical director of an Italian singing and language course held annually in Tuscany, which is designed specifically for young New Zealand singers. He has conducted events at the Montepulciano and Barcelona Festivals involving young singers.

ENDS

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