Sealord Opera in the Park
Sat 24 Jan 2009, 7.30-10pm
Gates open at 5.30pm, Trafalgar Park, Nelson City.
A fourth star has been added to the lineup for Sealord Opera in the Park.
Musical Director Pete Rainey announced today that operatic tenor Ben Makisi would be coming to Nelson for the January 24
event.
"People will have seen Ben singing at Sir Edmund Hillary's funeral - he is one of Australasia's rising young tenors with
a rich voice and great emotional depth," Pete said. "With he and Simon O'Neill we can have classics from the tenor
repertoire like O sole mio, but Simon also has the range to take on the baritone role giving us even more options in the
programme."
Ben is a Victoria University graduate and has studied at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. He has won many aria
competitions and awards, has a growing repertoire of solo roles and is returning to NZ following a contract with Opera
Australia.
The confirmed line up for Sealord Opera in the Park is tenor Simon O'Neill, Nelson's favourite diva, Helen Medlyn,
rising star soprano Anna Leese, and Marc Taddei with the Vector Wellington Orchestra.
Nelson City Council Festival Director Annabel Norman said there had been an enthusiastic response to the earlier January
date for the event.
"It's a real highlight on the national calendar and we have people ringing us from mid-year wanting to know the date,"
she said. " We'd like to see Nelsonians inviting their friends from further afield to see just what a stylish event we
can stage for a mere $15 - having it at Trafalgar Park brings a real buzz to the city."
Tickets are on sale from $15 for picnickers to $50 for chairs close to the stage; with a family ticket for $50. Buy
tickets at Everyman Records, Hardy St, Nelson 03 548 3083 or at www.everyman.co.nz.
Summer in Nelson booklets are now available and the programme can be viewed on line at www.nelsonfestivals.co.nz. The
booklet will be delivered to all city households in the next few days, and can also be picked up at council offices,
libraries and visitor centres. It has events information for the whole Nelson Tasman region for the summer.
Summer in Nelson is produced by the Nelson City Council as a celebration for locals and an added attraction for
visitors.
ENDS