Katie Trigg Is The Winner Of 2024 Lexus Song Quest In Association With The Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation

Mezzo-soprano singer Katie Trigg of Hamilton has been named as the winner of the 2024 Lexus Song Quest in association with the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation, Aotearoa's most prestigious opera competition.

The winner Katie Trigg and runner up Manase Latu were announced live on stage on Saturday 3 August in front of a crowd of over 1200 people at Wellington’s Michael Fowler Centre.

Katie has walked away with a life-changing immediate cash prize of $50,000 for professional development purposes.

International Head Judge, GRAMMY Award-winning lyric coloratura soprano Sumi Jo said she has been very impressed with the high standard of all five finalists.

“Choosing a top five from such a skilled group of Semi-Finalists has been incredibly challenging. Beyond having a beautiful voice with impeccable tone, technique, and musicality, it's essential to possess star quality and charisma that immediately captivates the audience. Effective communication is key, but in today’s world, intelligence, a business mindset, and determination are also crucial for managing a future as a professional singer.”

Runner-up Manase Latu has won an immediate cash prize of $20,000. Austin Haynes who secured third place has also won a $15,000 cash prize. The other two finalists Tayla Alexander and Andrew Morgan-King have each received a cash prize of $3,500.

Andrew Davis, Vice President of Lexus New Zealand, says the Song Quest is a spectacular evening and widely considered to be one of the most exciting nights on Aotearoa’s classical calendar.

“Once again, it was an extraordinary evening of New Zealand’s finest operatic talent. We wish all the winners all the best with their future endeavours. We know that the Lexus Song Quest is a proven springboard as it has led to many extremely successful operatic careers, including the great Dame Kiri Te Kanawa herself, who was the 1965 winner,” he says.

“We have been extremely proud to be associated with these awards since 2005. The Lexus brand is all about experiencing the amazing – and we certainly did experience amazing performances at the Lexus Song Quest.”

Reflecting on the importance of the Quest and her deep personal connection to it, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa says “I won it in 1965 and like so many others, it gave my career a huge push. From the very start it proved to be the gold standard – the setting in which the stars of tomorrow would shine brightly and brilliantly and tonight, Katie, and indeed all of the finalists, did just that. I am excited to follow your journeys.”

The next Song Quest will take place in 2026.

The Lexus Song Quest is produced by Tāwhiri and supported by Lexus New Zealand, the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Creative New Zealand, MagicFM, RNZ Concert, The Post and Phantom Billstickers.

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