Madison Nonoa (born 1994) is a New Zealand-born

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hertz, Hz to A5 in Choir, choral ...

opera singer of Samoan, Niuean, and Pākehā heritage.

Life

Nonoa was born in the

Waikato The Waikato () is a region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato District, Waipā District, Matamata-Piako District, South Waikato District and Hamilton City, as well as Hauraki, Coromandel Peninsula, the nort ...

, and attended the

University of Auckland The University of Auckland (; Māori: ''Waipapa Taumata Rau'') is a public research university based in Auckland, New Zealand. The institution was established in 1883 as a constituent college of the University of New Zealand. Initially loc ...

, where she graduated in 2014 with a Bachelor of Music Honours (First Class).

Career

In 2016 Nonoa won third place in the 2016

Lexus Song Quest The Lexus Song Quest (formerly known as the Mobil Song Quest) is a biennial opera singing competition, held in New Zealand since 1956. The competition is managed and presented by Tāwhiri, which also runs the New Zealand Festival of the Arts. Win ...

and was awarded the $15,000 Kiri Te Kanawa scholarship for most promising singer. She was selected as an Emerging Artist with

New Zealand Opera New Zealand Opera is New Zealand's only full-time professional opera company, formed in 2000 from the merger of companies in Auckland and Wellington (and later Christchurch). New Zealand Opera is headquartered in Parnell, New Zealand, Parnell, Au ...

and made her professional debut in the role of Papagena in the 2016 production of ''

The Magic Flute ''The Magic Flute'' (, ), K. 620, is an opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. It is a ''Singspiel'', a popular form that included both singing and spoken dialogue. The work premiered on ...

''. The same year she created the role of Joyce in the world premiere of the Ross Harris chamber opera ''

Brass Poppies Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc, in proportions which can be varied to achieve different colours and mechanical, electrical, acoustic and chemical properties, but copper typically has the larger proportion, generally copper and zinc. I ...

'' at the New Zealand Festival. In 2017 Nonoa moved to England and studied opera at the

Guildhall School of Music and Drama The Guildhall School of Music and Drama is a music school, music and drama school located in the City of London, England. Established in 1880, the school offers undergraduate and postgraduate training in all aspects of classical music and jazz al ...

in London under

Yvonne Kenny Yvonne Denise Kenny AM (born 25 November 1950) is an Australian soprano, particularly associated with Handel, Mozart and bel canto roles. Biography Born in Sydney, Kenny first studied at the University of Sydney in science, hoping to become ...

. She performed Susanna in Mozart's ''

Marriage of Figaro ''The Marriage of Figaro'' (, ), K. 492, is a ''commedia per musica'' (opera buffa) in four acts composed in 1786 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with an Italian libretto written by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It premiered at the Burgtheater in Vienna ...

'' with Bloomsbury Opera. She was supported by the Jerwood Young Artists as a member of the Glyndebourne Festival Opera chorus. In 2020 she was appearing in concert at Glynebourne with Emma Kerr and two other chorus members. Recent engagements include Papagena ''Die Zauberflote'' at Glyndebourne, a participation at Snape Maltings with Simon Keenlyside and Malcolm Martineau as part of the Momentum Scheme, Despina Cosi fan tutte and Tytania ''A'' ''Midsummer Night’s Dream'' at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. The 21-22 season includes the role of Maria ''Westside Story'' for Opera du Rhin as well as a performance of Couperin’s ''Trois Leçons de Ténèbres'' for the King’s Consort. In 2024 Nonoa portrayed Galatea in the first staging in France of

Nicola Porpora Nicola (or Niccolò) Antonio Giacinto Porpora (17 August 16863 March 1768) was an Italian composer and teacher of singing of the Baroque era, whose most famous singing students were the castrati Farinelli and Caffarelli. Other students include ...

's '' Polifemo'' with the Opera National du Rhin. She acknowledges the ongoing support of the Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Dame Malvina Major Foundations.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nonoa, Madison 1994 births Living people New Zealand operatic sopranos 21st-century New Zealand women opera singers New Zealand people of Samoan descent New Zealand people of Niuean descent University of Auckland alumni Alumni of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama Pasifika opera singers