Samoan opera star returns home for enduring classic La Bohème
This audio is not downloadable due to copyright restrictions.
130 years on, Puccini's
La Bohème
remains an enduring classic and beloved opera. At the heart it's a simple story of four friends and their lovers; passionate artists and thinkers whose daily struggles compound and their hardships become tragedies. New Zealand-Samoan baritone Benson Wilson has returned home to appear on stage as Schaunard; one of the quartet of friends.
Now based in London, Benson has been firmly establishing himself as a promising baritone in the opera world. He studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and won the prestigious Kathleen Ferrier Award before relocating over there. In 2016, he's won the Lexus Song Quest and more recently - the Dame Malvina Major Foundation Mina Foley Award. He's performed with the London Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Symphony Orchestra and has studied and performed multiple languages including Russian and German. It's not his first time in this role; he made his professional debut at Festival Opera in 2016, playing Schaunard. He speaks to
Culture 101
about returning home to play a familiar character with NZ Opera.
La Bohème
is at Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre until the 6th of June before performances in Wellington and Christchurch.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
4 hours ago
- RNZ News
Blenheim food truck owners face uncertainty after council buys site
By Kira Carrington, Local Democracy Reporter Peter Blaha, owner of food truck DFC Bakery, hopes to stay on at the High St site that was bought by the Marlborough District Council in May. Photo: LDR / Kira Carrington The owners of several food trucks on a vacant central Blenheim lot are worried they will be turfed out after the land was bought by the Marlborough District Council. The 1147m² property, spanning five titles between High St and Wynen St, beside Te Kahu o Waipuna, was bought by the council in May for $1.8 million. Mayor Nadine Taylor said the site was earmarked for development as a community space, and the council would seek input from the public as it explored options. One of the food truck owners, Peter Blaha of DFC Artisan Bakery, said he was notified by the owner about two weeks before the sale that the land was to be sold. Blaha said he hoped the council would allow them to stay put. "I would be happy if we can make some deal with them," Blaha said. "We are small businesses … You invest your money into [the business]. I feed my family, I pay the taxes as well." The food truck owners like parking up in the space next to Blenheim's new library and art gallery, Te Kahu o Waipuna. Photo: LDR / Kira Carrington Blaha said the council could incorporate the food trucks into a space that would attract more foot traffic to the CBD. He reckoned the lot could fit 100 people. "You can make [some] kind of small market here, even a small festival," Blaha said. Boseong Jeong, owner of food truck Sasa Express, said while she would have to close shortly as she was pregnant, she was also hopeful that a long-term arrangement could be made that allowed her to stay on at the site. Alson Su, owner of Orange Eats, said he had already been given notice to leave. "They told us the latest we could let this place is mid-June," Su said. "We are still waiting for some other places to move over [to]." A council spokesperson said that under the Reserves and Other Public Places Bylaw 2017, nobody could conduct commercial activity on public land without the council's written approval. "When mobile food truck owners have approached council for space in the CBD in the past, these applications have been declined in deference to other rate paying businesses in the CBD," the spokesperson said. "However, in this instance, council is prepared to work with the food truck operators to both understand their previous arrangements and to look at suitable options going forward." Anna Hamman, owner of neighbouring business The Sewing Store, said it would be great if the trucks could stay. "The food trucks have been a welcome addition actually. It's been quite nice knowing that there's a few little local businesses having a spot there." Jay Sirichan hopes a new community development in the empty lot will bring people back into central Blenheim. Photo: LDR / Kira Carrington Jay Sirichan, owner of nearby Japanese restaurant Bento, said the central Blenheim businesses could do with a new attraction. "Business is quite slow. "I would like a new space to make things more interesting for the people in town. "The new library is very good. In the weekend there are a lot of people with their kids. But just, I think it's not enough." * LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
RNZ News
14 hours ago
- RNZ News
Auckland woman shocked by 'menopause consultation' fee for HRT
Photo: Unsplash An Auckland woman charged $300 for a so called " menopause consultation" says she feels denied the medical care she needs. Carla asked her doctor about hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and said she was shocked by the fee. She was told she either needed to pay or book up to four regular appointments. "I mentioned I was keen to hop on HRT and she told me that I would need to make a separate appointment and 'I was like, that's cool, totally fine'," she said. "She then proceeded to tell me about the menopause clinics that they run and that is three back-to-back appointments at a cost of $300. And the math just didn't math to me ... because each appointment is $70, so 70 times three is not $300, so I didn't really understand how any of it made any sense." Carla told Checkpoint she knew of others prescribed HRT under much simpler circumstances. "When I said I couldn't afford that, I was told that I would then need to make three to four separate appointments to be prescribed HRT," she said. "It was just the fact that everyone else I know had been prescribed HRT with just a single appointment. I didn't understand what all the fuss was about." Carla said a friend of hers had been prescribed by the same doctor late last year and it was just a single consultation. She said the experience left her feeling "really diminished". Carla had considered finding a new GP but said leaving her practice of over 30 years would be daunting. She accepted if a doctor had concerns that would warrant a couple of appointments, but she said a single appointment should be standard practice. "That's not a problem at all, if it's necessary. But I just don't like this ... it just feels money hungry to me," she said. Carla said she felt taken advantage of. "Just the math not mathing with needing three back-to-back appointments and the costs being elevated because it's a menopause appointment," she said. "I thought in a normal 15-minute consultation with a $70 fee, you got the doctor's expertise. That's what you were buying for that." Royal NZ College of GPs medical director Luke Bradford said an in-depth menopause assessment does take longer than the standard 15-minute appointment, and many patients benefit from spending extra time discussing their options with their GP. He said the cost for non-standard appointments like this does vary across practices. "There are dedicated menopause clinics around NZ that typically charge $290 for initial 45-minute appointment and $120 follow up," he said. Checkpoint has asked Carla's medical practice and Health NZ for comment. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
15 hours ago
- RNZ News
AMA comments were frustration at performance's politicisation
music politics 5:15 pm today Senior government minister Chris Bishop said his comments directed at a performance at the Aotearoa Music Awards were due to his frustration at its politicisation. The minister was heard saying "what a load of crap' during Stan Walker's performance on Thursday, and while he says he should've kept his thoughts to himself, he's not going to apologise the musician. One of his Cabinet colleagues said he disagrees with the comments, while the opposition are pointing to the history of politics in music. Political reporter Giles Dexter has more.
