Dame Kiri mentoring city opera singer
When a young opera singer leaves Palmerston North in January she will travel to Europe to audition for opera companies in Germany, Switzerland, France and Italy.
Madison Horman, 27, wants to gain a place in one of the companies’ young artist programmes, securing her roles for the next two years.
In the meantime, she is in the Bay of Islands this week, being mentored by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa. “It’s exciting but daunting at the same time because everything that I’ve sung, she’s sung already,” Horman said.
She is in her final year at the Royal Academy of Music in London, studying for an Advanced Diploma in Opera. When the two-year course is over, she’s on her own.
“I’ll be stepping out into the wide world without a safety net. That’s why auditioning in Europe is so important.”
Horman won a competition at the Royal Academy in June and needed the success to help her finances. Her biggest windfall came when she won $10,000 as runner-up at the Lockwood New Zealand Aria Contest earlier this month.
The academy flew her to New Zealand to compete in the aria contest, which she believes was a very close call. “I was told the two Australian judges found it difficult to decide between one other contestant and myself.”
The contest also allowed her to spend six weeks at home with her parents and learn the repertoire that she would perform in Europe in January.
Madison studied in Palmerston North with Kathi Craig and first wanted to be a professional musical theatre performer.
“I discovered the music and drama in musical theatre was further elevated in opera,” she said. “The romantic repertoire was so passionate and spoke to me.”
Harman graduated with an ATCL, a music performance diploma, while in Palmerston North and, after two years in Wellington, flew to Manchester in 2018 and auditioned for the Royal Northern College of Music.
“I wanted to sing and decided to travel to England but had no idea how long the training would take.”
Manchester offered a Master of Music, and she stayed for three years, giving recitals as part of her degree, performing with the Halle Orchestra and being chosen for a supporting role in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly.
From Manchester, she was offered a full scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Music.
“London is the mecca for opera in England and I knew I had to go there to get as much exposure and experience as possible. I’ve worked my arse off, and I want to use my five years of study to establish a career.”
While with Dame Kiri this week, she’ll discuss whether she should compete in the 2024 Lexus Song Quest in New Zealand.
Horman could audition overseas but would need to return to New Zealand for a month for the semi-final and final, and much would depend on her overseas engagements.
Horman would love to sing in New Zealand, and Palmerston North in particular, “if there was an opportunity to perform here”.
Her favourite role is Madama Butterfly which she would love to perform in some of the world’s great opera houses.