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A rising star in the opera world is set to perform deep beneath the earth in an upcoming fundraising concert as he prepares to take his place at the prestigious National Opera Studio in London.
Opera singer Ridge Ponini will take to the stage at the Milky Way Glow Worm Cave in Waipu on April 25, along with a selection of other classical and operatic talent.
The Opera in the Cave concert will be held in the aptly named Starburst Cathedral, a cavern within the Milky Way Glow Worm Cave, in an awe-inspiring environment filled with ancient stalactites, illuminated by thousands of glowworms.
“It is a unique opportunity, especially for opera. I’ve never heard of anyone performing opera in a cave. It’s wonderful to know something like this is possible. I am very excited to be able to perform in such a unique place,” Ridge says.
Ridge and his accompanying pianist, Yuan Kim, will perform a recital of different operatic themes and languages, including Italian and German pieces, English art songs, and some classical favourites.
“I feel like the cave already provides amazing acoustics, and I want the show to combine all of the elements of the cave and the music to give the audience a magical experience.”
Ridge began his opera journey 10 years ago. Born and bred in the Cook Islands, his talent was discovered by his English teacher, Whangārei resident Brenda Rudolph, who will be in the audience during the concert.
“She has been a mentor to me since the very beginning. She started this for me. It’s been an amazing journey,” Ridge says.
Ridge will be taking his place at the National Opera Studio in London this August. It is one of the top young artist programmes in Europe, and the funds raised from the concert will go towards his travel and expenses.
Many Kiwi singers who have attended the nine-month programme have gone on to achieve international success, including soprano Madeleine Pierard.
“This programme provides you with all the tools you need before stepping into an international career. But you also perform and have a close network with the six opera houses in London, which is great exposure for rising artists,” Ridge says.
Although he has had a lot of national success working as a studio artist with New Zealand Opera, Ridge is hoping that his time at the National Opera Studio will be a springboard to international success.
“I didn’t think I would take opera this far in my journey, so with this opportunity, I am just going to take it as far as I can. The end goal after the programme is to establish myself as an international artist and try to open the door for more Cook Island singers who want to pursue a career,” Ridge says.
Ridge will be joined at the Opera in the Cave concert by other national and local talent, including Grace McCarthy Sinclair, a Māori and Samoan soprano, Jelsha Eastes, a 14-year-old Northland school student and Otamatea High School student, Carden Kidd.
To buy tickets for the Opera in the Cave concert, visit www.waipucaves.nz
