The inspiring story of Phillip Rhodes, a 31-year-old New Zealand baritone and rising star of the operatic world, premieres on Maori Television on Saturday, 19 November at 8.30pm.

RHODES ACTOR SINGER traces Rhodes’ journey from suburban Flaxmere in the Hawke’s Bay to Europe as a student of acclaimed Kiwi soprano Dame Kiri Te Kanawa.

The hour-long documentary explores how Rhodes overcame challenges and developed his talent in the demanding world of international opera, supported and encouraged along the way by Dame Kiri and the Dame Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation.

Rhodes and his five sisters were adopted by a Flaxmere community leader’s family when he was five; his foster father, Henare O’Keefe recognised his potential as a performer and encouraged him to make the most of his talent.

In 2005, that talent was recognised when Rhodes won the Lockwood Aria and then in 2007, the Lexus Song Quest. These wins brought him to the attention of the Dame Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation, which awarded him a grant to study at the prestigious Cardiff International Academy of Voice.

RHODES ACTOR SINGER covers key people in Rhodes’ life, from his father Henare, his high school teacher Ken Keys and his first singing teacher, Jill Tobin.

Dame Kiri discusses the story of her six-year-old foundation and how it has evolved to support young singers and musicians and propel them to international success.

The New Zealand Opera School, based annually during January in Wanganui, is delighted to announce that the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation will be the sponsors for the final Opera School concert ‘Great Moments of Opera 2012, in the Royal Wanganui Opera House.

The School, based at the Wanganui Collegiate School, is now in its 18th year and Dame Kiri announced that her Foundation’s motivation for supporting the School was to show their support for this important live-in school which has to date and will continue into the future to provide a vehicle for young New Zealand singers to develop their skills in the presence of their peers and to experience their own live performances. ‘We see the School’, she said, ‘as an invaluable experience to support our primary aim of identifying and assisting New Zealand singers of recognisable ability to complete advanced classical vocal studies and ultimately develop international careers’.

In welcoming the announcement the Director of the School, Donald Trott, said this is a significant step in the life of the School.

The Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation is proudly supported by

Administrator Paul Gleeson Postal Address PO Box 38 387, Howick, Manukau 2145 New Zealand Telephone + 64 9 534 9398 Mobile + 64 275 944 534 Facsimile + 64 9 534 0629 Email foundation@kiritekanawa.org

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