AIMES awards submissions closing on 19 January 2024

ELIZABETH MANDENO

Emerging Talent Award 2015

Sorpano (25 years old)

Elizabeth grew up in a musical family surrounded by opera and theatre and attended Long Bay College. She has always had a passion for singing and performing but it wasn’t until reaching university that she realised she had the potential to do it professionally. 

Elizabeth now has an impressive record, proving her singing abilities at both a regional and national level in New Zealand; she was one of three singers chosen as a 2013/14 Freemasons Dame Malvina Major Emerging Artist for New Zealand Opera and has also worked as a soloist with the countries two most prestigious orchestra’s.

In 2014, she was a principal artist for Opera Otago in the world premiere of New Zealand composer Anthony Ritchie’s latest opera and sung lead roles with Opera Factory and other companies.

Elizabeth has a First Class Honours degree in Classical Performance (Voice) along with a Bachelor of Arts in Italian language and received a First in Course accolade for her Honours year performance.

Outside of the opera world, Elizabeth sung national anthems for the Rugby World Cup matches in 2011 (including the final).

In her biggest step towards a professional singing career, Elizabeth applied and was accepted with an unconditional offer to study at the Wales International Academy of Voice. The school has a strong history of producing some of New Zealand’s best singers with world-class teachers and is her first move towards her aspirations to become well-respected in the opera world, not just as a great singer but as an accomplished, adventurous musician.


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