Supplied/Emma Brittenden
Christchurch tenor Oliver Sewell says the award is a “game changer” for his opera career.
Christchurch opera singer Oliver Sewell says winning the prestigious $50,000 Dame Malvina Major Award is a “game-changer’’ for his career.
The 33-year-old tenor said the prize money would support his time in Europe attending auditions and entering competitions to break into the “big world of opera”.
“It is a game-changer,’’ he said.
“There is nothing else that would make a difference like that to get me back into the greater opera world.”
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“The biggest thing stopping me is that it is a massive financial risk.
“This allows me to do something that I could never otherwise be able to justify or afford. It forces me to take the risk and give it a go.”
Sewell has already used the prize money to enter the Vincero First Italian Worldwide Opera Competition in Naples last week, where he took out first place, competing against more than 30 finalists from five continents. He is currently based in Germany so he can attend auditions in Europe.
“To win was a shock.
“I have done quite a few competitions over the past 10 years and I have become quite good at dealing with the disappointment of not winning and the conflict of being on stage and having to be happy and excited for someone else.
Wellington Opera/Stephen A’Court
Sewell in a Wellington Opera production of La Traviata.
“I was loading up the file on how to cope with disappointment while being happy for someone else. I had my mask on and was ready to clap for someone else.
“When they read out my name, I didn’t have a programme for that.”
Oliver started his vocal studies at the University of Canterbury, before moving to Manhattan to complete a Master’s at the Manhattan School of Music. He was a resident artist at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia from 2017 to 2020.
Dame Malvina said Sewell had a great understanding of his voice and craft.
“He has great musicianship and beautiful vocal ease to access the top notes,’’ she said.
“It is such a pleasure to send him on the next part of his journey knowing he has all the ingredients to become a super opera tenor.”
Supplied/Emma Brittenden
The Dame Malvina Major Foundation has awarded its annual $50,000 Dame Malvina Major Award this year to Sewell.
Sewell said the competition win in Italy last week could lead to more opportunities in Europe.
“The competition has opened doors.
“Now I am in the middle of going through those doors to see if I am welcome in them.”
He said he loved opera for its power to evoke emotion.
“It is an amazing art form.
“It can tap into human emotion in a way that art forms can’t.”
He wanted to find a balance between traveling the world as an itinerant opera singer and enjoying his home life with his wife in Christchurch.
“My dream is to find the best balance I can.
“I don’t know what that looks like but I won’t find out if I don’t look.”
