| Biography | Patricia Wright, one of New Zealands most acclaimed singers, trained in New Zealand with Sister Mary Leo and in Australia with Dame Joan Hammond. She was awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council Grant to further her studies and after graduating from the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne, received a scholarship to enable her to study in Europe. Soon after her arrival in London, Patricia was awarded second prize in the prestigious Benson & Hedges Gold Award for Singers and she also represented New Zealand in the renowned Cardiff Singer of the World competition.
Critically acclaimed performances in lieder and oratorio led her to every major concert hall in Britain and roles in the United Kingdom and Ireland included Norina, Micaela, Mimi, Pamina, Nanetta, Gilda and Dido. During this period she returned to New Zealand several times and sang Mimi in Canterbury Opera's La bohème, Despina for Wellington City Opera's Cosi fan tutte, Micaela in Auckland Opera's Carmen and the Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors at the State Opera House.
Since returning to live in New Zealand, Patricia has accepted engagements from the major orchestras, opera companies, festivals and choral societies.
Recent engagements include the role of Leonora in Il Trovatore which she sang with great distinction for Southern Opera, Mozarts Coronation Mass and the Hummel Missa Solemnis for Auckland Choral Society, a recital for the Fuel Festival in Hamilton and the role of Madame Larina in Eugene Onegin for NBR New Zealand Opera. Engagements in 2010 included Strauss Four Last Songs with Christchurch Symphony Orchestra.
Patricias operatic roles include Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, Countess Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro, Alice Ford in Falstaff, Liù in Turandot, Nella in Gianni Schicchi, Clorinda in Cenerentola, Nedda in I Pagliacci and Madame Butterfly for NBR New Zealand Opera, The Countess in The Marriage of Figaro for Canterbury Opera, Magda in a concert performance of La Rondine for Academy Opera; First Lady in The Australian Opera's Magic Flute and Oscar in Un Ballo in Maschera and Micaela in Carmen for Wellington City Opera.
A much sought after recitalist and concert performer, more recent concert engagements include an outdoor concert at Government House in Wellington, a concert with Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, Brittens Les Illuminations with the Auckland Chamber Orchestra and a performance as featured artist in the Australian Festival of Chamber Music, Townsville. Other concert engagements include Vaughan Williams A Sea Symphony, Verdi Requiem and Beethovens Missa Solemnis for Auckland Choral Society; Strauss Four Last Songs, Golijovs Three Songs for Soprano and Orchestra, a Puccini and a Verdi Concert, Songs of the Auvergne and Mozart Requiem for Auckland Philharmonia, Bach arias with the NZ String Quartet at Nelson Chamber Music Festival and a concert including Golijov Songs and the Four Last Songs with Christchurch Symphony. |