Song to the moon a winner

7 November 2008
Waikato soprano Julia Booth entered the New Zealand Aria Competition intending to make the finals; to win it was "the cherry on top".

The competition, formerly known as the Lockwood Aria was held in Rotorua last weekend and attracted nearly 40 of New Zealand's most promising classical singers - men and women, across a range of voices.

"I wanted to make the top 10 because the finalists get to sing with an orchestra, in this case the Auckland Philharmonic with Australian international conductor Stephen Mould," says Julia. "Any chance to sing with an orchestra is fantastic - to hear your voice against the texture of the orchestra."

Julia's finals piece was Dvorak's Song to the Moon, which is sung in Czechoslovakian. She out sang a mezzo soprano, a tenor and baritone to take the $15,000 prize. The money is split into three; $5000 cash, another $5000 for singing expenses and the final third pays for a trip to compete in the prestigious McDonald's Aria Competition in Sydney next year.

"The win has got me re-thinking my future direction," says Julia who is currently studying for a Master of Arts at Waikato University after completing her Bachelor of Music with first class honours last year. "I hadn't been looking to go overseas but I'm now considering further study, perhaps in North America, which may help establish me with an opera career in Australasia. Long term, I still want to live in New Zealand."

Julia, a Waikato University Hillary Scholar was a PWC Dame Malvina Major Emerging Artist 2007/08 and has recently completed an internship with New Zealand Opera. She was the shadow-cover for the lead role of Mimi in La Bohème and played the role of Barena in their recent production of Jenufa.

"In January I'll be at Opera School for the fourth year in a row to study with top tutors from New Zealand as well as UK voice coach Paul Farrington, who, amongst other things, coaches at Covent Garden. With University support, I've recently worked with some colleagues of his in Australia who teach from the same scientific approach to singing. He's fantastic."

Julia's masters degree is research-based. She's studying the history of the New Zealand Opera School. Her supervisor is Waikato University senior lecturer and New Zealand Herald music critic William Dart.

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