Baritones comprise half of Lexus Song Quest semi-finalists

Tavis Gravatt and Bradley Christensen

The ten semi-finalists have been selected for the Lexus Song Quest and half of them are baritones. The singers will now work with head judge, soprano Yvonne Kenny, before the Grand Finals singers are selected for the last round at the Auckland Town Hall in July. Around 50 contestants competed in the initial round with judges Graham Pushee and Patricia Price. 

The baritones include Tavis Gravatt, Bradley Christensen, Harry Grigg, Jarvis Dams and Benson Wilson. The remaining singers include sopranos Madison Nonoa, Imogen Thirlwall, Emily Mwila and Sophie Sparrow, as well as tenor Filipe Manu

The Lexus Song Quest will dole out $85,000 in prizes, with the winner receiving a total prize of $50,000, and the runner up receiving an immediate cash prize of $8,000, supported by the Dame Malvina Major Foundation, plus a study scholarship of $10,000. Third and fourth place winners receive $1,000 each. A further $15,000 prize, sponsored by the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation, will be awarded to the singer who has demonstrated great potential through the semi-finals stage of the competition.

Tickets for the Final Lexus Song Quest Gala on July 23 are available online. 

Reader Submission: Edward Laurenson from New Zealand

Edward Laurenson

25-year-old New Zealand native Edward Laurenson is our latest reader submission. He graduated from the University of Auckland in 2010 with a Bachelor of Commerce, and completed his Honours in 2011. The lyric baritone was influenced to become a singer listening to Freddie Mercury of Queen.

In 2012-13, he was selected to be an Emerging Artist with The Dame Malvina Major Foundation, and subsequently performed in the New Zealand Opera production of Puccini's Madame Butterfly. He has also been a regular performer with the Chapman Tripp Opera Chorus, where he performed major roles.

Before pursing a career in opera full-time, he performed in a number of musicals, including Rodgers & Hammerstein's The Sound of Music, he Tin Man in The Wiz, Tony in Bernstein's West Side Story and Danny in Grease.

Edward Laurenson talks about his career:

In 2012, he was awarded Vocal National Young Performer of the Year at Performing Arts Competitions Association of New Zealand, and the Lieder prize at the New Zealand Aria competition. He has also won the Guildhall School of Music & Drama Award, as well as the Australian Opera Awards Committee’s Sheila Prior Memorial Prize, Phoebe Patrick Award and the David Harper Award.

 Edward Laurenson sings "Hai già vinta la causa!" from Marriage of Figaro:

He is currently one of six finalists in the 2014 Lexus Song Quest competition, with winners being announced on July 26th. The Lexus Song Quest has launched the careers of some of New Zealand’s most celebrated opera stars including Dames Kiri Te Kanawa, Teddy Tahu Rhodes, Amitai Pati, Malvina Major, Jonathan Lemalu, Madeleine Pierard and Phillip Rhodes.