PERFORMERS
William Winitana
Hawke’s Bay baritone William Winitana has achieved many things. From being chosen at age 17 to study dance in Sydney with the Royal Sydney Ballet Company’s Alfred Williams, singing the lead in “Sweeney Todd”, performing roles with Opera New Zealand, singing with Luciano Pavarotti and being chosen, from a long audition list of young singers, to become one of the final four singers chosen for the NBR Opera New Zealand Dame Melvina [Malvina] Major Emerging Artists Programme in 1999.
William has been described by Opera New Zealand Artistic Director Jonathon Alver, as a singer who has the “very real potential to develop into a Verdi baritone”. The now 31 year old William has also added to his list of achievements, the completion of a year-long Diploma in Performing Arts – (Opera) studying at Auckland University, focussing [focusing] on both performance and languages, under the supervision of voice coach Rosie Barnes.
He also has a Diploma in Vocal Arts from Hawke’s Bay’s Eastern Institute of Technology.
Stephen Gibbs and “The Donkey May Sing” Enterprises
Stephen formed the organisation with the unusual name after finishing a Maths and Music teaching career seven years ago. Through “The Donkey May Sing Enterprise” he has composed, arranged and performed as a cellist, been an orchestral manager and stage manager, musical director and conductor, tutor and journalist. He is currently the chief journalist at the Havelock North Village Press and Musical Director for Napier Operatic Society’s production of “Annie” as well as managing the Ponticelli String Quartet and Gung Ho duo.
Do you know something about this record?
Please note we cannot verify the accuracy of any information posted by the community.