Chch Tenor Wins “Sun” Aria Contest

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32114, 9 October 1969, Page 28

Chch Tenor Wins “Sun” Aria Contest

(New Zealand Frees Association)

MELBOURNE, October 8.

A Christchurch tenor, Mr Richard Greager, won the Melbourne “Sun” aria contest last evening.

His singing of "All Hail Thou Dwellings Pure and Holy” by Baeh, and “Like a Bright Morning in May” by Andre Benoit, won him $lOOO and the silver laurel trophy. There were five other finalists.

Mr Greager had won every contest leading up to last night’s aria final, including the South Street competitions in Ballarat, Victoria, which are held in conjunction with the “Sun” contest.

Recently, he won a Melbourne television competition on “Showcase,” and $5OO. He won the New Zealand national Mobil song quest in 1967 and was a “Sun” aria semi-finalist last year. Mr Greager says he intends to study overseas.

The judges were the “Sun” music critic, Miss Linda Phillips, and Mr Stewart Harvey, of Sydney.

Miss Phillips said Mr Greager had a “tenor robusto, Caruso-type of voice. He fully deserves to win because of his magnificent potential for opera.”

A soloist in the choirs at Heaton Intermediate School

and Christchurch Boys’ High School, Mr Greager also did solo work as a treble singer for radio broadcasts for schools. He was at Christchurch Boys’ High School for six years, where he was taught by Mr Clifton Cook. He also sang as a soloist for the Royal Christchurch Musical Society under the conductorship of Mr Robert Field-Dodgson. His stepmother, Mrs N. C. Greager, flew from Christchurch to hear him sing in toe Melbourne Town Ball. His teacher, Mr B. Hansford was also there.

Mr Greager had not seen his stepmother since he left New Zealand 16 months ago to study singing in Australia, and he said it inspired him to “give the performance of my life.”

His mother, who died when Mr Greager was 15, was a member of toe Christchurch Harmonic Society, and his father sang solo and in choirs in his youth. His stepmother, herself a keen musician, has taken a deep interest in bis musical career.