Four soloists

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33967, 7 October 1975, Page 19

Four soloists

Elisabeth Hellawell (soprano), Collene Roche (contralto), Patrick Power (tenor), and Bruce Carson (bass) will be the soloists next week in the Royal Christchurch Musical Society’s 500th concert. The concert, at which the featured work will be Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis in D, will be conducted by Robert Field - Dodgson and the choir will be accompanied by the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. Patrick Power studied for a B.A. in music at Otago University where he began his vocal training in 1969. He sang with the Dunedin Opera Company, and has taken nine solo roles, including that of Glem in the N.Z.B.C. T.V. production of Britten’s “The Little Sweep.” Last year he toured as a member of the N.Z. Music

Federation Consort. He won the Dunedin Festival Aria and the South Auckland Men’s Aria contests last year, and was also the runner-up in the Sydney "Sun” Aria contest.

Last November he sang the role of Jaquino in the society’s production of Beethoven’s “Fidelio,” and he also appeared with the society as soloist in “Psaimus Hungaricus” (Kodaly) at this year’s Christchurch Arts Festival. Next year he plans to further his singing overseas. Bruce Carson has sung as bass soloist for choral societies in many New Zealand cities, including Auckland, Wellington, Dunedin, and Christchurch. He took principal parts in the New Opera Company’s presentations of “La Boheme,” “Don Pasquale” and “La Traviata.” In 1970 he was runner-up in the Mobil Song Quest. He has sung in two recent performances with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra — “Trial by Jury” and Haydn’s “Heiligmesse.” He is president of the Orpheus Choir in Wellington. Elisabeth Hellawell is one of the many pupils of Dame Sister Mary Leo to have attained prominence in New Zealand music-making. She took many principal roles in the New Zealand Opera Company and has appeared many times with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and choral societies throughout the country. She has appeared in two performances of “Missa Solemnis” with the society, in 1967 and 1970. She has been appearing in regional opera in Auckland and in concerts with the Auckland Symphonia. Elisabeth Hellawell recently took up full-time secondary school teaching. She attended training college last year and at present is in charge of music at Glendowie College, Auckland, and also teaches English. Collene Roche began her singing career after studying with Dame Sister Mary 'Leo in Auckland for five years. She moved to Wellington to study with Rosemary Gordon and joined the New Zealand Opera Company, where she sang and understudied various principal roles. She married and moved to Hamilton, where she was coached by Guyon Wells. In 1973 she was awarded a grant for overseas study by the Queen Elizabeth TI Arts Council. She studied in London in 1974 with Madame Florence Wiese-Norberg, and returned to New Zealand a few months ago. She has two sons and teaches music at Sacred Heart Girls’ College, Hamilton.