Auckland soprano Natasha Te Rupe Wilson (Te Arawa, Ngā Puhi), has been awarded the prestigious Dame Malvina Major Award, recognising her “track record, talent, determination and potential”.

Natasha left NZ recently for an audition tour of Europe and plans to base herself in Germany to further develop her career.

The $50,000 award, established in 2020 and funded by Joan Egan to acknowledge Dame Malvina’s legacy and vision to “share the dream”, supports the career development of talented young opera singers handpicked by the Foundation.

Previously the Dame Malvina Major Foundation Emerging Artist with NZ Opera, Natasha completed her studies at the San Francisco Conservatory Of Music, and was a Resident Artist with Pittsburgh Opera before returning home last year due to Covid.

Dame Malvina says Natasha has shown the foundation that she is determined to succeed, a huge plus in these hard times of pandemic restrictions.

“I have watched her determined progress over the last few years where she has grown more and more as a genuine performer. Besides having a beautiful voice, she is a serious actress and obviously loves to perform – the stage is her happy place.”

“Dame Malvina and her foundation have been supporting me since I began performing in the regional competitions across NZ back in 2017,” says Natasha. “They have created a community of artists who feel like they’re part of a whānau. I’m so honoured to be a part of this community and to be able to put myself forward for the best possible opportunities, thanks to this award.”