Experience a magical summer evening of operatic brilliance in the Ancient Egyptian Garden.
Acclaimed soprano Emma Pearson and contralto Kristin Darragh - celebrated on opera stages in Germany and Australasia - join forces with Central Ensemble to perform new arrangements by Michael F. Williams. Together, they present a stunning programme of Italian Baroque, Romantic, and French opera favourites.
From Handel and Monteverdi to Puccini and Bizet, this is a rare opportunity to enjoy world-class voices and musicianship in an intimate, open-air concert, surrounded by nature and candlelight.
Book early - limited tickets.
Seating provided.
Where: Ancient Egyptian Garden
When: Sunday 22 Feb, 8:30pm
Emma Pearson: NZ based, Australian soprano, Emma Pearson, was engaged as a soloist in Germany for ten years, at Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden, where she was honoured with the title of Kammersaengerin by the State of Hessen. She was also an award winner in the Neue Stimmen International Singing Competition, Australian Singing Competition Opera Awards and Marianne Mathy Scholarship Winner.
Next to her work in Wiesbaden, Emma performed Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier under Lawrence Foster with Orquesta de València and Sir Andrew Litton in Minnesota's Sommerfest, as well as Beethoven's Missa Solemnis under Bertrand de Billy, and Clorinda in La Cerentola at Semperoper, Dresden under Giacomo Sagripanti.
After returning to New Zealand to raise her son close to family, Emma has performed operatic leading roles from Verdi’s La traviata to Handel’s Semele with companies such as Opera Australia and New Zealand Opera as well as concert repertoire for orchestras and chamber ensembles throughout Australasia. In 2026 Emma will return to Opera Australia to perform Hanna Glawari in The Merry Widow.
Kristin Darragh is a New Zealand born operatic contralto. Performance highlights in recent seasons have included Grimgerde in Die Walküre with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra under Simone Youn, Ulrica in Verdi’s Ballo in Maschera for Wellington Opera, The Angel in Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius with Auckland Choral, Alto soloist in the Brahms Alto Rhapsody with Orchestra Wellington and Marc Taddei and Lady Bertram in Jonathan Dove’s Mansfield Park with New Zealand Opera,
Kristin was engaged as a full time soloist at Theater Lüneburg, Germany and has been a regular principal artist with New Zealand Opera. Roles in her performed repertoire include Suzuki Madame Butterfly, Olga Eugene Onegin, Amastre Xerses, Maddalena Rigoletto, Marcellina Le Nozze di Figaro, Mercedes Carmen, Erda Das Rheingold, La Zia Principessa Suor Angelica, Cornelia Giulio Cesare, Charlotte Werther, Dritte Dame Die Zauberflöte, Florence Pike Albert Herring, Zita Gianni Schicchi, Baba The Turk The Rake’s Progress and the title role in Britten’s Rape of Lucretia.
Kristin trained at the Royal Academy of Music in London and is the Director of Vocal Performance at the University of Waikato.
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