THE NEW ZEALAND OPERA SOCIETY

Last month’s issue of New Zealand Opera News reported that NBR New Zealand Opera had appointed the distinguished conductor, Wyn Davies, to the newly-created position of Director of Music.

Mr Davies took up his new role during his conducting of Don Giovanni. He will continue to be based in the UK but will be in New Zealand on a regular basis.

“We are delighted and privileged to have a musician of his high standing and depth join us,” says Alex Reedijk, General Director of NBR New Zealand Opera.

Mr Davies was born in South Wales and his career has taken him to four continents, and has included a wide variety of conducting, teaching and concert work across a variety of repertoire. 

A graduate of Oxford University, he began his career with Welsh National Opera as Staff Conductor and has since conducted for English National Opera, Opera North, English Touring Opera, Opera Northern Ireland, Scottish Opera, Sadler’s Wells Opera and Carl Rosa Opera.

In the late-80s he spent two years as assistant conductor at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, and for two seasons was at the Banff Centre for the Performing Arts in Canada.  He has conducted productions for the Brighton Festival and the Buxton Festival.

In New Zealand, he has conducted Gianni Schicchi, L’Heure Espagnole and La bohème for Opera New Zealand (i.e. Auckland).  
In 2001 he conducted Falstaff for New Zealand Opera.

As an orchestral conductor, Wyn Davies has worked with major orchestras in the UK including the Hallé Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, English Northern Philharmonia and Northern Sinfonia.

Mr Davies is closely associated with the National Opera Studio in London and Clonter Opera, both well-known training grounds for young singers.  He is also the musical director of an Italian singing and language course in Tuscany run annually in association with Patricia Hurley’s opera tours, designed specifically for young New Zealand singers.