Patricia Wright began her vocal training in New Zealand with Dame Sister Mary Leo. A QEII Arts Council Grant then enabled her to further her studies in Australia with Dame Joan Hammond. From here she gained further awards to study in London and Germany. While in the United Kingdom she won second prize in the Benson & Hedges Gold Award for Singers, and represented New Zealand in the Cardiff Singer of the World competition. Her critically acclaimed performances in lieder and oratorio led her to every major concert hall in Britain. She made numerous BBC Radio 3 recordings.
Wright has performed regularly with major orchestras, opera companies, festivals and choral societies in New Zealand, Australia, Britain and Ireland. Concert highlights include Beethoven 9th , Mahler 4th , Richard Strauss’s Four Last Songs, Capriccio, Die ägyptische Helena, Carmina Burana, Knoxville: Summer of 1915, Pulcinella, Verdi Requiem; Bach’s Wedding Cantata and Cantata 51. Choral performances include The Messiah, Solemn Vespers, Sea Symphony, Nelson Mass, Child of Our Time, German Requiem, Mozart Requiem, St John’s & St Matthew’s Passions and Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater.
Opera repertoire includes the title role of Madama Butterfly, Countess Almaviva (The Marriage of Figaro), Norina (Don Pasquale), Gilda (Rigoletto), Pamina (Magic Flute), Mimi (La Boheme), Nedda (Pagliacci), Alice Ford (Falstaff), Liù (Turandot), Nella (Gianni Schicchi), Clorinda (La Cenerentola), Despina (Così fan tutte), Micaela (Carmen), Oscar (Un Ballo in Maschera), First Lady (The Magic Flute) and Magda in La Rondine (concert performance).
Her recordings are Verdi Requiem with the NBR New Zealand Opera and the Auckland Philharmonia, Serenata (Atoll), Frank Bridge Songs (Pearl), Jane Austen Songs (Pearl), The Early Bridge (Pearl), Frank Bridge (Pearl), Rebecca Clarke (Guild), Arnold Bax (Continuum), Kenneth Young Symphony No 1 with the NZSO (Trust) and Hummel Missa Solemnis/Te Deum with the NZSO (Naxos).
Future concerts include the Verdi Requiem with the Auckland Choral Society, Canteloube Songs of the Auvergne, Golijov Songs and a Verdi Gala Concert with the Auckland Philharmonia at which she will sing the dramatic Oh Cielo, dove son’io from the rarely performed opera Aroldo. Other projects include a Lieder Recital tour, guest artist at the Nelson Chamber Music Festival, three recording projects and a recital series with pianist Piers Lane.
March 2004