‘Ana Fifita seeks her destiny in opera [1]
Friday, August 30, 2002 - 10:00. Updated on Wednesday, February 10, 2016 - 14:45.
From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 2, August 2002.
A destiny that had yet to be fulfilled is how ‘Ana Fifita described her pursuit of an opera singing career.
‘Ana (29), was awarded a Diploma in Opera as a Mezzo Soprano Singer by the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in 2001, and since then has appeared a number of times during the concerts of the Australian pianist Marilyn Meier.
‘Ana returned to Tonga in July to tour with the ‘Atenisi Foundation for the Performing Arts to Samoa, but she was planning to continue her studies in Australia for a Masters of Opera in 2003.
‘Ana said that studying to be an opera singer was very hard, she had to be fluent in Italian, French, German and English, “and your voice has to be exercised and perfected, and that can become very tiring at times.”
‘Ana said that she first decided to pursue singing as a profession when she saw how much her father loved music and singing, before he died in 1989.
‘Ana attended ‘Atenisi High School in Nuku‘alofa and joined AFPA, when it was established in the late 1980’s.
Her big break came in 1997 when AFPA went on their first tour of New Zealand and Australia. She said that following their concert at the Sydney Town Hall a professor from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music encouraged them to audition for a place there. Annually there are only 20 places available at the school, but over 200 students from all over Australia are auditioned. Following the audition four members of AFPA were accepted, ‘Ana, her brother Kipi Fifita, Lu‘isa Helu and Penisimani Makisi.
‘Ana, who comes from Kolomotu, now lives in Sydney with her husband ‘Ieni ‘Otai.