Tonight, when tenor Ta’u Pupu’a (37) sings the role of Cavaradossi in the Connecticut Concert Opera's production of Puccini's "Tosca" in the USA, he will have come a long way from his humble birthplace in Tongatapu.

He has two performances on Friday, October 30, and Sunday, November 1, at Hoffman Auditorium at the University of Saint Joseph in Connecticut.

Ta’u has caught the attention of the American press as a new rising star in Opera, and his story has been told in 'The New York Times'. They report how the 6-foot-5, 290 pounds athlete was briefly with the N.F.L. until a broken foot put him out of the game.

Ta’u was the youngest of a family of nine children who left Tonga and settled in Salt Lake City, USA. He attended Weber State University on a football scholarship while pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree. While at university he was drafted to the NFL to the Cleveland Browns and later to the Baltimore Ravens. But after he got injured he had to change his career direction and returned to his first passion – opera.

To capture his dream and become an opera singer, Ta’u packed his bag and left Utah for New York City. He worked as a waiter while looking for opportunity to advance his singing.

The big break came when  he went to a book signing at the Metropolitan Opera, New York City and met legendary lyric soprano, Kiri Te Kanawa.. “ She saw that I was Polynesian. She’s Polynesian, from New Zealand. She asked: What are you doing here, so far from the homeland?” he said. “I just stood there and finally said I’m a tenor.”

With Kiri Te Kavawa’s encouragement, Ta’u applied to the Juilliard School in Manhattan and was accepted with a full scholarship. He graduated in 2011 and has performed around the world, including at Milan's legendary La Scala opera house and many smaller venues in the United States and England.

In his career, he has sung various opera roles, including Don José in "Carmen," Cassio in "Otello," Pollione in "Norma," Ismaele in "Nabucco," Narraboth in "Salome," Radamès in "Aida" and Olympion in Michael Tippett's "The Ice Break." 

Tosca is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini.

See also: A big Man Still Dreams of the Big Time - The New York Times [2]