A New Zealand–born Tongan tenor, Manase Latu, is one of 10 semi-finalists in Aotearoa’s premier opera singing competition, the 2024 Lexus Song Quest.

He was selected by preliminary judges Andrea Creighton and Peter Lockwood from a pool of 29 top-quality applications for the song quest, presented in association with the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation.

Five finalists will be selected to perform with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra at the Grand Final Gala at the Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington on 3 August. International Head Judge, Grammy Award-winning South Korean lyric coloratura soprano Sumi Jo will select the five finalists.

Manase was previously a finalist in the 2018 Lexus Song Quest. He has a Bachelor of Music with first class honours from University of Auckland, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Vocal Studies at the Royal College of Music in London, attended as a Kiri Scholar.

New Zealand–born Tongan

Manase recently completed the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program at the Metropolitan Opera in the USA.

During the Metropolitan Opera’s 2022–23 season, he sang the role of a Trojan Soldier in Idomeneo and the First Guard in the holiday production of The Magic Flute.

He made his Met debut as the Second Player in Hamlet during the 2021–22 season and participated in the annual Lindemann Program recital series held at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

During the summer of 2022, Manase was selected as a Renee Fleming Artist for "The Aspen Music Festival and School" where he performed Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni under the baton of Dame Jane Glover.

As a former Dame Malvina Major Emerging Artist and Freemason’s Artist with New Zealand Opera, Manase has covered and performed roles such as Spoletta in Tosca, Nemorino in Lelisir D’amore, Defendant in Trial by Jury, Parpignol in La Bohome and Count Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia.

He has performed a number of Oratorio such as Haydn’s Theresienmesse and Mozart’s Sparrow Mass with New Choral Society, Elgar’s The Apostles with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Handel’s Messiah with the Auckland Choral Society, Messe Solenelle with Bach Musica, Handel’s Judas Maccabeus with Handel Consort & Quire, Donizetti’s Requiem with Teapot Valley Choir and Orchestra, Elijah with Whangarei Choral Society, Missa Criolla with Nelson Civic Choir and Orchestra, Handel’s Israel in Egypt with the University of Auckland and Britten’s Saint Nicolas with the Auckland Youth Choir & Orchestra.

Manase has been a recipient of a number of esteemed scholarships such as the University New Zealand’s Patricia Pratt scholarship, Kiwi Music Scholarship, Creative New Zealand’s Iosefa Enari Memorial Scholarship, Goodenough College Music Scholarship, University of Auckland 40 under 40 award and the Circle100 scholarship.

He has also thrived in various competitions in Australasia, placing first in the IFAC Handa Australian Singing Competition, first in New Zealand Aria competition, first in Dame Malvina Major Napier competition, second in the PACANZ Young Performer of the Year and a finalist in the Lexus Song Quest competition.

Manase is now preparing to return to New Zealand to perform Rossini’s Le Comte Ory as the title role.