Dame Malvina Major | |
|---|---|
 Major in 2016 | |
| Born | 28 January 1943 Hamilton, New Zealand |
| Occupation(s) | Opera singer, teacher |
| Years active | 1965–present |
| Spouse | Winston Fleming (m. 1965;died 1990) |
| Children | 3 |
Dame Malvina Lorraine Major ONZ GNZM DBE (born 28 January 1943) is a New Zealand opera soprano.
Major was born in Hamilton on 28 January 1943, the daughter of Vincent and Eva Major. [1] She grew up in a large musical family, and as a child she performed at various concerts, singing mainly country and western pop and music from the shows. She received her first classical training in 1955, from Sister Mary Magdalen at Ngāruawāhia, north of Hamilton. Sister Febronie continued with her voice training and Sister Liguori gave her piano tuition. As her potential blossomed, Major began travelling weekly to Ponsonby in Auckland, where she received further tuition from Dame Sister Mary Leo at St Mary's College. Sister Mary Leo was internationally recognised for having some of the country's best known singers, including Kiri Te Kanawa.
In 1965, Major married Winston William Richard Fleming, and the couple had three children. Fleming died in 1990. [1]
Major moved to England for further study at the London Opera Centre under the guidance of teacher Ruth Packer. Her successes include winning the 1963 New Zealand Mobil Song Quest beating Te Kanawa who placed second (Te Kanawa later won the 1965 contest). She also won the Australian Melbourne Sun Aria competition in 1965, and the London-based Kathleen Ferrier Award in 1966. Major later performed in international concerts including a BBC concert broadcast in London, an outdoor concert at the pyramids in Egypt with the Cairo Symphony Orchestra, and a charity concert for Vera Lynn in London. She has performed more than 30 opera roles in their original languages. [2]
In the 1985 Queen's Birthday Honours, Major was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, for services to opera. [3] In 1990, she was awarded the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal, [1] and the following year she was promoted to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, for services to opera and the community, in the 1991 Queen's Birthday Honours. [4] She was made a Principal Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to opera, in the 2008 New Year Honours. [5] Following the restoration of titular honours by the New Zealand government, she accepted redesignation as a Dame Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2009. [6]
In 1998, Major received the Benny Award from the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand Inc. [7] In 2008, Major performed a solo and duet with Hayley Westenra on the ChristChurch Cathedral Choir 2008 UK Tour. [8] [9] On 18 March 2011, Major performed in the national Christchurch memorial service at Hagley Park, Christchurch, in the presence of Prince William, Prime Minister John Key, Bob Parker, Hayley Westenra, ChristChurch Cathedral Choir, dignitaries, international rescue teams and tens of thousands of New Zealanders. [10] On 25 February 2012, Major performed with soprano Amina Edris and tenor Chase Douglas in the Waikato Times Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival. [11] [12]
In the 2012 Queen's Birthday and Diamond Jubilee Honours, Major was appointed a Member of the Order of New Zealand, the country's highest civilian honour. [13]
The Malvina Major Retirement Village in Wellington is named for her. [14]
In 1991 Dame Malvina established the Dame Malvina Major Foundation to promote education through awards and provide training for young New Zealanders in the performing arts. Recipients of the Foundation's annual $50,000 Dame Malvina Major Award include Amitai Pati [15] and Natasha Te Rupe Wilson. [16]
Major is listed in 2022 as an Associate at the music programme at the University of Waikato in Hamilton, New Zealand. [17]
Hayley Dee Westenra is a New Zealand classical crossover singer. Her first internationally released album, Pure, reached number one on the UK classical charts in 2003 and has sold more than two million copies worldwide, making it one of the fastest selling albums in her country's history.
Dame Kiri Jeanette Claire Te Kanawa is a New Zealand opera singer. She had a full lyric soprano voice, which has been described as "mellow yet vibrant, warm, ample and unforced". On 1 December 1971 she was recognised internationally when she appeared as the Countess in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro at the Royal Opera House in London.
Sir Howard Leslie Morrison was a New Zealand entertainer. From 1964 until his death in 2009, he was one of New Zealand's leading television and concert performers.
Dame Sister Mary Leo Niccol was a New Zealand religious sister who is best known for training some of the world's finest sopranos, including Mina Foley, Dames Malvina Major, Kiri Te Kanawa, Mona Ross and Heather Begg.
The Topp Twins are the folk singing and activist sister comedy duo of New Zealand entertainers Jools and Lynda Topp. They are known for their country music influenced style, live shows and television performances. They often perform as characters, the most notable being the roles Ken & Ken, and Camp Mother & Camp Leader.
Jonathan Fa'afetai Lemalu is a New Zealand bass baritone opera singer. Born to Samoan parents who had emigrated to New Zealand, he was educated in Dunedin. His first singing teacher was Honor McKellar, who began teaching him while he attended Otago Boys' High School. He studied both Law and Music at the University of Otago, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws in 1999.
Villa Maria College is a single-sex secondary school in Christchurch, New Zealand. It was opened on 18 February 1918 with 14 pupils. It was founded by the Sisters of Mercy and served as a parish school when boys were admitted in 1921. From 1941 the school reverted to being a girls' college. Villa Maria College is a day school but it also had boarders between 1935 and 1979. In 1981, the college was integrated into the New Zealand state school system under the Private Schools Conditional Integration Act 1975 but its proprietors remain the Sisters of Mercy.
Dame Kāterina Te Heikōkō Mataira was a New Zealand Māori language proponent, educator, intellectual, artist and writer. Her efforts to revive and revitalise the Māori language led to the growth of Kura Kaupapa Māori in New Zealand.
Paradiso Homecoming Tour was a concert tour by New Zealand classical crossover singer Hayley Westenra.
Diggeress Rangituatahi Te Kanawa was a New Zealand Māori tohunga raranga of Ngāti Maniapoto and Ngāti Kinohaku descent. At the time of her death she was regarded as New Zealand's most renowned weaver.
Dame Rangimārie Hetet was a New Zealand tohunga raranga, a master of Māori weaving.
Tayla Alexander is a New Zealand singer who has been hailed as an up-and-coming opera star by New Zealand media. Tayla's debut album Songbird charted in the top 10 on both the Independent Music New Zealand Album charts (IMNZ), and the New Zealand Music Charts, making her the youngest artist to appear on the New Zealand music charts.
Rānui Ngārimu is a New Zealand Māori weaver and textile artist. She has chaired Te Roopu Raranga Whatu o Aotearoa, the national Māori weavers' collective, and is formally acknowledged as a master weaver by appointment to the collective's Kāhui Whiritoi group in 2008.
Phillip Rhodes is a New Zealand-born baritone opera singer.
The Dame Malvina Major Foundation, named after New Zealand soprano Malvina Major was established in 1991.
Madison Nonoa is a New Zealand-born soprano opera singer of Samoan, Niuean, and Pākehā heritage.
Helen Medlyn is a New Zealand mezzo-soprano opera singer, musical theatre actor, media producer and gardener. She is particularly known for her comic roles and for her cabaret performances.
Natasha Te Rupe Wilson is a New Zealand soprano opera singer of Māori and Pākehā heritage.
Madeleine Pierard is a New Zealand lyric soprano opera singer and teacher. She holds the Dame Malvina Major Chair in Opera at the University of Waikato.
Jane Mary "Molly" Atkinson was a New Zealand singer and singing teacher. She was one of the first professional full-time classical singers in New Zealand. In 1996, she was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to music.
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