London-based Sāmoan Baritone Benson Wilson is back in Aotearoa to star in Puccini’s opera La Bohème.
In this fast paced world, one thing will always remain a constant for Benson Wilson – his home.
“It’s nice to be on this whenua, my tūrangawaewae Māngere,” he says.
It’s been almost a decade since the Sāmoan baritone moved to London to further his studies and now he’s back to make his New Zealand Opera principal role debut as Schaunard in the Italian production, La Bohème.
“I think if you like Filipino, Korean dramas you are going to love this,” Wilson says.
“It’s full of drama, there’s laughter, there’s a really interesting love story, a couple of love stories within it but then there is also loss.
“This is the Italian way of telling stories and we love singing so it kind of pairs all of these things together.”
Music has resonated with him since his high school days but Benson admits opera came as a surprise.
“It was never my plan to be an opera singer to be honest, it kind of came out of just following what I was passionate about and the tools and the gifts that God has given me,” he says.
“So, I can’t say that this was the plan but it definitely is my reality and I am grateful for that.”
In 2016 he hit a high note winning the prestigious Lexus Song Quest competition in Auckland and beside were his family and his faith.
“I think having Christ as a rock to lean on especially when times get tough because it is a highly competitive industry to be in,” he says.
“You know, you always have like your little mustard seed of faith that you always go back to and can always lean on especially when times get hard so my faith has played a huge part in where I am today.”
Married to Sāmoan opera singer Isabella Moore they now live and work in the United Kingdom. Last year they performed the traditional Sāmoan song Tōfa my feleni in front of Queen Camilla and the British royal family at a Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey.
“I have sung on many stages and in front of many people but I think the most moving for me during this performance was… I had this, like, out of body moment where I was listening to the sounds and the language of my ancestors echo through Westminster,” Wilson says.
“Where the British royal family are all crowned and to hear sounds of home echo through these halls for me, was so surreal.”
His voice is currently reverberating on theatre stages throughout Aotearoa, bringing to life Puccini’s 130 year old opera to New Zealand audiences.
“I can definitely say that I am taking every day as it comes step by step,” he says.
“As a young boy within the Mangere town centre, I would have never dreamed that I even would have left Māngere and I am grateful and I’m humbled to be able to even do this.”
