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A chat with Benson Wilson on his opera journey and latest role
Benson Wilson, winner of the 2016 Lexus Song Quest and most recently the Ryman Healthcare Dame Malvina Major Foundation Mina Foley Award , returns home to make his NZ Opera principal role debut as Schaunard in La bohème by Puccini. Hannah caught up with Benson during a break from rehearsals to chat about his journey to opera, his homecoming and just what music means to him.
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Haere rā Tama Ale Samoa
At the end of April we farewelled Tama Ale Samoa (Taranaki, Ngā Ruahine) who had been Tāwhiri's Pouārahi Māori and on our leadership team since 2021.
With over 10 years’ experience as a cultural adviser, teacher and translator including with Te Kāhui Tūroa, Lower Hutt City Council, Te Whare Maire o Tūhaereao and Paparākau Tuarua Kohanga Reo, Tama brought a wealth of experience and knowledge to Tāwhiri.
Tama Ale’s role was focused on the implementation of Tāwhiri’s Intercultural Policy across the organisation, supported by the wider team. During his time, he developed strong and trusted relationships between Tāwhiri and mana whenua and guided the organisation’s use of tikanga and te reo Māori.
We acknowledge Tama Ale’s significant impact on Tāwhiri and wish him all the best in his role with Wellington City Council.
Before he left, Kate caught up with Tama Ale to ask a few questions about his time at Tāwhiri and find out what’s next for him.
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A glimpse into the 2008 Festival...
The 2008 Festival featured more than 800 artists from 29 countries around the world, showcasing cultures from all ends of the globe on stages across Wellington and the greater Wellington region during the 24-day period.
Marking the opening of the Festival on Friday 22 February was a dawn pōwhiri welcoming overseas and local artists to Te Whanganui-a-Tara.
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Artist Spotlight - Mā
2024 Wellington Jazz Festival Commissioned Artist MĀ (Maarire Brunning-Kouka) has just released her sophomore album Blame it on the Weather.
From her debut album Breakfast with Hades, a self-produced solo project created from her bedroom, Blame it on the Weather marks an artistic shift - a move outwards, crafting a sound shaped by community and a desire to make music that reflects the now.
We sat down and had a chat with her to discuss the magic behind the music.
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Tea with Sameena Zehra
Sameena Zehra is a comedian, storyteller, actor, writer, director and blues singer/songwriter. She has performed her solo shows all over the world, including Edinburgh Fringe, Nordic Fringes, Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Brighton Fringe, Adelaide Fringe and New Zealand Fringe, where she was nominated for 'Best In Fringe' 2016, and won 'Outstanding Performer' in 2017. Before moving to New Zealand in 2019, Sameena lived and worked in the UK where she performed at the National Theatre and toured internationally with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Her new show Homicidal Pacifist - Dust Off Your Guillotines will premiere in the 2025 New Zealand International Comedy Festival 21-25 May. Sameena invited me over for a cup of tea, a chat about her work and most importantly, to meet her beautiful, friendly new cat.
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1986 - The First Festival
In 2026, we will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Festival, marking four decades of unforgettable experiences that have invigorated our city and our lives. Since 1986, the Festival has brought over 22,000 artists to the stage and has been experienced by more than 6.2 million people.
Over the next few months, we’ll be reflecting on the extraordinary moments, artists, and individuals who’ve shaped the Festival’s journey.
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Meet Tāwhiri's Festival Co-Directors
Dolina Wehipeihana (Ngāti Tukorehe, Ngāti Raukawa) and Tama Waipara MNZM (Ruapani, Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Porou) have been working side-by-side as the Festival Co-Directors since June last year. While they are deep into developing the programmes for the 2025 Wellington Jazz Festival and 2026 Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts we thought it was the perfect time to discover more about what makes them tick. We put the infamous Proust Questionnaire to them to reveal gems about their personality, tastes and aspirations.
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Inside new dance work 'Mythosoma'
Debuting this May at the YIRRAMBOI Festival in Naarm/Melbourne, ARTicle Editor Hannah Flacks sat down with artistic duo Kelly Nash and Nancy Wijohn from Body Island NZ, to discuss their new work co-commissioned by the Aotearoa NZ Festival of the Arts.
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Jazz @ Fringe
It’s always an exciting time when our friends at the New Zealand Fringe Festival bring artists across multiple disciplines into the spotlight to showcase new ideas and works in development. This year, a number of familiar #WellJazzFest faces are taking the stage with new and evolved projects, bringing a mix of genres, storytelling, and experimentation to the stage.
Here are a few shows you might enjoy from the extensive Fringe programme.
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Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts is brought to you by the energetic team of Tāwhiri, along with the generous support of our fantastic partners.