Madison Nonoa

Nonoa was born in the Waikato, and attended the University of Auckland, where she graduated in 2014 with a Bachelor of Music Honours (First Class).[1][2]

In 2016 Nonoa won third place in the 2016 Lexus Song Quest and was awarded the $15,000 Kiri Te Kanawa scholarship for most promising singer.[3]

She was selected as an Emerging Artist with New Zealand Opera and made her professional debut in the role of Papagena in the 2016 production of The Magic Flute.[4] The same year she created the role of Joyce in the world premiere of the Ross Harris chamber opera Brass Poppies at the New Zealand Festival.[5][6]

In 2017 Nonoa moved to England and studied opera at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London under Yvonne Kenny.[1] She performed Susanna in Mozart's Marriage of Figaro with Bloomsbury Opera.[7]

She was supported by the Jerwood Young Artists as a member of the Glyndebourne Festival Opera chorus. In 2020 she was appearing in concert at Glynebourne with Emma Kerr and two other chorus members.[8]

Recent engagements include Papagena Die Zauberflote at Glyndebourne, a participation at Snape Maltings with Simon Keenlyside and Malcolm Martineau as part of the Momentum Scheme, Despina Cosi fan tutte and Tytania A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. The 21-22 season includes the role of Maria Westside Story for Opera du Rhin as well as a performance of Couperin’s Trois Leçons de Ténèbres for the King’s Consort.

She acknowledges the ongoing support of the Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Dame Malvina Major Foundations.