Michaela Cadwgan and Bruce Greenfield in a recital of song cycles and French art songs

About the Performers:

Michaela Cadwgan is a Wellington based soprano, who in 2020 completed her BMus(Hons) with First Class Honours under the tutelage of Dr. Margaret Medlyn, Wade Kernot, Dr. Jenny Wollerman and Bruce Greenfield, alongside completing a BA in German and Italian at Victoria University of Wellington. She is also an alumna of the annual New Zealand Opera School which she attended in January of 2020. In 2019 she performed the title role of Suor Angelica in the NZSM Puccini double bill, and was selected as a finalist in both the Wellington Regional Dame Malvina Major Aria Competition and New Zealand Aria where she performed with Maestro Giordano Bellincampi and Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra. In recent years, she has collaborated with New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO at Te Papa 2020), Kapiti Concert Orchestra, and many community choirs in and around the Wellington region. Amongst her 2021 engagements she performed as the soprano soloist in Dvořák’s Stabat Mater with the Bach Choir of Wellington, as one of the soprano soloists in Mozart’s Mass in C Minor with Cantoris and NZSM orchestra, and in the sold-out Wellington season of Sweeney Todd (WITCH Music Theatre). Last August she won the Wellington Regional Aria Competition and was soprano soloist for Palmerston North Choral Society’s performance of Messiah Highlights in November of 2021. In 2022 thus far she has performed in Wellington Opera’s production of La Traviata, as a soprano soloist with Orchestra Wellington (Midsummer Night’s Dream) and looks forward to her further engagement with New Zealand Opera and Orchestra Wellington.

Bruce Greenfield is one of New Zealand’s finest accompanists and vocal coaches. He was Artistic Administrator of Wellington City Opera for the years 1996-1999 and until recently, Principal Repetiteur and Vocal Coach for New Zealand Opera. He has worked as coach and accompanist to leading N.Z. singers such as Dame Malvina Major, Barry Mora, Sir Donald MacIntyre, Christopher Doig, Margaret Medlyn, Richard Greager, Keith Lewis, Rodney Macann, Benjamin Makisi, Jenny Wollerman, Jonathan Lemalu, Aivale Cole, Bianca Andrew, Simon O’Neill, Phillip Rhodes, and Paul Whelan. As an accompanist at masterclasses, he has worked with visiting artists such as Dame Sarah Walker, Sir Donald MacIntyre, Tom Krause, Luciano Pavarotti, Grace Bumbry, Elizabeth Connell, Denis O’Neill, Håkan Hagegård, and Paul Farrington. Every year he works as vocal coach/accompanist for the NZ Opera School at Whanganui.

About the Performance

Michaela and Bruce perform a recital of French mélodie by composers Duparc and Poulenc, the whole of Ravel’s Shéhérazade (1903), and selections from Wagner’s Wesendonck Lieder, WWV91.