“The Year of the Sopranos”: Nicholas Tarling Aria Competition 2025

The BNZ Theatre at the Due Drop Events Centre was abuzz as the 2025 Nicholas Tarling Aria Competition began with the 18 & Under Division. Five contestants aged 15 and above took part in a highly competitive round. Winner Samuel Mataele, a 17-year-old countertenor from Sacred Heart College, gave a brilliant rendition of “But Who May Abide” from Handel’s Messiah. Runner-up Nikau Grace Chater, a 17-year-old soprano, impressed the adjudicators with Dido’s heart-breaking lament, “When I am laid in earth”, from Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas.

The inaugural Tarling Trophy, a new division for singers aged 36 and over, brought together four experienced performers. Stephanie Cortesi was awarded the Trophy, while Sydney-based tenor Sam Elmi was named runner-up. The adjudicators praised the finalists for the variety of their repertoire and performances.

On behalf of the Competition’s three adjudicators, Patricia Wright, Claire Caldwell and Professor Uwe Grodd, Professor Grodd described the Scholarship Division as “The Year of the Sopranos”.

Soprano Breony Bearman won First Prize in the 2025 Nicholas Tarling Aria Competition with “Dich, teure Halle” from Wagner’s Tannhäuser, impressing with the range, colour and expressive qualities of her performance. Jasmine Jessen was awarded Runner-up for “Ninfe! Elfi! Silfi!” from Verdi’s Falstaff, while Emma Jones received the Most Promising Award following her performance of “Depuis le jour” from Charpentier’s Louise.

The inaugural Sally Stone Award was presented to 23-year-old soprano Olivia Forbes, whose performance impressed the adjudicators with its clarity, phrasing and musical line.

Official Accompanist Rosemary Barnes accompanied the singers throughout the Competition, while MC Jack Bourke guided the audience through the evening. The Scholarship Division was also livestreamed via the Manukau Symphony Orchestra’s YouTube channel.

2025 Results

Scholarship Division
First Prize: Breony Bearman
Runner-up: Jasmine Jessen
Most Promising Award: Emma Jones
Sally Stone Award: Olivia Forbes

18 & Under Division
Winner: Samuel Mataele
Runner-up: Nikau Grace Chater

Tarling Trophy
Winner: Stephanie Cortesi
Runner-up: Sam Elmi

Since the Competition

Since winning the Nicholas Tarling Aria Competition in 2025, Breony Bearman has continued to develop her career in New Zealand and internationally. Later that year, she sang the title role in Richard Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos with Dramatic Voices Berlin and was a finalist in the Elizabeth Connell Prize International Singing Competition. She was also selected as a Circle100 scholar to take part in a masterclass with mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato. In 2026, Breony returned to the Manukau Symphony Orchestra as a soloist in the Auckland Opera Studio/MSO Opera Gala at Auckland Town Hall.

Samuel Mataele, winner of the 2025 18 & Under Division, has also enjoyed significant success. After returning to the Nicholas Tarling Aria Competition in 2026 and receiving the Sally Stone Award, the 19-year-old countertenor went on to win the 2026 Kiri Te Kanawa Song Quest, receiving the $50,000 First Prize. He performed in the Grand Final Gala with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, with 2024 NTAC winner Sarah Mileham taking Second Prize.