RNZ12 Jul, 2026 01:34 AM2 mins to readSamuel Mataele singing at the Kiri Te Kanawa Song Quest 2026 semi-finals. Photo / Hagen HopkinsSamuel Mataele singing at the Kiri Te Kanawa Song Quest 2026 semi-finals. Photo / Hagen HopkinsA 19-year-old countertenor from Auckland is the 2026 Kiri Te Kanawa Song Quest winner.Samuel Mataele won the $50,000 first prize at a gala event in Wellington on Saturday night, in Aotearoa New Zealand’s most prestigious opera competition.
The runner-up was soprano Sarah Mileham,
