Darren Pene Pati is a 24yr old Samoan-born tenor. In August this year, Pene won the the most prestigious Aria contest in Australasia, the Sydney Eisteddfod Macdonalds Aria, formerly known as 'Sydney Sun Aria'.In 2009, Pene also won the prestigious NZ Aria in Rotorua and also received the ‘Most Promising Voice’ award that year. In 2010 he won the Performing Arts Competition Society ‘NZ Young Performer of the Year’ award which takes place every 2nd year in Invercargill. Maestro and Highly respected Richard Bonygne singled out the Samoan-born tenor quoting ‘he has a voice from the Gods’ (Sydney Herald). Pene has also been the recipient of several major awards including the inaugural ‘Iosefa Enari memorial’ scholarship from Creative Arts NZ, the Seamus Casey Memorial Award, and many more from the University of Auckland such as the Pears Britten and Marie D’albini. In May this year, Pene performed the role of Elvino in La Sonnambula, which was put on by The Auckland Opera Studio and was given high praise that it had been requested to show again next year. A regular performer with Opera Factory, he sang the title role in their production of Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld’, as well as performing in masterclasses there with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Dame Malvina Major and Sir Andrew Davis in June 2009. In July 2010, Pene was one of the Three Pacific Tenors who sang the Anthem for the All Blacks vs South Africa game in Wellington.

Matthew is a former pupil of Welsh soprano Patricia O'Neill and the RWCMD. In 1998 and in 2000 he joined the Massed choirs of Neath and District as a soloist in a concert to celebrate the new Millennium with co-artiste, internationally famous, Katherine Jenkins. Later that year he joined WNYO to play Macheath in the revised version of Benjamin Britten's Beggar's Opera. During his time with WNYO, Matthew also performed tohe roles of Pirelli in the Sondheim thriller Sweeny Todd, and Nanki-poo in Gilbert & Sullivan's Mikado, a role he then repeated for the National Youth Opera of Northern Ireland at the Belfast Opera House to great acclaim from the press.

Over the years Matthew has become a well-known artiste, winning at local Welsh Eisteddfods and appearing in concert with many Choirs both in Wales and England

Perth born Roberto Francesco Abate has performed with the West Australian Opera since 2006 where he made his debut as a member of the West Australian Opera Chorus. In 2009 Roberto performed the role of Nemorino for WA Opera’s Opera in the Park, marking his lead role debut. Other principal roles he has performed or understudied with the company are Parpignol (La bohème), 1st Priest (Die Zauberflöte), Nadir (Les Pêcheurs des Perles, Cover), Harry (La Fanciulla del West), Bob Bowles (Peter Grimes), Nanki – Poo (Mikado), Don Jose (Carmen, Cover) and Beppe (Pagliacci).

In addition to this, Roberto has sung in the company’s Young Artist Concert Series since the 2007 inaugural year and has been a member of the Young Artist Program since 2008. He was awarded the Bendat Scholarship in 2009 and the Wesfarmers Arts Young Artist full-time position with WA Opera for 2010.

Roberto studied at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), where he completed a Certificate IV in Classical Voice and a Certificate II in Music Theatre.  In 2006 Roberto was awarded the Royal Schools of Music Young Singer Competition and the Michelle Robinson Scholarship for Most Outstanding Classical Singer (WAAPA).  Roberto is grateful to the Australian International Opera Awards (AIOA) scholarship and the Salzer Grant for supporting his studies.