Opera in Paradise - two tenors come to Rarotonga

And now for something completely different…
We get a fair number of entertainers passing through Rarotonga; many come for a quiet getaway but some are here to perform – mostly jazz, Polynesian pop or as DJs.
But it’s not often we have genuine opera singers on the rock and not just one but two of New Zealand’s top tenors.
Benjamin Makisi and Bonaventure Allan Moetaua were here last week for two dinner concerts organised by local company Motone Productions at the Crown Beach Resort and Spa.
Ben Makisi, often called the Pacific Pavarotti (he’s of Samoan/Tongan heritage) was here last December for a similar concert which was such a success that he came back again, this time with Bonaventure who is actually a Cook Islander. He was born and brought up in New Zealand and this is his first visit to Rarotonga but he’s got relatives here, in particular an aunt who is obviously very proud of her nephew.
It was a wonderful occasion and a great excuse for people to get dolled up. Glamour and glitz was the order of the night.
Ben and Bon are real showmen! They gave us a great variety of music – opera, musicals, island music and pop – and they were enjoying themselves so much that the audience was just carried along.
Bonaventure is only 26-years-old and already he sounds great but tenors apparently reach their peak in their late thirties or forties so he should have a wonderful future.
Let’s hope performing in Rarotonga is part of that future.