Rarotongan opera singer heading to London

Ridge Ponini’s rise to being an opera star began in Rarotonga, when he was singing outside his college classroom on a whim. His teacher heard him and recorded a video to submit to Otago University.

Ponini grew up in a Christian family, where singing in church was normal.

“We never knew that this would be our path in the future,” he told Afternoons. “So, I’m thankful to the great-grandparents, but I didn’t really think singing was going to be for me, to be very honest.”