Erin Connelly-Whyte as Hansel
Erin Connelly-Whyte is a soprano from Ashburton, now based in Dunedin. She holds a Bachelor of Music with First Class Honours, completed under the supervision of Dr. Tessa Romano, and a Bachelor of Science majoring in Anatomy from the University of Otago.
Erin is an active performer and competitor, regularly travelling across Aotearoa to appear in concerts, productions, and aria competitions. In 2023, she was honoured to be the guest performer at the University of Otago’s December Graduation Ceremonies.
Her recent accolades include: recipient of internationally renowned bass-baritone Jonathan Lemalu's inaugural Honor McKellar Mentor Award, First Prize in the 2026 Christchurch Aria Competition and the 2024 Otago Daily Times Southern Aria Competition, a finalist in the 2025 Nicholas Tarling Aria Competition, recipient of the 2024 Ida G. White Music Prize, 2023 Colin and Alison Crampton Music Scholarship, and the 2022 Graham Gunn Scholarship.
Erin is no stranger to the stage, having recently debuted as Cathleen in Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Riders to the Sea with Toi Toi Opera. She received the following review for her performance of Cathleen: “…Erin Connelly-Whyte communicates the volatile fluctuations of fear, anxiety and reproach, not to mention Cathleen’s own grief, with impressive vocal tone and clarity of diction”. Connelly-Whyte is excited to be debuting as the titular role Hansel in Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel – having previously performed excerpts of the role with Opera Otago in 2023.
Performance highlights include guest soloist appearances with Jonathan Lemalu in concert, Opera Otago’s Celebrating 70 Years, Potluck: An Operatic Feast, and ChorusFest, United Fire Brigades’ Association of NZ - Gold Star Event, NZSO public masterclass with Australian mezzo-soprano Deborah Humble, Toi Toi Opera’s Lunchtime Concert Series Puccini and Pucciniana, Serenade to Music and Public Masterclass with Patrick Power ONZM, the Central Otago Regional Choir, Ashburton MSA Men’s Choir’s ANZAC Day Concert, Dunedin Children’s Choir Christmas Concert, Dunedin RSA Choir’s Toward the Light, City Choir Dunedin’s Eastertide Concert, and Southern Consort of Voices Magnetic South concert. She has also performed in the Isaac Theatre Royal’s 10th Anniversary Gala, and as a chorus member in New Zealand Opera’s The Pearl Fishers (2026), La Bohème (2025) and Le comte Ory (2024). Erin has been a regular contributor to the University of Otago’s Lunchtime Concert Series (2022–2025), and featured in Opera Otago’s Miss Brill (2022) and Chorus Concert (2023), as well as Musical Theatre Dunedin’s Les Misérables (2021).
Erin is a recent alumnus of the 2026 New Zealand Opera School and is fortunate to have been offered a place in the 2027 cohort.
In addition to performing, Erin is passionate about vocal education. She works as a vocal coach at The Voice Lab NZ and Saturday Morning Music Classes (SMMC) Otago, where she enjoys nurturing the voices of students of all ages.