Fresh from a trip to Niue recently, Samoan soprano Uitualagi Aivale Cole stopped by in Auckland on her way back home in the UK to chat about life, love and career.
The recent Commonwealth Celebrations at Westminster Abby earlier this year featured one of Pacific’s own Opera greats, soprano Uitualagi Aivale Cole.
With the British Royal family and members of the Commonwealth in attendance, Aivale sang a specially commissioned piece by the King’s Master of Music Errollyn Warren called ‘My Way of Dreaming’.
“It’s an absolute honor, an honor to be able to represent the Pacific in this way for the Commonwealth Service,” Aivale says.
“It was lovely to sing, just the voice. No accompaniment. And that’s what the King’s Master of Music… actually, that’s what she visualised.”
A Lexus Song Quest winner in 2009 and having won numerous awards, Aivale’s career spans almost 30 years.
“I did my first opera in 1999 ‘The Magic Flutel and in Wellington and that was an amazing experience,” she says.
“And then I met my husband and I didn’t actually factor into my plans that I would fall in love and get married and have children, you know.”
Together with her husband Nicholas the family live in London with her son, who has just turned 22, and her 18-year-old daughter who is studying for her A-levels.
Now that they’re older, she’s managed to get her career back on track.
“I’m a really strong believer of – you can pick up your career at a later age and to just enjoy it,” she says.
“I’m now enjoying it. I’m not stressing out about what people think. I’m just doing what I want to do.”
The soprano was here just a year ago starring in the Pasefika Opera Greats Concert. Now she is back helping fellow artists on a new project.
She has written a special piece of opera in Samoan called ‘The Women of the Mau’, hoping to inspire the next generation
“My advice would be to work hard. You’ve got to sit down. You have to learn the music. You have to translate. You have to do all the hard work.
“But once you perform and you have that confidence that you’ve done all the best you can, then you know, just enjoy; enjoy the process, enjoy the performance and enjoy, you know, working with people. Please, don’t be a diva,” pleads the Soprano.
Aivale’s father is Samoan and her Mother is Niuean. Not knowing much about her Niuean roots, she recently took part in a documentary that retraced this part of her ancestry.
“I’ve never been to Niue before. I grew up with my Samoan family,” she says.
“So to be able to go there and find out more about my Niuean heritage, it was an absolute honour and what a beautiful island it is. And the people are lovely and the food is great. It was really emotional, It was an emotional ride.”
At this stage of her career Aivale is all about the quality of life.
“Just really enjoying every moment. Family life, work life, you know, social life. When you get to my age of 85,” she laughs.
“You need to just be even more kind. You know, love is such a cliche, but love does conquer all. It really does.”
