Opera's rare duo perform | Manawatu-Wanganui News | Local News in Manawatu-Wanganui

Two young men, both counter-tenors, one Chinese and the other Portuguese, mesmerise audiences everywhere they sing.

And the pair, Stephen Diaz and Xiao Ma, are singing in Wanganui next week.

Diaz, a Portuguese student originally from South Africa, is touted by some as opera's find of the century.

His extraordinary vocal range has thrilled tutors at the New Zealand Opera School and last year he was named one of NBR Opera's emerging artists.

Diaz's voice has an extra octave in its range, which takes him from tenor to counter-tenor, a rare breed indeed, British opera vocal coach Professor Paul Farrington said. Diaz is studying at Auckland University.

Xiao Ma, a young Chinese singer in New Zealand as artist-in-residence at Victoria University's Confucius Institute, is a counter-tenor with a vocal range that also extends from his natural tenor by three octaves.

New Zealand composer Jack Body said anyone who hears him will be astonished because it is such a rare voice.

The pair are singing in concert at the Sarjeant Art Gallery on Wednesday, February 22, at 5.30pm. They will be accompanied by Gao Ping on piano.

Xiao Ma will showcase his extraordinary ability to move between male and mezzo soprano registers with a repertoire ranging from baroque arias to Chinese folk and pop music.

Diaz's voice is the true octave higher than a normal tenor, which limits the number of operatic roles available to him. But he doesn't mind because he loves to sing lieder as well.

His tutors at the New Zealand Opera school in Wanganui saw Diaz's voice as a precious and valuable jewel.

They promise a superb concert, especially with the fine acoustics of the Sarjeant Gallery.