Mere Boynton
Mere Tokorahi Boynton is a Maori singer and actor of Te Aitanga a Mahaki, Ngati Oneone and Tuhoe descent.
Mere Tokorahi Boynton is a Maori singer and actor of Te Aitanga a Mahaki, Ngati Oneone and Tuhoe descent.
She has had formal training in voice at the Conservatorium of Music in Wellington, but her desire to sing in te reo Maori and her extensive experience in Maori performing arts and music has meant that Mere has developed a style of singing that draws on both her classical training and her taha Maori.
Some of her most memorable singing engagements to date have been performing in Gareth Farr's 'Te Papa,' composed specifically for the opening of Te Papa Tongarewa (Museum of New Zealand) in Wellington; singing and touring nationwide in the dance opera 'Jerusalem' by Michael Parmenter; singing in 'Te Rangimarie,' composed for the Gisborne Millennium celebrations and featuring Kiri Te Kanawa; performing the role of Frasquita in Bizet's opera Carmen; and singing in the acclaimed movie 'Te Tangata Whai Rawa o Weneti' (The Maori Merchant of Venice).
In November 2001, Mere travelled as a member of the Prime Minister's cultural entourage to South America, supporting the Prime Minister at various engagements with concerts. More recently, Mere has performed in the Maori music/dance spectacular 'Maui' in the title role of Taranga.
She also performs regularly for private and corporate functions and in 2005 launched her debut CD 'Waikohu' (The Mist), an eclectic range of compositions which have been given different vocal and musical treatments, from kapahaka style to classical string quartet with karanga.
Links
Mere's CD Waikohu on OpusCDs.com
Purchase the CD soundtrack to The Maori Merchant of Venice on maorimusic.com
Purchase Gareth Farr's Te Papa on OpusCDs.com
Review of Waikohu by Lindis Taylor for Opera Society of New Zealand
Review of Waikohu by Ian Dando for The Listener magazine.