© Stephen A’Court
New Zealand soprano Felicity Tomkins is a graduate of the Artist Diploma Opera Programme at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where she studied with Stuart Skelton. In 2024 she won both the 100th Melbourne Opera Herald Sun Aria Competition and the Sydney Eisteddfod Opera Scholarship. She has been a New Zealand Opera Studio Artist and an AIMS Graz Opernstudio Artist, and 2026/27 joins the Young Artist Programme at the National Opera Studio in London.
In the current season, Felicity will make her mainstage debut as Countess Almaviva Le nozze di Figaro (New Zealand Opera). Other roles include Annina La traviata (Auckland Philharmonia/New Zealand Opera in Concert); Cio-Cio-San Madama Butterfly (Auckland Opera Studio/Manukau Symphony Orchestra); Military Wife/Soprano 1 The Knock (Cincinnati Opera); Jeannette L’amant Anonyme, Madame Lidoine Dialogues des Carmélites (CCM Opera); Giulietta Les contes d’Hoffmann (Waikato Conservatorium Opera); and Nedda (cover) Pagliacci (Festival Opera, NZ).
On the concert platform she has performed Handel Messiah (Auckland Choral); Bacalov Misa Tango (Bach Musica); Mahler Symphony No. 4 (CCM); Rossini Petite messe solennelle, Archer Requiem (Cantando Choir); and Bach B Minor Mass (Hamilton Civic Choir). She also features on the recording of Janet Jennings’ Voices of Women (Atoll Records/SOUNZ).
Felicity has performed across the world, most recently as a Semi-Finalist in the 43rd International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition (2025) and a competitor in the 13th Nadia and Lili Boulanger International Voice-Piano Competition (2025). She has also been a Finalist or prizewinner in major competitions including the Elizabeth Connell Prize (Wigmore Hall, 2023), the Joan Sutherland & Richard Bonynge Bel Canto Award (2023), Dame Malvina Major Foundation Lexus Song Quest (Runner-Up, 2022), and Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition (Kentucky District Winner, 2022/2023).
She completed a conjoint Bachelor of Music/Science and a Master of Music with First Class Honours at the University of Waikato, supported by the Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship Programme. She also holds ATCL Diplomas with Distinction in Classical Singing Performance, Communications, and Speech and Drama, and is an alumna of the New Zealand Opera School. Her international training has been generously supported by the Dame Malvina Major Foundation, Circle100, the Kia Ora Foundation, the Patricia Pratt and Kiwi Music Scholarship Programmes, and the International Opera Awards Foundation.
Countess Almaviva / Le nozze di Figaro / New Zealand Opera / 2026
“Felicity Tomkins is a standout as the Countess, her voice both powerful and gorgeously controlled. Every line is delivered with poise and emotional clarity, filling the space without ever losing intimacy. She’s also a comic powerhouse, especially in the scenes with Cecilia Zhang’s Cherubino, where she establishes an authentic, quietly charged connection that is both sensual and barely restrained.”
(Regional News – Eyes on Wellington)
“The opening aria from Felicity Tomkins (Countess Almaviva) is one of the show’s highlights – her voice all dark hues and distressed contours.”
(The Post)
Bacalov Misa Tango / Bach Musica NZ / 2025
“Soprano Felicity Tomkins sang with gallons of voice and glowing and emotional phrases.”
(Clare Martin)
“Soprano Felicity Tomkins and Baritone Andrew Conley perfectly ‘assimilated’ an appropriately elevated mindset to deliver excellent solo-performances of a difficult work with Latin-music-infusions with their admirable technique and strong voices.”
(Rainer W. Buhmann)
Handel Messiah / Auckland Choral / 2024
“Soprano Felicity Tomkins, fresh from winning not one, but two prestigious Australian competitions, flaunted her chiselled coloratura in ‘Rejoice greatly,’ returning to the composer’s original manuscript for a special shivery flourish. Her more reflective arias, exquisitely ornamented, were a highlight of the evening.”
(NZ Herald)
