Roots in Aotearoa
Born in Tauranga before studying in the capital city of Wellington, Imogen began her career in Aotearoa New Zealand, where she built a robust and versatile foundation as both a soloist and ensemble artist.
Imogen Thirlwall commands attention on stage as a fine actress...her voice has such lift and energy, galvanizing any role she takes on
/ RADIO NEW ZEALAND/
As a 2017 Freemasons Foundation Resident Artist with New Zealand Opera, Imogen understudied roles in Die Zauberflöte and Carmen, following five seasons as a member of the company’s opera chorus. She returned from Germany in 2021 as the Freemasons Foundation Guest Artist, performing Barbarina and covering Susanna in a new production of Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro.
In Aotearoa, Imogen has performed regularly with regional opera companies and as a soprano soloist with orchestra. She worked with companies such as New Zealand Opera, Wanaka Arts Festival, Days Bay Opera and Wanderlust Opera, with roles spanning Despina (Mozart: Così fan tutte), Papagena (Mozart: Die Zauberflöte), Auretta (Mozart: L’oca del Cairo), Frasquita (Bizet: Carmen), Linfea (Cavalli: La Calisto) and Lieschen (Bach: Coffee Cantata).
A natural character actor, Imogen’s early work was shaped by Mozart’s clever maids and the sharp theatrical instincts they demand.
Imogen Thirlwall's performance as Despina the meddling maid was outstanding with incredible stage presence and vocals to match.
/ TARANAKI DAILY TIMES, DESPINA IN COSI FAN TUTTE /
She was a finalist in major national competitions including the New Zealand Aria, and a semi-finalist in the prestigious Lexus Song Quest. Imogen is a recipient of a Dame Malvina Major Foundation High Achievers Award and an alumna of the New Zealand Opera School. She holds a Master of Music in Classical Voice from New Zealand School of Music, where she studied under the tutelage of Dr. Margaret Medlyn and Richard Greager and was awarded a full academic scholarship for excellence.
…Imogen Thirlwall (Barbarina) and Joel Amosa (Antonio) were also superb, displaying an intelligent approach to their parts with singing which conveyed character and emotion.
/ NZ ARTS REVIEW, BARBARNA IN LE NOZZE DI FIGARO /
Aotearoa New Zealand has a rich choral tradition shaped by internationally acclaimed conductors such as Dr. Karen Grylls and Elise Bradley, who instilled in Imogen a lasting passion for ensemble singing. As a member of the New Zealand Youth Choir, she toured through Asia and Australasia, appearing as a soloist in live broadcasts on ABC Classic FM and RNZ Concert.
With the New Zealand Secondary Students Choir, she competed at the Hong Kong International Youth and Children’s Festival and the World Choir Games in Xiamen, where the choir received top honours and international recognition.
Imogen also brings a rich instrumental background to her artistic experiences. She played trumpet for 18 years and studied papers in classical trumpet and orchestral conducting at university alongside her vocal studies. A former member of the Rodger Fox Big Band —New Zealand’s premier big band —she maintains a strong affinity for jazz.
As a soprano soloist, she has performed a wide range of repertoire, from beloved masterworks by Mozart (Mass in C Minor, Requiem, Vesperae solennes de confessore) and Haydn (Nelson Mass) to contemporary and crossover works such as Will Todd’s Mass in Blue and Hanson’s Hiawatha.
In late 2017, Imogen relocated to Europe with the support of a Young Artist Scholarship to undertake language studies at the Goethe-Institut in Berlin.