This past weekend, Tonga took center stage at an Oʻahu gala marking the 200th anniversary of the Consular Corps of Hawaiʻi. Tonga's Honorary Consul General Annie Kaneshiro, selected as dean of the corps, arranged for a special singer to perform.
Tonga native Ta’u Pupu’a sang his country's national anthem with the Royal Hawaiian Band. Everyone took notice because, you see, Pupu’a is a professional opera singer.
He lives in New York City and has performed in concerts in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. Over the years, he has been on HPR's airwaves with classical music host Gene Schiller — and his story has been shared on CNN and in The New York Times.
Speaking to The Conversation, Pupu’a said he jumped at the chance to return to Oʻahu, where he lived for a time as a child. Before becoming an opera tenor and attending Juilliard, his professional football career was cut short due to injury.
This story aired on The Conversation on Feb. 14, 2024. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
