Displaying items by tag: Tenor My Name is Pati movie

TENOR: MY NAME IS PATI

New Zealand, 2026, 103 minutes, Colour.

Pene Pati, Amitai Pati.

Directed by Rebecca Tansley.

The film opens with a very big man, singlet and shorts, working in a garden. Soon we see him and hear him, still very big, on stage, enthralling his audience with his clear and beautiful tenor voice. He is Pene Pati, Samoan, but moving with his family while still a boy, the oldest child, to Auckland and settling their, growing up there.

We are drawn into his story with more of his beautiful singing and then go back to family life in Samoa. Pene Pati will be well known to opera lovers but for those who are not familiar with opera, his story is something of a revelation, an enthusiastic young boy, strong-minded father and mother, getting their family to entertain with music the residents of an aged care home in Auckland, attending church, singing in the choir, playing football, chosen with a number of other young rugby players to become part of the chorus for a local production HMS Pinafore. He was also invited to help with a production of La Boheme, his first awareness of the impact of the emotion and joy of singing opera.

While the film traces Pene’s life and the gradual introduction to music, playing the piano, singing, teaming with his younger brother Amitai who also becomes an international opera tenor, joining with another friend, their cousin Moses, a baritone, to form a very entertaining singing and comic trio, Sole Mio, attracting the attention of producers, the world before him always his Samoan tradition of loyalty to family and always being open to helping others. (And throughout the film, commentary, serious and playful, from his parents and his sisters.)

Pene has had an extraordinary opera career, singing in Germany, San Francisco, at the New York Met… always good friends with his brother, brotherhood rather than rivalry, Amitai also part of the title of this film, also from the Pati family, and shown singing a range of opera pieces.

Pene is a very cheerful man, often commenting on his size, participating in this film, shown watching some of the footage, fascinated, laughing, amazed at what he has lived through. And, for opera lovers and beyond, there is a long sequence of his recording with one of the most vigorous conductors you might find, and orchestra, the familiar Nessun Dorma (and comparisons made with Pavarotti).

The many talking heads, quite international, provide helpful comments and insights about the two brothers and their singing.

Opera lovers, music lovers, will relish the experience of sharing the lives and careers of the Pati brothers – and audiences in general will enjoy this story from Samoa, to New Zealand, to the world. (The Wikipedia item on Pene is well worth looking at, a great deal of detail about his career, the many awards, the range of performances.)

1. For opera lovers, for the general audience? A story of some of, migration to New Zealand, the life of Pacific Islanders in New Zealand, music, talent, the career of the two brothers?
2. Audience knowledge of the Pati brothers? Their careers, reputations?
3. The introduction to Pene, large man, in the garden, singing, the audience wanting to know more about him, Samoa to world opera?
4. Life in Samoa, the beauty of the island, crowded home, church, the Sunday all in white and the celebration, adults, children, song, movement? The talking heads and explanations?
5. The family, personalities and mother and father, loving their family, strict and disciplined, the decision to move to Auckland, acceptance of Pacific Islanders, criticisms, their hard work in jobs, roundups and deportations?
6. The family, work, education, the comments of the parents throughout, the two sisters? The boys, school, opportunities for the piano, the singing, rugby, the players for the chorus for HMS Pinafore, the effect on Pene? Introduction to a world of music?
7. The two brothers and the friendship with Moses, the baritone, personalities, singing together, forming the group, the songs and their range, popular, the cloning, the trio, Sole Mio, the performances, to raise money, the entrepreneurs, promotion, the many concerts, the response of the audiences?
8. Pene studying in Cardiff, the possibilities for his friends, his staying with the group, finding the money, scholarships for the group, his friends and brother, his wife – and the sequences with her, the difficulties of travel and separation?
9. The range of talking heads, producers, entrepreneurs, conductors, giving the background of Pene’s career and opportunities?

• Pene and his success, accepted in the music schools, given leading roles, Rigoletto, La Traviata, his performance in Romeo and Juliet, covid and his having to step in at a moment’s notice and his success? Holding the high notes? The selection of pieces for this film, the recording of Nessun Dorma?
• Amitai, member of the Pati family, his background, genial personality, interviews, relationship with his brother, opportunities, performances, Berlin and the trouble with his voice, the announcement that he might have difficult notes, his success?
• The finale, San Francisco, the family arriving, Pene and his joy, their presence, his performance?