Samson Setu

New Zealand born Samoan bass-baritone Samson Setu is currently an artist on the International Opera Studio at the Opernhaus Zürich. In 2020-2022 Samson was an artist on the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program at the Metropolitan Opera.  In the 2021/2022 of the Met  season, Samson debuted as a Flemish Deputy / Verdi’s Don Carlos.

Samson post graduated from the Royal College of Music in London. He is a former student of the Dame Kiri Te Kanawa Programme for Young Singers and is still supported by Dame Kiri her Foundation.

In June 2022 Samson sang in the annual Georg Solti Accademia which is held in Castiglione Della Pescaia, Italy and the Opera for Peace academy in Rome that same year.

In 2023 Samson sang the title role of  Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice with New Zealand Opera. This production was a re-imagined take on the classic opera with changes to the orchestration and the entire text sung in English.

Samson made his debut with the Opernhaus Zürich in the 2023-2024 season, singing Nick Bottom / Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream for IOS and in that same season he sang Mathieu / Giordano’s Andrea Chenier and the role of Mandarino / Turandot on the mainstage. In the 2024/25 season, Samson sang in a new Barrie Kosky production of Manon Lescaut as both the Sergente and Commandante. He also sang Gregorio / Roméo et Juliette and Lord Sidney / Rossini’s Il Viaggio a Reims as part of the IOS.  Later this season,  Samson will sing Ceprano / Rigoletto and will also cover Sparafucile,  the Notario / Don Pasquale and Schlemil / Les Contes d’Hoffmann.

Next season includes  Leporello / Don Giovanni, Gran Sacerdote / Nabucco and Zuniga / Carmen at De Vlamse Opera and the title role of Le Nozze di Figaro at Opera North.

Representation : General Management