Fresh from completing her Master of Music, rising opera talent Te Ohorere Williams was preparing to take her voice to the world. But just as she planned a move to America, everything changed – her beloved mum Lynette was diagnosed with stage three bowel cancer.
“It was kind of ominous when she was diagnosed,” Te Ohorere recalls.
“We were living in limbo and had zero clue of what the outcome would be. We just had to have faith. It was probably one of the hardest years I’ve ever experienced.”
Lynette’s diagnosis in January 2025 set off a whirlwind. The following month, she underwent a bowel resection and doctors discovered the cancer had reached her lymph nodes. As soon as she recovered from the invasive surgery, she faced six gruelling months of chemotherapy.
Making the year even harder, Te Ohorere’s dad, now the family’s sole earner, works overseas and could only be home for the first two chemo sessions before he had to leave again.
Standing by her mum
“It was just me, Mum and my sister,” she tells.
“I would take her to every blood test and be there for her as much as I could. We had some incredible support people who helped take Mum to chemo appointments. I’m especially grateful to my friends and whānau who reached out, brought food over, and sat and talked with me. They were saving graces.”
Balancing dreams and family
Te Ohorere balanced all of this while studying at The Actors’ Program in Auckland. She considered putting it on pause when they received the diagnosis, but Lynette, 56, was resolute that her daughter shouldn’t put her life on hold for her.
“Mum was adamant that I didn’t change anything in my life,” the 27-year-old tells.
“It meant the world that I could support my mum through this incredibly hard journey and know that I can still pursue my own dreams.”
From science to stage
While Te Ohorere is brimming with creative ambition, she nearly didn’t become an opera singer. In high school, she excelled in science and intended to become a doctor. While she always loved being in musical theatre productions and singing in her school choir, Te Ohorere never saw it as a viable career. But that all changed when she saw celebrated Samoan-Niuean soprano Madison Nonoa performing in the NZ Opera production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute.
“I was like, ‘What? There’s someone here who is also brown and can sing!’ It gave me an incredible turning point that I could achieve and do something I love.”
Balancing hope and worry
It was a transformative moment for her and she has been single-minded in her creative pursuit ever since. And now that mum Lynette has been given a clean bill of health, there is nothing standing in her way. While she’s overjoyed by the news, Te Ohorere admits it is hard to shake the lingering worry about her mother’s health.
“It was insane going through that whole experience and now knowing she’s okay,” she reflects.
“I’m still processing what has happened. Even now, I still have the thought of, ‘Is she 100 percent okay? Will it come back?’ “But because she has to have tests every year, I’m hopeful they would catch anything before it happens again.”
Looking at the future
With Lynette’s support, Te Ohorere isn’t letting that fear hold her back. She has big plans for her future – including screenwriting, creating her own plays, and working in film and television – but opera will always be her first love.
This month, Te Ohorere is acting in the NZ Opera production of Bluebeard’s Castle, a touching one-act opera about a long-married couple navigating dementia. Although she has performed with the company many times before, this time feels different.
Performing for family
For Te Ohorere, it marks the beginning of a brighter chapter, one where she can look out into the crowd and see her mum healthy, happy and cheering her on.
“As a kid, I hated seeing my family in the audience,” she laughs.
“But now, as an adult, I crave the moments for them to see the performances. I find those moments so special, especially now.”
Te Ohorere performs in the NZ Opera production of Bluebeard’s Castle at Auckland Town Hall March 13-14. For tickets, go to ticketmaster.co.nz.
