‘TENOR: My Name is Pati’ Hits the High Note at the Box Office

DEGANZ member Rebecca Tansley‘s documentary TENOR: My Name is Pati has had a smashing opening weekend, striking a chord with local audiences!

The feature follows the success story of renowned tenor opera singers Pene and Amitai Pati, who you may know as two-thirds of the popular musical trio, Sol3 Mio. Beginning in Samoa and moving to Aotearoa, the brothers came from humble origins before taking the opera world by storm. By weaving intimate family archival footage with behind-the-scenes observations and soaring performances, the documentary blends humour and heart to reveal the power of family, cultural pride, and determination when chasing dreams.

Rebecca has directed several arts-focused films before, covering the classic arts of ballet, orchestra, and, of course, opera. She has made two films for NZ Opera, including Semele in 2021, where she first filmed Amitai. Through the combination of her professional and personal interests in opera and the Pati brothers’ international success, she realised that the story deserved to be told on the big screen.

The documentary took three and a half years to make, taking the team around the globe and to some of the world’s most acclaimed opera houses. The film is not only a testament to the brothers’ amazing vocals but also to the production’s technical prowess. Recording opera singers is no easy feat, as each opera house has its own way of recording the singers’ performances, meaning lots of audio mixing in post-production.

TENOR’s first weekend in local cinemas placed it in the top four at the box office and secured the number one spot on 9 March, a huge feat for a feature documentary.

You can find a screening of TENOR: My Name is Pati in a theatre near you.

Last updated on 11 March 2026