Semele, Auckland NZ, 2020

Semele by Garry Brandon

NZ Opera Presents: Semele
29th October – 6th November 2020
Holy Trinity Cathedral, Auckland, New Zealand.

Review by Sarah Kidd. Photography by Garry Brandon.

When invited to such an auspicious wedding, one would expect it to be held in a venue that reflects the occasion, the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Parnell a sublime choice.

But this is no ordinary wedding, indeed it is far from it; adultery, jealously, greed and vanity with a dash of vengeance thrown in for good measure all feature in Handel’s Semele, the secular nature of such a production played out within the walls of the cathedral, NZ Opera Director Thomas de Mallet Burgess’s nod to supporting the metaphysical tension contained within the piece.

As director, De Mallet Burgess continues to deliver outstanding productions that breathe new life into NZ Opera; Eight Songs for A Mad King an exciting production which featured as part of the 2020 Auckland Arts Festival and the upcoming The Human Voice demonstrating that opera can work on both a large and small scale.

With Semele, it is a combination of the two, the cathedral itself being a wonderfully expansive space within which the casts voices can soar, but the actual stage upon which the main action takes place limited in size. This is of course where set and costume designer Tracy Grant Lord shines, her exuberance of colour demonstrated in The Barber of Seville, coming together with her intriguingly clever and minimalistic set design of The Turn of the Screw. A word to the wise however, if unfamiliar with the story of Semele and her adulterous affair with the mighty Jupiter himself, it would pay to familiarise yourself beforehand in order to keep pace with the fast moving first act. The opera itself is performed in English however, with subtle screens on either side of the cathedral displaying subtitles.

Deliciously drawing the audience into the opening nuptials, the cast interacting with the audience as they make their way down the aisles, we are presented with the striking image of Juno on the screen hanging above the altar, reminding one and all of her power as the goddess of marriage. But it is Stephen Diaz as Athamas who steals the scene, the countertenor having such a sumptuous richness of timbre that it simultaneously fills the void while wrapping itself around you. His ability to deliver those natural falsetto notes with gentle caress sending shivers of delight throughout the room.

Drama soon ensues as Semele disappears into the arms of Jupiter (referred to as Jove), leaving Athamas and her sister Ino to console eachother, the clever touches of using both the outside of the cathedral as well as a smaller stage above the main doors – where Emma Pearson as Semele later delivers a particularly raunchy profession of ‘endless pleasure, endless love’ – ensuring that the audience is kept on its toes, performers often materializing in the unlikeliest of places. For this both Lord and De Mallet Burgess should once again be commended, as this is what makes opera an exciting event, transcending the ages, and illustrating unequivocally that the stories of the past still have lessons to teach those of today.

But it is the wonderful diversity of the main cast itself that should especially be celebrated; when the audience first meets Amitai Pati as Jupiter there is a transcendent moment of pride as he sheds his long coat and reveals his bare torso upon which he proudly bears the traditional Samoan pe’a tattoo. The tenor beloved by so many, and well known as both the brother to Pene Pati and one third of the delightful SOL3 MIO trio, captivating as the powerful Jove his experience both in the classical and contemporary realm only fortifying the quality of the production.

While in a more minor role, soprano Chelsea Dolmon as Iris enraptured the audience with her acting, dutifully assisting Juno, despite needing to often tip toe around the already irate goddess and wife of the wandering Jove. Here would be the only very minor downfall of the entire evening; while Sarah Castle brilliantly juggles both the roles of Ino and Juno, as a woman scorned, one would have expected a little more bite to Juno’s wrath. However, her scenes with Somnus, depicted brilliantly by the accomplished Paul Whelan (who also plays Cadmus) certainly made up for it.

But ultimately it is indeed Emma Pearson who is our luminous star; as the impulsive princess Semele she depicts the follies of youth with aplomb. A demanding role, that often sees her singing while rolling round on an ornate bed or strutting before the front rows, her vocals never falter once, her presence impossible to look away from. The dangers of vanity and greed communicated with a modern touch, Handel’s music itself along with William Congreve’s pre-existent libretto a pre-cursor of pop music today with it’s repetitive choruses that appeal so to the social media addicts of current times.

Youthful and self-absorbed she may be, yet Pearson still manages in her final scenes to coax empathy from those in attendance. For have we not all in our youth fallen for prides beguiling ways at some point.

With both the Freemasons New Zealand Opera Chorus and Holy Trinity Cathedral Choir in support and the debut of the newly formed New Zealand Opera Baroque Orchestra providing Handels lush baroque masterpiece, Semele is one wedding invitation that you will want to RSVP to with haste!

Were you there at the Holy Trinity Cathedral for this innovating and moving opera? Or have you seen Semele performed live somewhere else? Tell us about it in the comments below!


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