THE WORLD'S FINEST OPERA
BALLET, THEATRE AND MUSIC
Handel: Semele
Emma Pearson (Semele); Amitai Pati (Jupiter / Apollo); Sarah Castle (Juno / Ino); Paul Whelan (Cadmus / Somnus); Stephen Diaz (Athamas); Chelsea Dolman (Iris); Sashe Angelovski (Priest)
Witness The Wedding of the Year, filmed at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Auckland New Zealand. Handel’s Baroque masterpiece Semele is an exciting mix of opera and oratorio. Unlike his much more famous Messiah, this work scandalised audiences when first performed at Covent Garden theatre in 1774.
Drawn from Ovid’s Metamorphoses, the sensual story explores a love triangle between Jupiter, King of the Gods, his wife, the goddess Juno, and his lover, the mortal princess Semele…
DVD
Genre: Opera
Release Date: 01/01/2023
Sound Formats: Dolby Digital Stereo 2.0 & Dolby Digital Surround 5.1
Ratio: 16:9 Anamorphic
Subtitles: EN, DE, JP, KO
Catalogue Number: OA1362D
BLU-RAY
Genre: Opera
Release Date: 01/01/2023
Sound Formats: LPCM 2.0 & DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Ratio: 16:9
Subtitles: EN, DE, JP, KO
Catalogue Number: OABD7309D
Conductor(s):
Peter Walls
Peter Walls
Orchestra(s):
New Zealand Opera Chorus; Holy Trinity Cathedral Choir; New Zealand Opera Baroque Orchestra
New Zealand Opera Chorus; Holy Trinity Cathedral Choir; New Zealand Opera Baroque Orchestra
Artist(s):
Emma Pearson; Amitai Pati; Sarah Castle; Paul Whelan; Stephen Diaz; Chelsea Dolman; Sashe Angelovski; New Zealand Opera Chorus; Holy Trinity Cathedral Choir; New Zealand Opera Baroque Orchestra; Peter Walls
Emma Pearson; Amitai Pati; Sarah Castle; Paul Whelan; Stephen Diaz; Chelsea Dolman; Sashe Angelovski; New Zealand Opera Chorus; Holy Trinity Cathedral Choir; New Zealand Opera Baroque Orchestra; Peter Walls
"New Zealand Opera’s dazzling production, delivered with an ecclesiastical setting that is resonantly a propos.
... not to be missed ..." (New Zealand Herald)
"a triumph ... creating a stunning interpretation of one of the great Handel operas" (New Zealand Arts Review)
"This is theatre and music of the highest level of enjoyment with its delightful performance, gorgeous staging and lush design. And how often do you get invited to the wedding of the year?" (New Zealand - Radio 13)
"Semele is a joyous romp of a film, bursting with wit and vivacity…. The camerawork is fluid and keeps up with the pace, and the cast has a romp of a time… Emma Pearson leads as Semele, with a clear and bright soprano.... She whizzes through the character’s emotions with glee and gives a strongly physical performance. " (Opera Now ★★★★★)
"Amitai Pati is the pick of the bunch. The Samoan tenor ... is an outstanding Jupiter, bright-toned and full-voiced... Paul Whelan's Cadmus/Somnus is a treat, bringing the best of both bass and baritone to the contrasting roles." (Gramophone)
"...led by Emma Pearson’s moody Semele and Amitai Pati’s burly Jupiter (…), with fine support from countertenor Stephen Diaz as Athamas and Sarah Castle’s fire-cracker Juno (…), the young cast perform heroically, while Peter Walls extracts lovely sounds from the New Zealand Opera Baroque Orchestra." (BBC Music Magazine ★★★★)
"The small body of orchestral players, helped by the church acoustic, retain plenty of body under the enthusiastic baton of Peter Walls. The singing cast, all of them of course locals, are really a very impressive bunch. Emma Pearson is a stellar Semele...Amitai Pati is effective both as the rough biker, producing really heroic tones at times...[This version] engages more whole-heartedly with the dramatic elements in the music, and as such earns a recommendation even to those who might shrink from quite such an aggressive updating of the action. Indeed they might even enjoy themselves, in a naughty sort of way of course." (Musicweb International)
"All participants enter enthusiastically into the spirit of Burgess and Coat’s entertaining show. The two central performances in particular possess a genuinely starry quality. " (Opéra Magazine)
... not to be missed ..." (New Zealand Herald)
"a triumph ... creating a stunning interpretation of one of the great Handel operas" (New Zealand Arts Review)
"This is theatre and music of the highest level of enjoyment with its delightful performance, gorgeous staging and lush design. And how often do you get invited to the wedding of the year?" (New Zealand - Radio 13)
"Semele is a joyous romp of a film, bursting with wit and vivacity…. The camerawork is fluid and keeps up with the pace, and the cast has a romp of a time… Emma Pearson leads as Semele, with a clear and bright soprano.... She whizzes through the character’s emotions with glee and gives a strongly physical performance. " (Opera Now ★★★★★)
"Amitai Pati is the pick of the bunch. The Samoan tenor ... is an outstanding Jupiter, bright-toned and full-voiced... Paul Whelan's Cadmus/Somnus is a treat, bringing the best of both bass and baritone to the contrasting roles." (Gramophone)
"...led by Emma Pearson’s moody Semele and Amitai Pati’s burly Jupiter (…), with fine support from countertenor Stephen Diaz as Athamas and Sarah Castle’s fire-cracker Juno (…), the young cast perform heroically, while Peter Walls extracts lovely sounds from the New Zealand Opera Baroque Orchestra." (BBC Music Magazine ★★★★)
"The small body of orchestral players, helped by the church acoustic, retain plenty of body under the enthusiastic baton of Peter Walls. The singing cast, all of them of course locals, are really a very impressive bunch. Emma Pearson is a stellar Semele...Amitai Pati is effective both as the rough biker, producing really heroic tones at times...[This version] engages more whole-heartedly with the dramatic elements in the music, and as such earns a recommendation even to those who might shrink from quite such an aggressive updating of the action. Indeed they might even enjoy themselves, in a naughty sort of way of course." (Musicweb International)
"All participants enter enthusiastically into the spirit of Burgess and Coat’s entertaining show. The two central performances in particular possess a genuinely starry quality. " (Opéra Magazine)
Emma Pearson (Semele); Amitai Pati (Jupiter / Apollo); Sarah Castle (Juno / Ino); Paul Whelan (Cadmus / Somnus); Stephen Diaz (Athamas); Chelsea Dolman (Iris); Sashe Angelovski (Priest)
Witness The Wedding of the Year, filmed at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Auckland New Zealand. Handel’s Baroque masterpiece Semele is an exciting mix of opera and oratorio. Unlike his much more famous Messiah, this work scandalised audiences when first performed at Covent Garden theatre in 1774.
Drawn from Ovid’s Metamorphoses, the sensual story explores a love triangle between Jupiter, King of the Gods, his wife, the goddess Juno, and his lover, the mortal princess Semele…
DVD
Genre: Opera
Release Date: 01/01/2023
Sound Formats: Dolby Digital Stereo 2.0 & Dolby Digital Surround 5.1
Ratio: 16:9 Anamorphic
Subtitles: EN, DE, JP, KO
Catalogue Number: OA1362D
BLU-RAY
Genre: Opera
Release Date: 01/01/2023
Sound Formats: LPCM 2.0 & DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Ratio: 16:9
Subtitles: EN, DE, JP, KO
Catalogue Number: OABD7309D
Conductor(s):
Peter Walls
Peter Walls
Orchestra(s):
New Zealand Opera Chorus; Holy Trinity Cathedral Choir; New Zealand Opera Baroque Orchestra
New Zealand Opera Chorus; Holy Trinity Cathedral Choir; New Zealand Opera Baroque Orchestra
Artist(s):
Emma Pearson; Amitai Pati; Sarah Castle; Paul Whelan; Stephen Diaz; Chelsea Dolman; Sashe Angelovski; New Zealand Opera Chorus; Holy Trinity Cathedral Choir; New Zealand Opera Baroque Orchestra; Peter Walls
Emma Pearson; Amitai Pati; Sarah Castle; Paul Whelan; Stephen Diaz; Chelsea Dolman; Sashe Angelovski; New Zealand Opera Chorus; Holy Trinity Cathedral Choir; New Zealand Opera Baroque Orchestra; Peter Walls
"New Zealand Opera’s dazzling production, delivered with an ecclesiastical setting that is resonantly a propos.
... not to be missed ..." (New Zealand Herald)
"a triumph ... creating a stunning interpretation of one of the great Handel operas" (New Zealand Arts Review)
"This is theatre and music of the highest level of enjoyment with its delightful performance, gorgeous staging and lush design. And how often do you get invited to the wedding of the year?" (New Zealand - Radio 13)
"Semele is a joyous romp of a film, bursting with wit and vivacity…. The camerawork is fluid and keeps up with the pace, and the cast has a romp of a time… Emma Pearson leads as Semele, with a clear and bright soprano.... She whizzes through the character’s emotions with glee and gives a strongly physical performance. " (Opera Now ★★★★★)
"Amitai Pati is the pick of the bunch. The Samoan tenor ... is an outstanding Jupiter, bright-toned and full-voiced... Paul Whelan's Cadmus/Somnus is a treat, bringing the best of both bass and baritone to the contrasting roles." (Gramophone)
"...led by Emma Pearson’s moody Semele and Amitai Pati’s burly Jupiter (…), with fine support from countertenor Stephen Diaz as Athamas and Sarah Castle’s fire-cracker Juno (…), the young cast perform heroically, while Peter Walls extracts lovely sounds from the New Zealand Opera Baroque Orchestra." (BBC Music Magazine ★★★★)
"The small body of orchestral players, helped by the church acoustic, retain plenty of body under the enthusiastic baton of Peter Walls. The singing cast, all of them of course locals, are really a very impressive bunch. Emma Pearson is a stellar Semele...Amitai Pati is effective both as the rough biker, producing really heroic tones at times...[This version] engages more whole-heartedly with the dramatic elements in the music, and as such earns a recommendation even to those who might shrink from quite such an aggressive updating of the action. Indeed they might even enjoy themselves, in a naughty sort of way of course." (Musicweb International)
"All participants enter enthusiastically into the spirit of Burgess and Coat’s entertaining show. The two central performances in particular possess a genuinely starry quality. " (Opéra Magazine)
... not to be missed ..." (New Zealand Herald)
"a triumph ... creating a stunning interpretation of one of the great Handel operas" (New Zealand Arts Review)
"This is theatre and music of the highest level of enjoyment with its delightful performance, gorgeous staging and lush design. And how often do you get invited to the wedding of the year?" (New Zealand - Radio 13)
"Semele is a joyous romp of a film, bursting with wit and vivacity…. The camerawork is fluid and keeps up with the pace, and the cast has a romp of a time… Emma Pearson leads as Semele, with a clear and bright soprano.... She whizzes through the character’s emotions with glee and gives a strongly physical performance. " (Opera Now ★★★★★)
"Amitai Pati is the pick of the bunch. The Samoan tenor ... is an outstanding Jupiter, bright-toned and full-voiced... Paul Whelan's Cadmus/Somnus is a treat, bringing the best of both bass and baritone to the contrasting roles." (Gramophone)
"...led by Emma Pearson’s moody Semele and Amitai Pati’s burly Jupiter (…), with fine support from countertenor Stephen Diaz as Athamas and Sarah Castle’s fire-cracker Juno (…), the young cast perform heroically, while Peter Walls extracts lovely sounds from the New Zealand Opera Baroque Orchestra." (BBC Music Magazine ★★★★)
"The small body of orchestral players, helped by the church acoustic, retain plenty of body under the enthusiastic baton of Peter Walls. The singing cast, all of them of course locals, are really a very impressive bunch. Emma Pearson is a stellar Semele...Amitai Pati is effective both as the rough biker, producing really heroic tones at times...[This version] engages more whole-heartedly with the dramatic elements in the music, and as such earns a recommendation even to those who might shrink from quite such an aggressive updating of the action. Indeed they might even enjoy themselves, in a naughty sort of way of course." (Musicweb International)
"All participants enter enthusiastically into the spirit of Burgess and Coat’s entertaining show. The two central performances in particular possess a genuinely starry quality. " (Opéra Magazine)
