Opera
Candide - Too Much Genius?
Voltaire's 18th century satirical novella takes the central character through a tumultuous series of adventures in a parody of the classic adventure-romance plot, all testing the philosophy of… Audio
Upbeat for Tuesday 13 Feb
Opera as you've never seen it with Stuart Maunder and Claire Scholes - and drag queens. And we look towards the 2018 NZO season featuring Tosca, Aida and everything in between.
Hansel and Gretel by Engelbert Humperdinck
An English language, family-friendly presentation of the classic fairy-tale opera. Video
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LEHAR: The Merry Widow
This captivating operetta offers its fair share of romantic missed connections and comic twists while presenting plentiful opportunities for a wide range of elegant and humorous stage magic Video
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The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart
Mozart’s comic yet profound look at human nature and one crazy day in a wealthy Spanish household.
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Norma, a bel canto opera by Bellini
This opera examines an ageless and archetypal situation: a powerful woman compromises her ideals for love, only to find herself betrayed by her lover. But equally gripping is her relationship with the… Video
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The Magic Flute by Mozart
A magic flute guides the young prince Tamino and his beloved Pamina through many dark trials toward the light of truth and enlightenment in this allegorical mixture of comic and serious elements
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Mongolian opera punches above its weight
The move from traditional throat singing to opera intrigued Glasgow-based music critic Kate Molleson so much she decided to travel to the country, crossing hundreds of kilometres to find out where… Audio, Gallery
Otello by Giuseppe Verdi
An opera in four acts with libretto by Arrigo Boito based on Shakespeare’s Othello
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Don Quichotte by Jules Massenet
In this version of Cervantes’ great classic, the simple farm girl of the original novel becomes the more sophisticated Dulcinée, a flirtatious local beauty inspiring the infatuated old man Don… Video
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Eugene Onegin by Tchaikovksy
The tale of the ill-timed love between Onegin and the beautiful Tatyana contains some of Tchaikovsky’s most lyrical and romantic music. Video
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Carmen by Georges Bizet
One of the top ten operas of all time, Bizet's Carmen is full of memorable melodies. Video
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Norma, a bel canto opera by Bellini
Bellini's Norma is one of the great bel canto operas from 19th century Italy. Video
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Opera stars on the rise
Five young rising opera stars take to the stage this week in Wellington to raise funds for children’s health. Four of the singers – Natasha Wilson, Manase Latu, Ipu Laga’aia and Samson Setu are… Audio
The Magic Flute by Mozart
A Magic Flute guides the young prince Tamino and his beloved Pamina through many dark trials toward the light of truth and enlightenment in this allegorical mixture of comic and serious elements. Video
Coming up
Tannhäuser by Richard Wagner
In medieval Germany, the minnesinger Tannhäuser, having spent a year in the magical underground realm of Venus, the goddess of love, longs to return to the human world. Video
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Les Troyens by Hector Berlioz
After ten years of siege, the Greeks have departed from Troy, leaving behind a giant wooden horse. Only the prophetess Cassandra, daughter of the Trojan King, wonders about the significance of their… Video
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Lucia di Lammermoor by Gaetano Donizetti
Based on a story of feuding Scottish families by Sir Walter Scott, Donizetti's opera has become a bel canto classic. Video
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Alex Taylor
Alex Taylor is the music director and writer of the show The Winterreise Project. He's also a multi-instrumentalist, composer, critic, lecturer, conductor, singer and impresario. Lynn Freeman first… Audio
Das Rheingold by Richard Wagner
The Prologue opera of Wagner's Ring Cycle is performed in Chicago in a new production by David Pountney Video
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