Event |
Xerxes
|
| Venue |
Civic Theatre, Auckland, New Zealand |
| Umbrella Event |
Auckland Arts Festival |
| First Date |
2 March 2011 |
| Last Date |
March 2011 |
| Dates Estimated |
No |
| Status |
Professional |
| World Premiere |
No |
| Part of a Tour |
Yes |
| Description |
Xerxes is about love gone wrong, love gone right. Full of wonderful funny characters with a hilarious plot held together by beautiful music. Xerxes opens with a typically Handelian overture, then we hear the one airs everyone knows, 'Ombra mai fu', better known as 'Handel's Largo', sung by Xerxes to a plane tree…. Roger Hodgman's direction takes care with the comedy of the opera at the expense of Handel's more serious drama - the plane tree becomes an insignificant pot plant, while the bridge of boats with which Xerxes crosses the hellespont is downgraded to a mere model…. |
| Primary Genre |
Music Theatre
|
| Secondary Genre |
Comedy
Opera
|
| Organisations |
|
| Contributors |
|
| Further Information |
Orchestral accompaniment by Germany's Lautten Compagney, conducted by Wolfgang Katschner. A co-produciton with Victorian Opera which premiered it in Melbourne in 2009. Limited Venues. St James Theatre, Wellington, 15 - 19 March. The first fully-staged production of a Handel opera in New Zealand.
|
| Event Status |
Completed
|
| Event Identifier |
203433 |
| Dataset |
Theatre Aotearoa |
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