McLEOD : HÔHEPA

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Wednesday 5th of February 2013 at 12 midday

Hōhepa

A chamber opera in four acts by Jenny McLEOD relating the tragic true story of the Māori chief Hōhepa Te Umuroa

Hōhepa........................................... Phillip Rhodes
Jane Mason..................................... Jenny Wollerman
Thomas Mason/Carver.................... Nicky Spence
Te Kumete/Blackie......................... Jonathan Lemalu
Te Rai/Kui...................................... Deborah Wai Kapohe
Te Tokotoko/Te Waha.................... Rawiri Paratene
Governor Grey/Warder Imrie......... Martin Snell
Kaparatehau.................................... Eddie Muliaumaseali'i
Prout/Major/Reporter/Settler.......... Robert Tucker
Te Pau/Puaha.................................. Moses Mackay
Delphina/Māori............................... Elisha Fai
Settler/Soldier................................. Andrew Grenon
Settlers............................................ Bianca Andrew
........................................................ Emma Roxburgh
Ensemble........................................ Emma Fraser
........................................................ Stephen Diaz
........................................................ Amitai Pati
Members of Orchestra Wellington/Marc Taddei (a presentation by the NBR New Zealand Opera and the New Zealand International Arts Festival recorded in the Opera House, Wellington by RNZ)

COMPOSER
PREVIEW
REVIEW
REVIEW
REVIEW 

I am writing this as I listen to this broadcast, and I am recording it for future listening. It is a pity that we cannot see the characters while we are hearing them; I confess that I did not travel to Wellington to attend a performance at the time, in March 2012; I doubt that a video recording was made. There are audio recordings of Jenny's earlier theatrical opuses: Earth and Sky (the story of Papa and Rangi) and Under the Sun (from creation to the end of planet Earth, when the sun cools, but the cosmology is not quite right). The second was a massive spectacular show, composed for the centenary of my hometown, Palmerston North. "It was performed twice there on the weekend of May 29–30, 1971", Wikipedia says; but I was playing trumpet in one of the four orchestras in the Pascal Street stadium, under John Emeleus, and I went to more performances than that (maybe I am thinking of the rehearsals, but though the program and the book of words in the box of 12" records give no dates, one newspaper cutting speaks of a "season", and the trouble in the sound system on some nights).
   My connections with Hôhepa are tenuous, but I have spent a weekend in Jerusalem (via W(h)anganui) and I have lived for a year in Tasmania (1964). Hôhepa (Joseph); the first was his home, the second was his prison (the notorious Port Arthur).  
   This "chamber opera" (well, it has a small instrumental ensemble) only had three performances, and is not likely to be staged again in an opera house; it should have been taken to Auckland, too; but the recording is a fitting memorial to a beautiful concept.