Opus Orchestra presents a powerful afternoon of orchestral and vocal music, pairing a landmark New Zealand opera by Gillian Karawe Whitehead with one of Beethoven’s most exhilarating works.
With her distinctive musical voice, Whitehead tells the true story of the great wharenui Mataatua, built in Whakatāne in 1875 by Ngāti Awa. Separated from its people and carried overseas without their consent, the wharenui journeyed for many decades before finally returning home in 2011.
Exploring themes of history, identity, and return, this compelling opera is brought to life by an outstanding trio of emerging New Zealand singers: Katherine Winitana (soprano), Tomairangi Henare (baritone), and Samuel McKeever (bass), whose voices give depth and immediacy to Whitehead’s evocative score. In the opera, the singers embody different perspectives: Te Ao Māori, the Pākehā world, and the voice of the wharenui itself, giving the story a powerful dramatic focus. Presented in concert form and with the University of Waikato vocal students as chorus, the work allows audiences to focus on the power of the music and text, shaped by the expressive forces of the orchestra.
The programme is completed by Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5, the Emperor Concerto, a work of heroic scale, lyrical breadth, and triumphant spirit. Celebrated kiwi pianist Stephen De Pledge will be our soloist, bringing virtuosity and insight to this cornerstone of the concerto repertoire.
Opus Orchestra will be conducted by Peter Walls, whose musical leadership brings these two contrasting works together into a single, memorable experience.