The opera ''Hōhepa'', composed by

Jenny McLeod Jennifer Helen McLeod (12 November 1941 – 28 November 2022) was a New Zealand composer and professor of music at Victoria University of Wellington. She composed several major works for big groups including ''Under the Sun'' for four orchestr ...

, premiered at the

Opera House An opera house is a theatre building used for performances of opera. It usually includes a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and building sets. While some venues are constructed specifically for o ...

Wellington Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...

in March 2012, in a production by NBR New Zealand Opera. It starred Phillip Rhodes, Deborah Wai Kapohe,

Jonathan Lemalu Jonathan Fa'afetai Lemalu (born 1976) is a New Zealand bass baritone opera singer. Born to Samoan parents who had emigrated to New Zealand, he was educated in Dunedin. His first singing teacher was Honor McKellar, who began teaching him while ...

, and Rawiri Paratene. It relates the true story of the friendship between Māori chief Hōhepa Te Umuroa and English colonist Thomas Mason during the

New Zealand Wars The New Zealand Wars took place from 1845 to 1872 between the New Zealand colonial government and allied Māori on one side and Māori and Māori-allied settlers on the other. They were previously commonly referred to as the Land Wars or the M ...

Plot

The story of Hōhepa is centred on Hōhepa Te Umuroa ( Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi, 1820?–1847), living in the

Hutt Valley The Hutt Valley (or 'The Hutt') is the large area of fairly flat land in the Hutt River valley in the Wellington region of New Zealand. Like the river that flows through it, it takes its name from Sir William Hutt, a director of the New Zeala ...

near Wellington in the 1840s. Hōhepa is befriended by

Pākehā Pākehā (or Pakeha; ; ) is a Māori term for New Zealanders primarily of European descent. Pākehā is not a legal concept and has no definition under New Zealand law. The term can apply to fair-skinned persons, or to any non-Māori New Ze ...

(white New Zealander) settlers Thomas and Jane Mason. The local Māori become disillusioned with the arrival of colonists, and land disputes lead to bloodshed; the Masons depart for

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

. Newly-appointed Governor of New Zealand Sir

George Grey Sir George Grey, KCB (14 April 1812 – 19 September 1898) was a British soldier, explorer, colonial administrator and writer. He served in a succession of governing positions: Governor of South Australia, twice Governor of New Zealand, Go ...

identifies Hōhepa as a rebel; he and other Māori are captured and sentenced to hard labour for life in the penal colony of Tasmania, and their land is confiscated. Mason, who speaks Māori, volunteers to translate for the newly-arrived prisoners, but realises Hōhepa is among them. Hōhepa dies of tuberculosis in 1847 and is buried on

Maria Island Maria Island or 'wukaluwikiwayna' in alawa kani) is a mountainous island located in the Tasman Sea">island.html" ;"title="alawa kani) is a mountainous island">alawa kani) is a mountainous island located in the Tasman Sea, off the east coast of ...

. The opera is book-ended by the 1988 repatriation of Hōhepa's remains to New Zealand by his descendants after 150 years.

Premiere

The first production of ''Hōhepa'' was at the 2012 International Festival of the Arts in Wellington. It was directed by Sara Brodie with the Vector Orchestra of 12 musicians conducted by Marc Taddei. The choreographer was

Taiaroa Royal Taiaroa Royal is the New Zealand dancer and choreographer. Early life and education Royal identifies with the iwi Te Arawa of the Rotorua and Bay of Plenty regions, Ngāti Raukawa, Uenukopako and Kāi Tahu of the South Island. As a teena ...

. The role of Hōhepa was sung by Phillip Rhodes.

References

External links

* Premiere performance of ''Hōhepa'' in ful
on YouTube
* RNZ feature on ''Hōhepa'' which aired o
3 February 2013
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hohepa 2012 operas English-language operas Opera in New Zealand