Berlin Baroque Orchestra performs German opera in New Zealand

Enlarge image In March 2011, Berlin orchestra “Lautten Copmagney” staged several performances of the Händel opera “Xerxes” in New Zealand. Together with the NZ Victoria Opera company, the German musicians first performed in Auckland during the Auckland Arts Festival before the play moved to Wellington's St. James Theatre.

The opera by Georg Friedrich Händel (premiered in 1738) was directed by the Australian Roger Hodgman. The composition is over 3 hours long and is placed in Persia in 480 BC. It pictures the passionate but also difficult relationship between the brothers Xerxes and Arsamene with the sisters Amastre and Atalante. The opera especially stands out due to its quick changes of scene.

At the opening night in Wellington, Lautten Compagney's conductor Katschner expressed his gratitude for the financial support received to stage the event to the German Foreign Office, the Goethe Institut and others. He emphasised that the cooperation between NZ Opera and Lautten Compagney, which was visiting New Zealand for the first time, was extraordinary and very fruitful. The audience, obviously passionate about baroque music, as the concert by the Freiburger Barockorchester in Wellington in 2010 had also shown, thoroughly enjoyed the Xerxes performances. Scenes of slapstick and comic exaggerations as well as Händel's cranky characters amused the crowd and raised many laughs.

In addition, the Lautten Copmagney generously gave a benefit concert on 17 March to raise funds for the victims of the Christchurch earthquake.