Pinchgut Opera presents Semele by Handel

Join us for a captivating journey of seduction, ambition, and divine consequence as Pinchgut Opera closes its season with a thrilling new staging of Handel’s Semele.

This opera, known for its seductive beauty and dramatic intrigue, marks a celebration of the company's evolution since it first presented Semele nearly 25 years ago.

Directed by acclaimed Australian director Neil Armfield, whose previous productions have been hailed as landmark achievements, this rendition promises to be a visual and auditory feast.

The story intertwines myth and humanity, following a mortal woman who becomes the lover of Jupiter, the king of the gods. Her desire for immortality leads her to demand to see him in his true form, a choice that seals her fate when Juno, Jupiter’s jealous wife, intervenes.

Featuring a powerhouse cast, including beloved Pinchgut artists Alexandra Oomens and Catherine Carby, alongside British tenor David Webb and countertenor Austin Haynes in their exciting debuts, this performance is set to be a grand spectacle.

With the emotional force of Cantillation and the Orchestra of the Antipodes, expect a performance filled with grandeur, intimacy, and vibrant color. Handel’s score is rich with moments of rapture, wit, and aching beauty, charting a journey from ecstasy to ruin.

In Semele, the line between desire and destruction has never sounded so thrilling, bringing the season to a spectacularly triumphant close!

📍 Location: Societe Generale House, 348-352 George St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia