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outlook on the
Ancient Greek myth. The opera's thematic function can be considered to not specifically be the abuse of women and authority by men, but rather the general abuse of power and the lack of criticism of authority in society. The concept that violence stems from silence is also dealt with
646:
Tereus enters in daylight and Procne reveals
Philomele to him. She berates him and presents him with the mangled body of Itys as an image of himself and the future. Tereus takes Itys' sword and attempts to kill Procne and Philomele. The minor characters and narrators comment on the story. All three
548:
Thrace/A Shore—Both sisters are on stage, juxtaposing their viewpoints. Philomele grieves the death of the captain and commiserates with Niobe. Procne awaits the arrival of Tereus and
Philomele with the Thracian women. Tereus succumbs to Aphrodite, symbolically succumbing to lust.
620:
fill the stage. The
Thracian women perform their Bacchic rituals with Procne. Philomele enters and tells the story of her rape by Tereus using dolls she has crafted. Procne recognises Philomele and her silence, and Tereus' treachery. She swears revenge for her sister.
706:
The message that the 3000-year-old myth of
Philomele, Procne and Tereus carries from the ancient world to audiences in Australia in 2007 is that the power of words, the use of words – and particularly the ability to ask questions – is both a human right and a human
694:
Where does violence come from? I cannot answer this but I feel instinctively that it has to do with being silenced. The pen is mightier than the sword goes the old expression, yes, but it should be added that those who cannot use a pen will use a sword
566:
A Shore—On a moonlit beach Tereus declares his love for
Philomele, quoting the words of Aphrodite from the play. Philomele rejects his proposition as against the law; he rapes her. Niobe recounts her life in a world in which women are brutalised.
637:
He runs in and demands his sword from
Philomele — the women ritually slaughter him. The women then comment on violence and the lack of truth and communication in society, viewing Itys as the future incarnation of tyranny and power.
684:
by
Timberlake Wertenbaker positions the viewer to consider specifically the abuse of women and authority by men, and their supposed inability to "ask questions" and tendency to block out all forms of criticism. The play takes a far more
583:
A Shore—Niobe washes and comforts
Philomele. Tereus enters. Philomele recognises that Procne is alive, "I can smell her on you. You! You lied!" She berates Tereus, revealing his impotence in the action of rape as he had to cut her
499:
Athens—King
Pandion and Tereus discuss Philomele's journey to Thrace against a performance of the tragedy of Hippolytus and Phaedra. During the play, Tereus is struck by Aphrodite and falls in love with Philomele.
103:; Best Male Performer in a Supporting Role in an Opera to James Egglestone; and Best Female Performer in a Supporting Role in an Opera to Orla Boylan. The production was shown later that year at the Playhouse,
508:
Aboard Tereus' Ship—The voyage north with Tereus, his ship captain and followers begins, with Philomele accompanied by Niobe. Philomele plies the captain with questions; she is attracted to him.
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A Remote Shore—Tereus' followers, and in particular two soldiers, question the elongated travel time to Thrace. He evades their enquiries. They sense a darker subtext but choose to ignore it.
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Two soldiers are curious about the progress of the female Bacchic mysteries. Itys appears. The soldiers hold him up for a better view of the secret proceedings and he sees a woman with his sword.
604:
Thrace—Procne, Itys and Tereus are together in the palace. Itys plays at being a soldier. Procne has become used to Thracian ways and announces that she will join the rituals of
491:
Five years pass; Procne is lonely for Philomele. Procne's companions sense a danger in sending Tereus back to Athens for Philomele, but they do not have the words to express it.
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Athens—Procne and Philomele, two sisters, "discuss life's charms and the attractions of men." A dead soldier intervenes in the idyllic state of Procne and Philomele.
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The work concludes with a postlude of metamorphosis; Itys questioning Philomele about her new life and Philomele, Procne and Tereus telling why they had to transform.
596:
Niobe comforts Philomele. Tereus returns and gives her money to look after Philomele. He kisses Philomele and leaves her, "My sweet, my songless, my caged bird."
717:
Plot: Minor plot details are changed in the opera. The role of Niobe's servant is truncated as well as the majority of dialogue being truncated from the play.
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Thrace—Procne awaits Tereus amid her uncommunicative and knowing companions. Tereus returns and tells Procne that Philomele died on the voyage.
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are its elements, but in the words of the drama, "We cannot rephrase it for you. If we could, why would we bother to show you the myth?"
108:
126:
with Emma Matthews (Philomele), Anke Höppner (Procne), Elizabeth Campbell (Niobe), Richard Anderson (Tereus), the composer conducting.
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Thrace—At home, Procne's companions sense danger, "Your sister is on the sea and Tereus is a young man." Procne dismisses them.
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Philomele and the captain talk and declare love. Tereus interrupts and kills the captain under the guise of protecting Philomele.
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King Pandion, their father, gives Procne in marriage to Tereus, liberator of Athens. Tereus and Procne leave for
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Tereus lies, announcing Procne's death to Philomele, who is grief-stricken, demanding to see the body.
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Thrace—Procne has a child, Itys, and fantasises that Itys would one day be king and ruler.
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about men and women and the condition and experience of women in a
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with a knife — he cuts out her tongue and leaves her.
429:: fate, sexual conflict, suffering, female desire, the
823:
Best Female Performer in a Supporting Role in an Opera
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in the opera, with greater scrutiny than in the play.
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Best Male Performer in a Supporting Role in an Opera
926:synopsis and cast list, Sydney, 29 October 2011.
953:Synopsis by composer Richard Mills, video clips
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647:are transformed into birds. Philomele into a
95:: for Best Music Direction to Richard Mills;
8:
64:, Western Australia, in a co-production of
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700:Timberlake Wertenbaker, program notes
88:. The Perth production received four
41:. It is an adaptation of the ancient
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451:Against a background of war outside
60:It premiered on 10 February 2007 at
1029:Operas based on works by Sophocles
674:Differences between play and opera
375:West Australian Symphony Orchestra
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770:Best Female Performer in an Opera
143:Roles, voice types, premiere cast
105:Queensland Performing Arts Centre
97:Best Female Performer in an Opera
82:Queensland Performing Arts Centre
66:Perth International Arts Festival
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938:World premiere programme booklet
109:Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne
608:. Tereus rejects her advances.
157:Premiere cast, 10 February 2007
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854:Helpmann Awards Winners 2007
62:His Majesty's Theatre, Perth
37:is based on her play of the
924:The Love of the Nightingale
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18:The Love of the Nightingale
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276:Tamsyn Stock-Stafford
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49:by her brother-in-law
35:Timberlake Wertenbaker
1034:Operas based on plays
193:Niobe/Nurse/Narrator
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70:West Australian Opera
965:by Stephen Carnell,
963:Review (Sydney 2011)
859:19 July 2008 at the
794:Peter Coleman-Wright
742:Best Music Direction
201:Elizabeth Campbell
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107:, Brisbane, and at
912:Sydney Opera House
655:and Tereus into a
303:Annabelle Chaffey
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118:In October 2011,
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326:King Pandion
324:1st Soldier/
175:Orla Boylan
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115:conducting.
113:Richard Gill
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43:Greek legend
17:
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1014:2007 operas
649:nightingale
159:Conductor:
998:Categories
841:References
427:patriarchy
394:Dan Potra
385:Lindy Hume
352:mute roles
349:Wrestlers
223:/Narrator
221:Hippolytus
180:Philomele
153:Voice type
545:Scene 12:
537:Scene 11:
362:mute role
341:baritone
310:The Queen
256:Aphrodite
47:Philomela
39:same name
857:Archived
710:—
698:—
695:instead.
687:feminist
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634:Scene 8:
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488:Scene 5:
480:Scene 4:
468:Scene 3:
460:Scene 2:
448:Scene 1:
417:Synopsis
407:Costumes
399:Lighting
381:Director
300:soprano
286:soprano
273:soprano
260:soprano
219:Captain/
210:baritone
183:soprano
31:libretto
958:YouTube
893:The Age
679:Themes:
653:swallow
618:Bacchae
606:Bacchus
369:Chorus
296:Phaedra
206:Tereus
171:soprano
167:Procne
111:, with
93:in 2007
1009:Operas
974:Portal
721:Awards
657:hoopoe
473:Thrace
453:Athens
391:Design
330:tenor
294:Helen/
242:treble
55:Procne
51:Tereus
29:. The
21:is an
988:Opera
828:2007
805:2007
778:2007
586:hymen
556:Act 2
441:Act 1
308:June/
270:Hero
227:tenor
149:Role
130:Roles
23:opera
750:2007
616:The
433:and
423:myth
282:Iris
252:Echo
237:Itys
84:and
956:on
99:to
33:by
1000::
931:^
910:,
659:.
455:,
80:,
76:,
72:,
68:,
57:.
976::
254:/
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