Dunedin tenor in footsteps of ‘god’

By JOHN LEWIS

07/01/2008

FOLLOWING in the footsteps of ‘‘tenorial god’’ Placido Domingo at the Metropolitan Opera in New York is a big step for Simon O’Neill, but it is a goal he has been marching towards his whole life.

The former Dunedin tenor and St Kilda Brass Band tuba player is rehearsing the lead role of Siegmund in the Wagner opera Die Walkure, which will be staged later this month.

The role was previously performed by Domingo and other world class tenors such as Lauritz Melchior and Jon Vickers, and O’Neill (35) believes his selection for the role at the Metropolitan Opera has earned him a reputation as one of the top five singers of Siegmund in the world.

‘‘This is the first time I have been involved in the famous 1985 Otto Schenk production of the opera without the great master — Placido Domingo,’’ O’Neill said.

‘‘In all honesty, I miss his incredible talent in the role of Siegmund — the greatest singer of the role for many, many years. He’s a tenorial god.’’

O’Neill said he was ‘‘extremely honoured’’ to have the opportunity to perform the role at the Metropolitan Opera.

‘‘Honour is the only word to use because of the history of the singers who have performed it at the Met,’’ he said.

‘‘Siegmund is one of the premier roles in the tenor repertoire. The role requires vocal power, volume and a grasp of 19th century Germanic poetry whilst playing a savage wolf boy hero. It sounds peculiar but it’s pretty close to the essence of the role.

‘‘I suppose looking at the quality of opera houses that I am singing this role, I could be looked on to be one of the top five Siegmunds in the world — something I truly cannot grasp, an incredible honour.’’

O’Neill said he had been fortunate to perform several times at the Met previously, but his performance as Siegmund on February 9 would be his first ‘‘big lead role’’.

Since 2004, he had paid his dues at the Met by acting as a ‘‘cover’’ for Domingo — a singer who prepares the role fully but is required to go on stage only if the other singer is ill.

‘‘This year, I have been upgraded to be the actual performer and I have someone else who covers me.’’

O’Neill’s debut as Siegmund at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden last year was received to wide critical acclaim. He was described by critics as ‘‘the star’’, ‘‘an exemplary Siegmund, terrific of voice’’, ‘‘the finest I’ve heard’’, ‘‘a towering presence’’ and ‘‘a turbocharged tenor’’.

During the 2006-07 season, O’Neill appeared at the Met as the Gran Sacerdote in Mozart’s Idomeneo, Florestan in Fidelio at the Royal Opera House (London), Mitch in Andre Previn’s A Streetcar Named Desire at Theater an der Wien and several performances of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with Leonard Slatkin, Daniel Harding and Christoph von Dohnanyi.

While the past year had been hectic, O’Neill said the year ahead was ‘‘going to be a big one’’. He will sing in Die Walkure at most of the world’s great opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera, Covent Garden, Strasbourg, Berlin, Madrid, Paris and Hong Kong.

On the concert stage, he will perform the title role of Parsifal in Rome at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia, Rachmaninoff’s The Bells with Edo de Waart and the Hong Kong Philharmonic and a New Zealand concert with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Jonathan Lemalu and Helen Medlyn in Nelson on February 19.

‘‘I am really looking forward to returning to New Zealand a few times to sing for my family and friends. This is my biggest joy. I can’t wait to sing with Jon again. Last time was over 10 years ago in Christchurch, and before that, it was with the University Capping Sextet.’’