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Kōrero: Opera and musical theatre

Māori-influenced opera

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Māori-influenced opera

Composer Alfred Hill, like other Pākehā writers, artists and musicians of the late 19th century, often looked to Māori legends for inspiration; but the results could be a peculiar cultural mix. Hill's opera Tapu, composed in 1902 and performed first by the Pollard Opera Company in Wellington in 1903, was nevertheless a great success. Pictured is Nellie Wilson, who played the role of Makutu Pohoi, wearing an odd interpretation of Māori traditional dress.

Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi

Hocken Collections, University of Otago

Reference: S14-290g

Sound file from Radio New Zealand Sound Archives Nga Taonga Korero. Any re-use of this audio is a breach of copyright. To request a copy of the recording, contact Sound Archives Nga Taonga Korero (Arthur Hill talks about 'Hinemoa' / Reference number ID 33716)

Permission of the Hocken Collections Uare Taoka o Hakena, University of Otago, must be obtained before any re-use of this image. Further information may be obtained from the Library through its website.

Ngā whakaahua me ngā rauemi katoa o tēnei kōrero

Me pēnei te tohu i te whārang

Lindis Taylor, Opera and musical theatre – Composers, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/mi/photograph/41894/maori-influenced-opera (accessed 4 June 2026).

He kōrero nā Lindis Taylor, i tāngia i te 18 June 2013.

Comments

Joy Cornish
12 April 2016
Hi. The photo above is of my paternal Grandmother, Ethel 'Nellie' Wilson - I'd love to know if you have any others of her, performing with Pollard's Opera Company? Thanks! Joy Cornish