Heartbreakingly the WA Opera has been forced to cancel the production of Tim Finn’s debut opera Star Navigator (Ihitai ‘Acei’a) for the second year running.

The new work was scheduled to be performed in early August, but the closing of borders between New Zealand and Australia, due to the most recent Covid-19 outbreak on the east coast of Australia, has meant that Finn and other key creatives are unable to travel to Western Australia.

The brand new opera, Finn’s first, was commissioned by West Australian Opera, New Zealand Opera and Victorian Opera and supported by the state government of Western Australia.

Based on the true story of Tupaia, a Tahitian star navigator who sailed with James Cook on the Endeavour, work explores the 1770 meeting of two master mariners, each from vastly different backgrounds and cultures: Cook, the exceptionally talented sailor steeped in the European traditions of seafaring and navigation, and Tupaia, with his encyclopedic knowledge of the geography of Pacific region and the succession of stars to follow to travel between the Polynesian islands.

The production was originally announced as part of WA Opera’s 2020 season, and it would have been the work’s world premiere. The opera did get it’s first performance earlier this year in Auckland. The WA opera had hoped to bring it to Perth audiences as part of their 2021 season.

Finn has enjoyed a long career in popular music, first as part of New Zealand’s Split Enz, before embarking on a long and successful solo career. He has also spent time as a member of Crowded House, alongside younger brother Neil. The two brother have also released several albums together.

Alongside the opera work, Finn has also recently written the songs for a musical version of The Ladies in Black. 

Ticket holders will be contacted to arrange refunds.

OIP Staff

You can support our work by subscribing to our Patreon
or contributing to our GoFundMe campaign.