17-ton Ming Dynasty temple imported from China the centrepiece of COC’s ‘Semele’

TORONTO – An intricate 450-year-old Chinese temple is the evocative centrepiece for the Canadian Opera Company’s production of “Semele,” a baroque opera that’s been given an “East meets West” theme.

Using the Ming Dynasty temple he salvaged from a small town in China, visual and creative artist Zhang Huan has created a beautiful canvas that melds cultures and traditions for performances of George Frideric Handel’s opera, which features Juno Award-winning Jane Archibald in the leading role.

The North American premiere is Wednesday. The opera runs to May 26.

But getting the temple to the stage proved to be a mammoth undertaking. And as if that wasn’t enough, the production includes flame and water special effects, flying performers, sumo wrestlers, giant inflatables and a large-scale projection of a documentary depicting the history of the temple that’s shown during the overture.

“Our director Zhang Huan has chosen to use this real piece of history on the stage rather than constructing some artificial sets,” assistant director Allison Grant recently told reporters backstage at the Four Seasons Centre.

“His decision to use this antique temple is not so much a desire for greater realism but a belief that singing in the actual temple will be more adequately portrayed in this very human story.”

The structure’s adulterous contemporary history parallels the plot of “Semele.” When Zhang was moving the temple to his studio in Shanghai after buying it in 2007, he found a diary written by the previous owner, Fang Jixin. Jealous of his wife, Ruan Jinmei, for being unfaithful, Fang murdered one of her lovers. He was executed by a firing squad about 20 years ago. Ruan later sold the temple to provide for her young son.

In the opera “Semele,” the mortal character Semele is punished for her affair with the god Jupiter.

“This story seemed somewhat operatic and Zhang Huan felt that there was a parallel between these two stories,” Grant said.

“There are underlying themes in both ‘Semele’ and in this story of Jinmei’s jealous husband of lust and greed and sex … and violent death. So in this story of the ambitious Semele and her ultimate death and her jealous husband and his ultimate death there are definite parallels.”

In using the temple, technical director David Feheley said one of the biggest challenges is that they’re dealing with something that is real, not a piece of scenery designed to be taken apart and moved. And because the Canadian Opera Company has several productions running simultaneously, the 17-ton temple needed to be portable.

“A huge challenge for us is just to get the temple on and off the stage,” he said. “It wasn’t built to run in rep.”

A special platform on wheels was created to hold the huge structure and allow it to be pulled forward and pushed back. Cables help support it and lighting has been incorporated.

There were literally thousands of pieces — everything from small carved detail to giant posts and concrete stone bases — that were bubble-wrapped in Zhang’s studio and shipped in two 12-metre-high containers. A technician came from China to show the COC team how to unload and unwrap everything. Construction takes about 32 hours.

“And when we’re finished performances, we’ll take it all down, carefully wrap it all back up, put it back into its frames and boxes and back into containers and send it back to Shanghai,” Feheley explained.

Fashion designer Han Feng created lavish Chinese silk robes and European baroque-style costumes in an edgy fusion of Asian-inspired renaissance, said Sharon Ryman, head of hair and makeup.

Her group and the costume department also faced challenges.

Mezzo-soprano Allyson McHardy, who plays Semele’s sister Ino and Jupiter’s wife Juno, alternates between the characters three times during each performance, and her costumes had to be specially designed to go on and off quickly. No separate petticoats here. One entrance onto the stage involves a seven-minute costume change in the orchestra pit, from which she climbs in high heels up a ladder onto the stage.

“And at the same time she’s doing that, the character of Semele is doing a quick change stage right and she’s getting into a flying harness because she flies — so you can’t fart around with that,” said costume supervisor Sandra Corazza.

“She’s got to feel really safe and secure. The minute she goes up there we can’t help her in any way and then she has to sing. And when Jane sings it’s already fireworks and beauty, but that’s a scary moment.”

Alexander Neef, COC general director, said he became intrigued by “Semele” when he saw photos of Zhang’s Brussels production.

“I thought it was a really unique way of doing a baroque opera piece by Handel. It makes an unbelievably strong point for universality — a baroque opera based on a Greek myth taken on by a Chinese director who connects his own Chinese history with that piece,” said Neef.

“That’s really what we want to do here. We want to tell stories that are relevant and that speak to people from many, many different backgrounds.”

Zhang also has an exhibition of artwork running until Aug. 19 at the Art Gallery of Ontario. A large-scale metal sculpture entitled “Rising” is being unveiled Saturday at the luxury Shangri-La Hotel.

Handel’s opera with its libretto by Restoration playwright William Congreve was first performed in London in 1744.

“I think Handel would be excited about the sumptuousness of the production,” said Neef. “I think there’s a lot of splendour to it. He might have liked that.”

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