Name: Semele
Start: 2025-06-30T00:00:00.000Z
End: 2025-07-18T00:00:00.000Z
Location: Royal Opera House

Admin

Royal Opera House

Théâtre des Champs-Elysées

Orchestra

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

Others

Chorus of the Royal Opera House

Chorus master

William Spaulding

Conductor

Christian Curnyn

Soprano

Pretty Yende

Semele

Tenor

Ben Bliss

Jupiter

Bass

Brindley Sherratt

Cadmus

Somnus

Contralto

Carlo Vistoli

Athamas

Alice Coote

Juno

Mezzo-soprano

Niamh O'Sullivan

Marta Hovhannisyan

Iris

Stage director

Oliver Mears

Set designer

Annemarie Woods

Costume designer

Lighting designer

Fabiana Piccioli

Choreographer

Sarah Fahie

English

London

United Kingdom

Main Stage

Semele Händel

Public

Private

Joshua Dos

Approved

Jupiter lives to seduce and destroy. Semele is his latest conquest. 

Uncanny, strange and darkly satirical, this new production from Oliver Mears considers powerlessness, privilege and degradation. First performed in 1744, Semele marks the latest instalment in The Royal Opera's series of Handel's Covent Garden works. Pretty Yende headlines, with Ben Bliss, who makes his debut with The Royal Opera, as her seductive but sinister lover. Brindley Sherratt, Carlo Vistoli and Alice Coote also star, conducted by Baroque specialist Christian Curnyn.

VISIONS OF PARADISE 
The most famous aria in Handel's musical drama is ‘Where'er you walk’, sung by Jupiter to reassure Semele. It is equally popular across the classical music community. ‘Where'er you walk / Cool gales shall fan the glade / Trees where you sit / Shall crowd into a shade,’ sings Jupiter, likening his palace gardens to paradise. Set to lyrics by Alexander Pope from the poet’s Pastorals, the aria is recognisable for its calm and serene manner, making it a popular wedding – and funeral – song.

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Cast

Crew

Ensemble

Co-Producer