Photo: Tim Finn
The story idea came first, the opera came about by chance.
A co-founder of prominent New Zealand band Split Enz, Tim Finn had long been fascinated by Tupaia, the Tahitian star navigator who guided Captain James Cook to Aotearoa and then helped the Englishman and his crew communicate with the locals.
Tupaia was pivotal in Cook's exploration of New Zealand, but the voyage also cost him his life. He fell ill and died in what is now Jakarta, Indonesia, in December 1770.
Finn has been to Tupaia's birthplace, and he'd visited a replica of Cook's ship the Endeavour.
Tupaia would spend the last months of his life on Cook's ship Endeavour. Photo: RNZ / Tracy Neal
One day, the New Zealand pop star found himself talking about Tupaia with the Executive Director of West Australian Opera, Carolyn Chard.
She was so taken by the tragic tale that she persuaded him to make it into an opera, which he did, with help from a few others.
NZ Opera premiered Ihitai Avei’a - Star Navigator in 2021. It was co-composed by Tim Finn and Tom McLeod with Tahitian orero - or monologue - by Célestine Hitiura Vaite.
From the December 2022 NZ production of Ihitai Avei’a - Star Navigator in Porirua. Photo: Stephen A'Court
The opera focusses on the often-difficult relationship between Cook and Tupaia, one a European used to thinking his culture were the most advanced on the planet, the other a proud Tahitian who saw no reason to subjugate himself to his hosts.
While Tupaia and Cook changed the course of history, their relationship was not a happy one. Cook did not warm to the Tahitian, while Tupaia struggled with the British food Cook insisted that he eat.
Tim Finn speaks with RNZ Concert host Bryan Crump about the process of creating an opera, and his collaborators Célestine Hitiura Vaite and Tom McLeod.
Finn would send song lines to McLeod who would then send back a more fleshed-out operatic score. Hitiura Vaite brought a Tahitian perspective and 'orero' to the opera, in the form of a spoken monologue.
Finn also did a bit of research down at the opera house, where Puccini's music became a favourite.
Having just turned 73, Finn isn't sure he has another full opera in him, but he's definitely interested in creating a chamber opera, if NZ Opera were interested.
"Collaboration's the way to go," he says.
