Key Points
Gilgamesh, a new opera from Opera Australia, Sydney Chamber Opera and Carriageworks, gives a visceral retelling of a story from a forgotten age, exploring ideas of love, tyranny and what it means to be human.. This new production reimagines the legend for 21st century audiences, while engaging cleverly with the epics timeless themes...
Along the way, he meets his companion, Enkidu (a remarkable Mitchell Riley), a man born in the wilderness and civilised through two weeks of sex with the wise priestess Shamhat (Jessica ODonoghue)...
As with this new opera, many of these modern adaptations have focused on the loving relationship between the storys two heroes, Gilgamesh and Enkidu..
The opera leans into the transformative nature of heroes epic love: Enkidus wildman innocence is corrupted by Gilgamesh; Gilgamesh is emboldened by the presence of his lover...
This can be seen where Ishtar and Shamhat plan to civilise Enkidu (engineered by Gilgamesh in the original story), and a scene where Gilgamesh and Enkidu become lovers in the Cedar Forest...
