Simon O’Neill. Photo supplied.Generally the drama unfolds on the stage for opera star Simon O’Neill, but this year it has unfolded in real life. Susan Sandys reports.

Opera star Simon O’Neill feels blessed for how 2020 has worked out.

The internationally-acclaimed tenor had to fly home prior to lockdown, as his performance calendar was laid to waste by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“It’s been quite dramatic,” he said, when asked for one word which would sum up the year for him.

O’Neill was in his hometown of Ashburton this week as he and his family, today based in Auckland, took a road trip through the South Island.

O’Neill said Covid had slashed his income by more than 90 per cent in what would have been a phenomenal year in terms of the events which were initially scheduled.

This year altogether would comprise just two around-the-world trips, compared to about one dozen last year.

However, that one word, when he thought about it, was “grateful”.

“That we are safe, that we are healthy, that we have our country,” O’Neill said.

The year had given him time to be a dad, he and his family had done plenty of cooking and baking and indulged their new puppy Fritz the schnauzer.

“We loved lockdown,” he said.

And right now, they were doing plenty of singing, as he and wife Carmel and their three children Tom, Violet and Grace ventured on the road trip.

O’Neill is gearing up for a New Zealand show – Simon O’Neill, Jackie Clarke and Tim Beveridge in Concert on October 23 at 8pm at the Christchurch Town Hall.

This year the world’s performance loss has been New Zealand’s gain as O’Neill prepares to join with veteran musical theatre baritone Beveridge and much-loved pop diva Clarke for the sparkling evening of music.

While O’Neill is a German Wagner specialist, those considering going to Simon O’Neill, Jackie Clarke and Tim Beveridge in Concert can rest assured there will be very little of the high-brow on display.

Instead the world of opera will collide with the worlds of musical theatre and pop, as O’Neill, Clarke and Beveridge explore their shared love of great songs and each other’s company.

Nessun Dorma, The Prayer, The Music of the Night, Be My Love, Don’t Rain on My Parade, You Are So Beautiful, Danny Boy and Night and Day will be among songs.

It will be the first time since Opera in the Park at Rotorua three years ago that the trio have performed together.

They wish to tour the country with the concert over summer and O’Neill’s road trip this month is part of casing out potential outdoor venues.

“A lot of them have natural amphitheatres,” he said.

That includes the Ashburton Domain, which has its performance area surrounded by trees.

“We have had some lovely classical concerts there in the past, but I would love us to do a Tim, Jackie and Simon show there, it would be fantastic,” he said.

The road trip has given many opportunities for exercising his vocals and in companionship with family members he has been playing Caraoke, which is Tesla’s version of karaoke.

Requested songs play, complete with text for lyrics.

The greatest hits of both Queen and Billy Joel have featured, alongside New Zealand’s own Six60.

Even nine-month-old Fritz enjoys the singalongs, being in his element as he listens intently, O’Neill said.

He was a “cultured dog” after all, having been used to performers coming to his home for rehearsals.

“He’s been around music since he was eight weeks old.”

Meanwhile, O’Neill has masks, gloves and hand sanitiser at the ready as he prepares for his next overseas jaunt.

He goes to Berlin for three months next month, for a new production of Siegfried.

By Susan Sandys © The Ashburton Guardian - 3 October 2020