"Insights: Semele," reviewed
Intimate, private concert meets interesting talk-show: totally worthy it!
I found out only this year that the Royal Opera in London puts on a one-hour taster ahead of an opera’s opening night. They have named these events “Insights” and I was extremely lucky to have been alerted to them by a recently-made friend who happens to work as part of the team that organises them. Very grateful to Aisling for promoting it to me. Attending it inspired fully to engage with opera more deeply, to write and to start this Substack—and that means so much to me.
I attended “Insights: Semele”, highlighting this season’s run of Handel’s oratorio Semele, which premiered at Convent Garden in 1744. The event was on at 7:45PM on Thursday, 12 June 2025.
At the top of the event, we were immediately graced with a performance of “Endless pleasure, endless love,” Semele’s aria in which she expresses her joy and delight in her new relationship with the god Jupiter. Our Semele was none other than Pretty Yende, the South African soprano with a bright and warm voice. I happen to have met Ms Yende at the stage door, and can tell you she is not only talented, but also extremely nice.
Ms. Yende was recovering from a cold, but if we as an audience weren’t privy to that information beforehand, and if it weren’t for her occasional coughing during the chat portion of the vent, we would not have known. Her singing was impeccable and her personality and wit came through during her interview portion of the event.
The same can be said about the extremely talented tenor, Ben Bliss and baritone Brindley Sherratt. Both performances were splendid, though Mr Bliss’s rendition of the famous “Where E'er You Walk” moved me deeply.
I have to say, sitting in that room, only a few meters from the singers, was absolutely fantastic. I felt as though I was of a lucky few who got invited to an exclusive private concert. It was really exiting to hear live singing by a world-class cast sitting so close to the action.
It was obvious that the organisers have really put thought into the structure of the event. In addition, it was extremely clever to include an engaging slideshow of photos of the staged production so the audience can get a sense of the production design.
It was also incredibly engaging to have the ROB’s chief repetiteur, Susanna Stranders, walk us through Handel’s music, and why it’s special. Maybe I’m a nerd (I’m sure no one is surprised, since I am writing about opera as a hobby now). But I do love intricate details about niche subjects. So, I fully appreciated being walked through Handel’s score and being alerted to his idiosyncrasies and style.
In college I took an opera history class and my professor, Sherry Overholt—herself an accomplished soprano and musical artist—let me engage with bel canto without getting in the way. But she did tell me during Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice week, that “opera is so much more than one single style or tradition.” In her own words, and without encroaching on my sensibilities, she was encouraging me to explore other styles, other pieces, other composers.
I must admit I have not explored as much as I should have in the time since. That was in 2011, and I am now a much more knowledgeable, and developed opera listener, even if I stick to bel canto most of the time. But I walked out of the ROB Insights night wanting to listen to more Handel, and most importantly, to understand Baroque music a bit better.
We also rarely hear from conductors, who are instrumental—no pun intended—to the spectacle that is opera. Their vision affects even the smallest colouring of a piece. And I found the inclusion of the conductor in the conversation really interesting.
So, if you want my opinion, here it is: if you are in London (or passing by), get yourself some “Insights” tickets. I will be doing the same going forward.
The event flows really well between the singing and the chatting, with each section building on the one before. I’d also say that not much more than one hour of running time was a perfect duration: long enough to feel like you get substantial exposure but without feeling bored.
You get incredible singing, by more than one cast member, in what felt like a private, intimate concert. Plus, you get to understand the rationale and creative choices behind the production, as well as the gist of the opera/work you are going to watch without many spoilers. I dare say if you go, you’ll walk out wanting to book tickets for the opera that they’ve highlighted. But even if you don’t go to the main performance, you’ll walk out feeling as though you’re talking a little piece of it with you.
If you’re not in London, or can’t make one of these the ROB streams it on their YouTube channel, so you get an even better close-up of the action. You can watch Insights: Semele here: