Described as an electrifying celebration of Māori and Pasifika literature, this year Sydney Opera House will bring the powerful voices of Oceania to life with the award-winning stage production UPU.
Marking its Australian premiere with an exclusive season at the Sydney Opera House from the 7-10 May, UPU is curated by award-winning poet Grace Iwashita-Taylor and led by powerhouse director Fasitua Amosa.
The theatrical work consists of the UPU (meaning words) from 28 poets including young activists, poet laureates and literary prize winners.
Spanning five decades and more than a dozen cultures across Te Moana nui a Kiwa (the Pacific Ocean), the poems share the myriad of stories and perspectives of people connected by the largest body of water on earth.
UPU is performed in English by six of Aotearoa/New Zealand's most celebrated actors, who masterfully create a snapshot of experiences as broad and deep as the Pacific Ocean itself.
Artistic director and co-creator of UPU Collective, Fasitua Amosa shared his thoughts surrounding the production and the meaning of its title.
"Pure magic happens when poetry is lifted off the page and performed – there's a connection that anchors these stories straight into the souls of our audience," Amosa said.
"The word upu exists in many different languages of the Pacific Islands, so we are thrilled to continue sharing these particular words with people around the world.
"It will be an amazing opportunity to connect with the thriving Pasifika diaspora across the Tasman Sea during our Sydney Opera House season."
Sydney Opera House head of First Nations Programming, Michael Hutchings, said UPU is the perfect representation of the true power of theatre.
"UPU is the perfect representation of the true power of theatre. Both timeless and incredibly urgent, this is a work that shows the importance of empathy as the way forward," Hutchings said.
"There is a real cross-generational spirit embedded in UPU that allows audiences to experience firsthand how intertwined our shared past and collective future is.
"It will be a special moment to have this world-class work from impressive First Nations voices on the Sydney Opera House stage."
A Pasifika-led creative organisation from Aotearoa/New Zealand, UPU Collective is committed to expanding opportunities for Pasifika artists to develop, create, and present theatre works that centre storytelling from their sea of islands.
Championing Pasifika artists to maintain full agency over their work at every stage, UPU is the collective's first production, with a second currently in development.
After its world premiere with Silo Theatre at the Auckland International Arts Festival in 2020, UPU has toured extensively around Aotearoa/New Zealand, followed by festival presentations in Montreal and Mexico City.
In February 2026, it will return to Canada for a full four-week tour.
The Sydney Opera House season of UPU is led by one of Aotearoa's most prestigious and acclaimed actors, Maiava Nathaniel Lees, alongside Ana Corbett, Mia Blake, Fasitua Amosa, Nicola Kāwana and Shadon Meredith.
It is supported by Performing Arts Network NZ and the Pacific Arts Strategy – Global Moana from Creative NZ.
UPU will run from the 7-10 May, 2025.
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