Survey - The Unbelievable Glory of the Human Voice

Opening with an image of Orpheus floating on the water, this eclectic documentary by future advertising maestro Tony Williams climaxes with one of New Zealand's most eyeopening montages. Loaded with examples of the many ways the human voice can make music, the film sees host Julian Waring introducing choirs, opera, balladeers and protest singers. En route, Michael Heath recreates a performance by Florence Foster Jenkins, a close cousin of Asian-New Zealand songbird Wing. The mash-up finale uses 2000 photos to showcase two decades of rock music, in a scene that must have blown minds in the suburbs. 

Opera nearly always deals with primitive passions — revenge, jealousy, murder, rampaging sexuality, lust. In fact someone once said that if a martian were to land on earth, he’d get a better idea of human conduct through visiting the Italian opera than from almost anything else.

– Presenter Julian Waring

Key Cast & Crew

Julian Waring

Writer, Presenter

Michael Heath

As: Florence Foster Jenkins

John O'Shea

Producer

Ian John

Editor

Tony Williams

Director, Writer

Kathy O'Shea

Assistant Editor