The First Murder

A story of becoming human

The First Murder (Il primo omicidio) returns us to one of humanity’s oldest myths, the story of Cain and Abel, yet it is not simply a story of beginnings, but
of what follows.

Within the first family, a new emotional world emerges as innocence gives way to experience: love, loss, compassion, and the bonds that shape us.

Composed in 1707, this extraordinary oratorio unfolds with luminous beauty and dramatic intensity, tracing the moment when human feeling deepens and life becomes more complex and connected.

Scarlatti’s searing score emerges from something deeply felt — raw, searching, and profoundly truthful — a meditation on what it means to grow, to feel, and to become fully human.

In this evocative staging, director Dean Bryant, together with set designer Jeremy Allen and costume designer Melanie Liertz, harness the theatrical possibilities of the Roslyn Packer Theatre to create a world that is both immersive and vivid. Drawing on the distinctly Australian experience of the beach family holiday, the production unfolds on a coastal heath — a place of familiarity and ritual, where relationships are shaped and tested, and where a sense of forces larger than ourselves begins to take hold. In this familiar landscape, this ancient story finds a new immediacy; resonant, atmospheric, and elemental.

This evocative new production transforms Scarlatti’s oratorio into a fully staged opera, as Pinchgut reunites with acclaimed director Dean Bryant, whose music-led storytelling brings fresh clarity and urgency to this powerful work.

An exceptional ensemble unites for this production, including Sara Macliver who returns with her signature warmth and artistry. She is joined by Ashlyn Tymms, Madison Nonoa, and Kyle Stegall, each bringing fresh vitality in their operatic debuts with Pinchgut. Stephanie Dillon returns after her breakout performance in Julius Caesar, and Taryn Fiebig Scholar, Freddy Shaw takes his first featured role as bass-baritone.

Together with the Orchestra of the Antipodes under Erin Helyard’s masterful direction, Scarlatti’s extraordinary music comes vividly to life, revealing its emotional truth and radiant force.