Kiwi opera singer injured after being bent over backwards in 'nightmare' prop malfunction

An acclaimed Tongan-Kiwi opera singer was injured and forced to pull out of two productions he spent months preparing for after a “nightmare” prop malfunction on stage. 

Tenor and former Songquest winner Filipe Manu, 33, was strapped to a modified beauty treatment chair by his wrists, waist and ankles when the backrest gave way, leaving him bent backwards at a near 90-degree angle and unable to free himself. 

The October 12 incident was during a dress rehearsal of New Zealand Opera’s The Pearl Fishers at Christchurch’s Isaac Theatre Royal. Manu had returned to New Zealand to play Nadir, one of the opera’s principal roles. 

Filipe Manu rehearsing his role as Nadir in NZ Opera’s The Pearl Fishers before the chair malfunctioned. Photo / NZ Opera 

NZ Opera said it “deeply regrets” Manu’s injury and has commenced a formal health and safety investigation overseen by its board, while WorkSafe has assigned an inspector to assess how it manages the safety of its stage equipment. 

The collapse 

The dress rehearsal was open to the public and among the audience were high school students, some experiencing live opera for the first time. 

A music teacher who attended with her students told the Herald the first two hours of the performance were “spectacular”. 

“One of my students said they’d never heard such incredible singing. For our ākonga to see something of such a professional level, really gives them something to aspire to.” 

However, the mood changed during the final act. 

Manu was strapped into the chair before his character Nadir’s execution, when he felt “three sudden jolts” before the backrest gave way. 

“There was nothing slow-motion about it,” the music teacher said. 

“I did have a student next to me ask, ‘Is this supposed to be happening?’ to which I replied, ‘No’.” 

Manu likened the sensation to a failed trust fall. 

“It’s the most frightening thing ever ... Because the entire weight of the backrest was pulling me back, you’re basically free falling backwards.” 

Manu said pain shot from his lower back up his spine to his neck. After “what felt like an age”, someone came to his aid and helped him back upright, but he remained strapped to the broken chair and unable to move, with no one attempting to release him. 

He eventually bent forward to loosen his wrist restraints himself, a movement he believed aggravated his injuries, before freeing himself and climbing out of the chair. 

The rehearsal continued throughout the incident and when it came time for him to sing again, Manu said he struggled. 

“I had lines to sing ... I couldn’t. It felt like a nightmare.” 

“I walked from the stage straight to my dressing room. Not a single person from NZ Opera follows me or comes to my dressing room. 

“Over the Tannoy [loudspeakers] I hear the applause for the bow, for the curtain call. And I’m there alone in this dressing room wondering what just happened. 

“It was the most gut-wrenching, heartbreaking thing ... It was the first time ever in my career that I said ‘nothing can be worth this’.” 

Manu alleged no one from NZ Opera checked in on him that night. He arranged his own doctor’s appointment the next morning. 

Medical records seen by the Herald showed Manu suffered sprains to his lower back, shoulder and neck. He was declared medically unfit to work. 

His injuries forced him to withdraw from all three Christchurch performances and the world premiere of Andrea Battistoni’s Zombie Opera at the Opera Royal de Wallonie-Liege in Belgium, for which he had spent months preparing. 

Earlier warnings 

Manu said the Christchurch incident was not the first time the chair had malfunctioned. 

He claimed the backrest had failed on three previous occasions during rehearsals in Auckland, including a September 5 public rehearsal. 

Manu said he repeatedly raised concerns about the chair but it remained in use despite attempts to reinforce it, using “very thin and very loose” cable ties and a wooden block on its backrest. 

“All confidence went out the window,” he said, calling the chair “Temu-esque”. 

The modified beauty treatment chair used during NZ Opera’s The Pearl Fishers. 

He questioned why the chair had not been withdrawn before someone was injured. 

“I truly thought because they had given me their word and they said, ‘look, it’s all secure, we’re going to be by your side’.” 

Manu said he was deeply hurt by what he described as a lack of care from NZ Opera after his injury. 

“I’ve worked at these top opera houses ... and their duty of care, their pastoral care, is immense,” he said. 

“I can’t express how much it hurts me that this company that I worked with 11 years ago, that I respected ... to return now and to be experiencing something that doesn’t align with its core values. 

“One can only assume that in not observing manaakitanga, that really it’s lip service.” 

NZ Opera responds as WorkSafe steps in 

NZ Opera confirmed a “health and safety incident” during the final minutes of a dress rehearsal, leaving Manu hurt. 

The company told the Herald it regretted Manu’s injury and remained concerned about the impact the incident had on him. 

The chair was immediately and permanently removed from the production after the incident. 

New Zealand-Tongan tenor Filipe Manu. Photo / Michael Craig 

It also said production staff provided immediate assistance on stage and checked on Manu backstage after the rehearsal. 

“Company leadership sought to contact Filipe that evening, and has continued to offer support since.” 

NZ Opera said it had launched a formal health and safety investigation, overseen by its board. . 

“Filipe has been invited to take part directly, and that invitation remains open whenever he is ready.” 

It said it was unable to comment further while its investigation was ongoing. 

“NZ Opera shares Filipe’s conviction that safety on stage must never be compromised and we are committed to the safety and wellbeing of every artist we work with.” 

WorkSafe confirmed it had initially decided not to assign an inspector as the information available did not indicate an ongoing risk. 

However, after a further review, WorkSafe has assigned an inspector to undertake a workplace assessment with NZ Opera. 

The assessment will consider how NZ Opera manages risks associated with stage equipment, involves workers in health and safety, and meets its obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. 

Samuel Dundas as Zurga and Filipe Manu as Nadir in NZ Opera’s The Pearl Fishers. Photo / Andi Crown 

‘Missed opportunity’ 

The music teacher said staff were left to answer questions from concerned students after the rehearsal and expressed disappointment that NZ Opera management had not addressed the incident. 

“I think this was a real opportunity to show, to lead by example, and I just think that the mark was missed with how it was handled at the time. 

“It is disappointing as a teacher when we promote a kaupapa within a high school performing arts space that values that manaakitanga and developing an ethic of care and respect.” 

Manu said NZ Opera’s expression of regret did not go far enough, saying he wanted an apology. 

He said he had lost confidence in NZ Opera’s ability to investigate itself and would not participate in its internal review, but would support an independent investigation. 

“There is no denying the truth, it happened in front of the public, so it should then be discussed in public.”