Well-known classics will be joined by big names, circus performers, kiwi hits, BBC’s Planet Earth and music inspired by Roald Dahl for the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra’s 2019 season.
Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra Photo: Adrian Malloch
Contemporary concerts for the family
Music from The BBC’s Planet Earth II television series, scored by Hans Zimmer among others, will be brought to life, accompanying footage from Sir David Attenborough’s iconic series in May.
In October The Dust Palace returns to wow crowds with acrobatics and stunts accompanied by the APO and the “NZ Mixtape” will have the APO conjuring up summertime fun in June with new orchestrations of music created by Prince Tui Teka, Crowded House, Lorde and The Clean.
“Dahlesque” is for fans of Roald Dahl, and will be performed in May. Singer Elise McCann performs well-known musical adaptations inspired by Dahl’s stories, from Matilda the Musical, and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
Film screenings are growing ever popular with the new concert-going orchestra. In July 2019 audiences will have a chance to see Academy Award®-winning stop-motion film Peter & the Wolf, with the APO performing Prokofiev’s famous score live while the film plays on the big screen.
Peter and the Wolf Photo: Supplied
Collaborations
The APO will join forces with other artists for both the Auckland Arts Festival and the Auckland Writers Festival.
In March the APO will have its premiere of Messiaen’s Turangalîla Symphony as part of Auckland Arts Festival. The early twentieth century master work will involve more than 100 musicians and two international soloists: pianist Joanna McGregor and Cynthia Miller who will give audiences a rare chance to experience the ondes martenot – one of the first electronic keyboards.
Kenneth Young Photo: Deborah Rawson
Award-winning writer Witi Ihimaera and composer Kenneth Young are working together on Man, Sitting in a Garden, which will have its world premiere at the Auckland Writers Festival in May. It stars New Zealand tenor Simon O’Neill.
In July the orchestra’s annual Opera in Concert is Mozart’s Don Giovanni. New Zealand Opera joins the APO and maestro Giordano Bellincampi along with international artists sopranos Ekaterina Siurina (Russia) and Heidi Stober (USA and New Zealand singers Jonathan Lemalu and Natasha Wilson.
Giordano Bellincampi Photo: Benjamin Ealovega
Core Repertoire
True classical fans have plenty to look forward to in the APO’s 2019 season.
Beethoven’s rarely heard Triple Concerto will be performed by Tianwa Yang (China) Gabriel Schwabe (Germany) and Nicholas Rimmer (UK) in February.
One of the biggest names in classical music, Vladimir Ashkenazy returns in September alongside Russian violin superstar Viktoria Mullova.
Vladimir Ashkenazy Photo: Keith Saunders
Chinese pipa performer Wu Man also returns in August, Canadian violinist James Ehnes will perform the Bruch Violin Concerto in May and former Michael Hill Violin competition winner Ning Feng performs Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in November.
Another highlight will be the New Zealand premiere of Ligeti’s Violin Concerto, considered to be one of the most dazzling and virtuosic works for violin. Concertmaster Andrew Beer will lead the way in June.
Well-known works from Haydn, Poulenc, Tchaikovsky, Sibelius, Dvorak and Saint-Säens add to the depth of classical repertoire for the APO’s 39th year.
