John Daly-Peoples
Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra 2025
John Daly-Peoples
The Auckland Philharmonia has just released its 2025 Season, of forty concerts featuring some of the world’s most-important artists including violinist James Ehnes, Spanish pianist Javier Perianes, guitarist JIJI, cellist Daniel Müller-Schott, and conductor Pierre Bleuse.
The opening concert will feature New Zealander Claire Cowan’s “My Alphabet of Life”, Beethoven’s ‘Emperor’ Piano Concerto and Strauss’ tone-poem,Ein Heldenleben. All of the following concerts will provide a similar mixture of the great classics along with new and surprising works from the classical period and more recent compositions.
There will be a complete performance of Ravel’s ballet, Daphnis et Chloé.as well as a selection from The Creatures of Prometheus, Beethoven’s only published ballet.
Other major works will include performances of Beethoven’s Symphony No.5, Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No 5 and Mahler’s Symphony No 3 with mezzo-soprano Deborah Humble.
Principal Guest Conductor, Shiyeon Sung will conduct fellow Korean Clara-Jumi Kang, playing Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, and Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.21 performed by British pianist Benjamin Grosvenor, who was recently named in Gramophone magazine’s list of the 50 greatest all-time pianists.
The New Zealand Herald Premier Series will include major symphonic works by Elgar, Brahms, Shostakovich, Wagner, Mozart, and Tchaikovsky, as well as some rarely programmed gems by Ravel, Respighi, Liszt, Schoenberg and Grieg, complemented by music from leading New Zealand composers Claire Cowan, Kenneth Young and Louise Webster.
There will also be the New Zealand premiere of Sir James MacMillan’s newest concerto ‘Ghosts’, an Auckland Philharmonia co-commission with the London Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.
The Canadian violinist James Ehnes will return for a two-week residency, performing two of the most demanding works in the violinist’s arsenal – Bartók’s Violin Concerto No.1 and Brahms’ Violin Concerto.
Other soloists include Korean guitarist JIJI, German cellist Daniel Müller-Schott, Sylvia Jiang and Alexander Gavrylyu. There will also be several visiting conductors leading the orchestra including Pierre Bleuse, Karl-Heinz Steffens and Jun Märkl.
The Classic Series of five concerts will feature major masterpieces, such as Mendelssohn’s ‘Scottish’ Symphony, Haydn’s Symphony No.93, Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto and Brahms’ Piano Concerto No.2.
The Pub Charity Opera in Concert production of Verdi’s La traviata will see Giordano Bellincampi exploring the raw dramatic power of this sublime score with a celebrated New Zealand and Australian cast; including Amina Edris as Violetta, Oliver Sewell, as her lover Alfredo, and Phillip Rhodes as Germont.
The multifaceted Baroque & Beyond series will be returning with two concerts directed by Concertmaster Andrew Beer that celebrate the masters of the Baroque era from Handel’s Water Music to works by Sir Michael Tippett along with Baroque masters Biber and Corelli and 20th century composers Bloch and Respighi.
In 2025 the music of the movies will be heard in Art of the Score: The Music of Hans Zimmer. Hans Zimmer is one the most influential film composers of all time and is behind the iconic scores for Interstellar, Inception, The Dark Knight Trilogy and themes from Pirates of the Caribbean and Gladiator. Audiences will be taken on a journey through Zimmer’s music, presented by Australian Art of the Score podcasters and film buffs, Andrew Pogson and Dan Golding, with Nicholas Buc on the podium.
Matariki with Ria Hall will be a popular night to celebrate the Māori New Year. One of Aotearoa’s most compelling and thoughtful voices, Ria Hall, will join forces with the the orchestra to recreate her evocative songs ‘They Come Marching’, ‘Te Ahi Kai Pō’, and ‘Black Light’, with a magnificent symphonic soundscape.
Bic Runga with Auckland Phil will feature Runga performing such classics as ‘Something Good’, ‘Precious Things’ and ‘Bursting Through’, reimagined together with a full orchestra, this will be an extraordinary evening of musical fusion.
There will be a fun-filled interactive show featuring New Zealand’s beloved canine icon, Hairy Maclary’s Greatest Hits presented by Jackie Clarke, and a captivating show for the whole family starring everyone’s favourite duo, Wallace & Gromit, at Wallace & Gromit in Concert. including The Wrong Trousers screened in full.
Season brochures are available online from aucklandphil.nz or by phoning Auckland Philharmonia Ticketing on (09) 623 1052
New Zealand Arts Review 