Four Days To Go To The Skycity Starlight Symphony

10 February 2004
MEDIA RELEASE – for immediate publication

Countdown On With Four Days To Go To The Skycity Starlight Symphony 2004

The excitement is building four days out from the 2004 SKYCITY Starlight Symphony, to be held this coming Saturday 14 February, at the Auckland Domain.

With a programme that includes all the favourites plus several new highlight acts and special appearances, this year’s event is guaranteed to deliver plenty of crowd-pleasing entertainment under the stars on Valentines Day.

In the spirit of romance, event hosts John Hawkesby and daughter Kate Hawkesby will encourage the 200,000 strong crowd to waltz, on mass, to the Blue Danube Strauss Waltz at the end of the first half, led by a troupe of “Ginger Rogers” and “Fred Astairs” dancing on stage.

The recipient charity for the 2004 SKYCITY Starlight Symphony is The New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation, whose campaign colour – pink - will feature at the event. Kate Hawkesby will be wearing a pink gown especially designed by Trelise Cooper and John Hawkesby, will look a treat in a pink shirt by Saks.

A recent addition to the programme is a cameo appearance by the popular Top Twins. The comedic duo and stars of their own self-titled TV show will accompany Dame Catherine Tizard, (patron of The New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation), to the stage via The New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation’s pink charity tractor to help deliver the charity message.

Some of New Zealand’s most promising emerging young stars along with several of the nation’s prominent performers will give it their all at the free annual outdoor event.

Among the up and coming talent is 17 year old John Chen (piano) – who in 2003 won both The Lev Vlassenko Concerto Competition in Brisbane (open to Australasians under the age of 30), and the Kapiti Coast Piano Competition (open to New Zealanders under the age of 25), 21 year old Liam Mallett (flute), who was crowned 'Best New Zealand Wind Player' at the Gisborne International Music Competition in 2002 and 14 year old Amalia Hall (violin) – Chamber Music New Zealand School Music Contest winner (2003).

Europe based Kiwi operatic soprano Andrea Creighton returns home to perform the famous Jewel Song from Faust, as well as the Sarah Brightman classic, A Time To Say Goodbye. Whilst still a student at the Centre de Formation Lyrique in Paris, Ms Creighton was engaged to sing a number of roles with the Opéra National de Paris, including Frasquita (Carmen) at the Opéra Bastille. Other career highlights include winning the 1996 Mobil Song Quest, being awarded the Cercle Carpeaux Prize for Most Outstanding Young Artist and the AROP Prize awarded to a young artist who has made an outstanding debut at the Paris National Opera.

Andrea made her debut at Opera New Zealand as Adèle (Die Fledermaus). In 2002, she made her first essay into the lyric repertoire in the role of Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro), again with Opera New Zealand, receiving exceptional reviews. She returned to Opera New Zealand in the summer of 2003 in the role of Rosina (Il barbiere di Siviglia – The Barber of Serville).

Returning to SKYCITY Starlight Symphony this year are the Auckland Philharmonia with Brian Law as conductor and the SKYCITY Massed Choir conducted by John Rosser.

The modern section (top of the second half) for this year’s SKYCITY Starlight Symphony will feature top New Zealand rock Diva, Tina Cross, performing alongside young heart-throb, Nick Afoa, singing romantic hits from the musical Grease, including Summer Nights and You’re the One that I Want. (Auckland Theatre Company will present Grease, at SKYCITY Theatre in Auckland – November 11 to December 12, 2004). Kiwi brothers, Rikki and Ian Morris (dressed by Morrison Hotel), will perform their number one smash hits from the eighties, Nobody Else and Game of Love.

Riding on the publicity crest of the chilling New Zealand romantic thriller “Perfect Strangers,” is Joel Tobeck returning home from his international filming schedule to perform one of the highlight acts for the event in the modern section. Joel will sing the Blues Brothers classic Everybody Needs Somebody to Love alongside friend Jason Te Patu (The Frighteners (1992), Boogie Nights, Hair and the Rocky Horror Picture Show).

Along with Joel and Jason’s Blues Brothers rendition on stage will be some special guests performing in a “world first car concerto.” Six cars courtesy of The Giltrap Motor Group, ranging from ‘baby’ cars (a Volkswagon Beetle and a Toyota Echo) to a couple of medium sized cars (Subaru Legacy and a Holden Calais) through to two ‘bigger’ cars (Mercedes Benz and a Porshe Cayenne) the “car concerto” will feature the cars “singing” alongside Jason and Joel.

Other highlights in the programme include a special Lord of the Rings orchestral segment, a spectacular Valentines Day fireworks display, the return of the Mercury Energy laser light show and crowd pleasers Pomp and Circumstance, Tchaikowsky’s 1812 Overture, The National Anthem and Now is the Hour to round off the evening.

Two of Auckland’s leading landmarks – Sky Tower and Auckland Museum - are currently lit pink every night until Sunday 15 February 2004 to celebrate the countdown to the 2004 SKYCITY Starlight Symphony, from which proceeds will this year go to The New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation.

An army of 400 or more volunteer gold coin collectors will help fundraise for the cause at the event on Saturday. Among the volunteer collectors will be high profile sporting personalities including Beatrice Faumuina, members of the Warriors rugby league team (Karl Temata, Jerome Ropati, Richard Villasanti and Wairangi Koopu), the SKYCITY Cheer team and a number of profile media personalities such as Jayne Kiely, Geoff Bryan, Sarah Bradley and Kerre Woodham.

The concert, also supported by Auckland City, Giltrap Motor Group and Mercury Energy, will begin on February 14 2004 at 7:45pm and is estimated to conclude at around 10:30pm. A postponement date at the same time on Sunday 15 February will apply if heavy rain occurs on the morning of the 14th February. Official radio station, More FM, will carry postponement details from around midday on the 14th February 2004.

SKYCITY has been the sponsor of Starlight Symphony for six years and has been proud to support The New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation in its endeavours since 2000. As well as The New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation, SKYCITY’s sponsorship portfolio includes Kidz First Children’s Hospital at Middlemore Hospital, Starship Children’s Hospital, the New Zealand Special Olympics Foundation, NBR NZ Opera, Auckland Rugby and the Vodafone Warriors.

PROGRAMME SUMMARY

SKYCITY STARLIGHT SYMPHONY 2004

AUCKLAND DOMAIN, 14 February 2004, from 7:45pm.

1 Carmen Overture: – Auckland Philharmonia.
2 Excerpt from Carmen Fantasy 4th movement: – Amalia Hall (violin).
3 Awake the Harp: SKYCITY Massed Choir.
4 Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto #1 in Bb min. Opus 23 1st movement: John Chen (piano).
5 ‘Valse’ (last mm of ‘Suite de trios morceaux’): Liam Mallett (flute).
6 The Bridal Chorus from Lohengrin: SKYCITY Massed Choir.
7 Night and Day: Tim Beveridge.
8 She: Tim Beveridge.
9 On the Street Where You Live: Tim Beveridge.
10 Jewel Song from Faust: Andrea Creighton.
11 A Time To Say Goodbye (Con Te Partiro): Andrea Creighton.
12 Blue Danube Strauss Waltz: Auckland Philharmonia.

INTERVAL

13 The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s In His Kiss): Tina Cross.
14 Nobody Else: Rikki Morris, Ian Morris.
15 Game of Love: Rikki Morris and Ian Morris.
16 Everybody Needs Somebody To Love: Jason Te Patu and Joel Tobeck.

GREASE SECTION: with BVs, Auckland Philharmonia, SKYCITY Cheer team.

17 Love is a Many Splendored Thing: SKYCITY Massed Choir.
18 Grease (Is The Word): Jason Te Patu.
19 Summer Nights: Tina Cross and Nick Afoa.
20 You’re The One That I Want: Tina Cross, Nick Afoa.
21 Mars (The Bringer Of War) from Holst’s Planets: Auckland Philharmonia and the Mercury Energy Laser Lights Show.
22 I Vow To Thee My Country from Jupiter, Holst’s Planets: SKYCITY Massed Choir.
23 Lord of the Rings Suite: Amalia Hall, Liam Mallett, Auckland Philharmonia.
24 Pomp and Circumstance (Land of Hope and Glory): SKYCITY Massed Choir, Auckland Philharmonia.
25 Tchaikowsky’s 1812 Overture: All. Plus guns, fireworks and the Mercury Energy Laser Lights Show.
26 The National Anthem: Nick Afoa, SKYCITY Massed Choir.
27 Now Is The Hour: SKYCITY Massed Choir. Auckland Philharmonia.

ends

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