Experience La Dolce Vita – ‘The Good Life’ – with the NZSO

11 February 2014

Experience La Dolce Vita – ‘The Good Life’ – with the NZSO in March

The NZSO opens its 2014 Season with a concert of festive Italian celebrations in La Dolce Vita.

NZSO Music Director Pietari Inkinen will return to delight audiences in this Wellington-only concert that features three symphonic tone poems by Ottorino Respighi and the premiere of a new commission from leading New Zealand composer Gareth Farr.

Since his last appearance with the NZSO, Inkinen has conducted orchestras around the world, directing ensembles in Japan, Switzerland, Germany (four orchestras), Italy and Australia, where he conducted Wagner’s Ring cycle in Melbourne to critical acclaim.

Pianist Tony Lee joins the orchestra to perform as the soloist in Farr’s new work, Concerto for Piano and Orchestra. Branded as ‘a new Horowitz’, the Sydney-born pianist has come to fame through his performances and international competition successes, including winning the Lev Vlassenko Competition and the Scriabin Piano Competition in 2013. Farr’s characteristic boldness and colour will perfectly complement the Italian flair of Respighi’s tone poems. The composer gratefully acknowledges the generosity of Jack Richards in commissioning this concerto.

The NZSO will also perform Respighi’s three symphonic tone poems, Feste Romane (Roman Festivals), Fontane di Roma (Fountains of Rome) and Pini di Roma (Pines of Rome). With flair and exuberance, in these works Respighi takes his listeners on an evocative, vivid tour throughRome. These three works were written following a period studying composition and orchestration with Rimsky-Korsakov, and reflect both his tutor’s use of orchestral colour and the revived nationalistic fervour of Italy at that time.

As a spectacular finale, the Wellington Brass Band will join the NZSO to perform the last movement of the last work, “Pines of the Appian Way” in Pini di Roma (Pines of Rome). Painting a picture of ancient Roman soldiers marching home along this historic military route at dawn, “Pines of the Appian Way” recalls a former age of Italy’s glories and conquests. It concludes magnificently with a legion of brass heralding the sunrise and realising the triumph of Rome.

Don’t miss this opportunity to share in a moving musical experience with the NZSO in this Wellington-only season opener.

LA DOLCE VITA
Pietari Inkinen Conductor
Tony Lee Piano

RESPIGHI Feste Romane (Roman Festivals)
FARR Piano Concerto (new commission)
RESPIGHI Fontane di Roma (Fountains of Rome)
RESPIGHI Pini di Roma (Pines of Rome)

WELLINGTON / Michael Fowler Centre / Friday 28 March / 6.30 pm / Tickets from $30

ENDS

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