Superstar tenor Simon O’Neill joins NZSO for 22 April livest

Internationally renowned Kiwi tenor Simon O’Neill will perform with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra for its next at-home livestream performance at 7.30pm on 22 April.

O’Neill, hailed as one of the finest tenors of his generation, will perform from his home an excerpt from George Frideric Handel’s captivating opera Atalanta.

O’Neill will be joined by home-based NZSO Concertmaster Vesa-Matti Leppänen, First Violin Ursula Evans, Section Principal Viola Julia Joyce, Section Principal Cello Andrew Joyce and Associate Principal Double Bass Damien Eckersley.

NZSO Principal Conductor in Residence Hamish McKeich has curated all the performances for Play Our Part 5 and arranged Care Selve, ombre beate from Atalanta for O’Neill to perform.

Play Our Part 5 will also feature four other works, including Samuel Scheidt’s Canzon Cornetto performed by NZSO Sub-Principal Trumpeter Mark Carter and the first movement of Haydn’s String Trio performed by Leppänen, Associate Principal Cellist Ken Ichinose and Violist Nicholas Hancox.

Play Our Part is a free weekly online series of performances by NZSO musicians and guests in their homes during the COVID-19 lockdown. It includes support from the Orchestra’s performing partner RNZ Concert. The livestream can be viewed at live.nzso.co.nz via smart TV, mobile phone, tablet or computer.

Thousands of people have viewed the Play Our Part series and other online performances by the Orchestra since the COVID-19 restrictions. The NZSO, in association with Ryman Healthcare, is also presenting a series of livestream concerts on Sunday at 4pm. The first on 19 April featured works by Beethoven in celebration of the composer’s 250th birthday in 2020.

Play Our Part 5

VESA-MATTI LEPPÄNEN Concertmaster

NICHOLAS HANCOX Viola

KEN ICHINOSE Associate Principal Cello



HAYDN String Trio in G Major, Op. 53 No. 1 I. Allegretto e innocente

MARK CARTER Sub-Principal Trumpet



SCHEIDT Canzon Cornetto

SIMON O'NEILL Tenor

VESA-MATTI LEPPÄNEN Concertmaster

URSULA EVANS First Violin

JULIA JOYCE Section Principal Viola

ANDREW JOYCE Section Principal Cello

DAMIEN ECKERSLEY Associate Principal Double Bass



HANDEL ARR. HAMISH MCKEICH Atalanta, HWV 35 Act 1, Scene 1: Care Selve, ombre beate



Two more works to be confirmed



ONLINE PREMIERE | live.nzso.co.nz| Wednesday 22 April| 7.30pm

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