Renowned English Pianist To Perform With NZSO In Wellington

Acclaimed English pianist Paul Lewis performs for the first time in Wellington with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in May in a not-to-be-missed concert experience featuring Beethoven’s magnificent Piano Concerto No. 5 Emperor.

Pianist Paul Lewis; Conductor Eduardo Strausser; the NZSO.

Lewis, highly regarded around the world for his performances of Beethoven’s piano works, garnered rave reviews when he first played with the national orchestra in Auckland last year.

The New Zealand Herald praised Lewis for his “seemingly inexhaustible keyboard wizardry… where orchestra and soloist seemed to be battling for the turf, creating breathtaking drama”.

In 2022 Lewis was also hailed as “one of the greatest interpreters of Beethoven’s music active today” for performing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto cycle at the prestigious Tanglewood festival with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

The concert on 11 May, is Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington’s first opportunity to enjoy this internationally renowned musician. Lewis also tours with the NZSO to perform Beethoven’s complete Piano Concerto cycle in Tauranga (12-14 May) and Ōtautahi Christchurch (19-21 May).

Widely admired Brazilian conductor Eduardo Strausser leads the NZSO for all concerts.

Lewis knows Beethoven’s Piano Concerto cycle inside out. He was the first pianist to perform all five concertos at the Proms. His later recording of the cycle with the BBC Symphony Orchestra was hailed by Gramophone magazine as “vital playing”.

“The Emperor Concerto is one of those pieces by Beethoven where logic comes to the fore. The inherent, logical beauty of the way in which it’s structured makes it so satisfying; the journey seems complete,” says Lewis.

“I probably first listened to it when I was eight or nine years old, and I remember just thinking, ‘This is proper music!’ I didn’t know why that was, but I think it’s the completeness and the logic of the journey that came through.”

Emperor, in association with Summerset Retirement Villages, also features performances of acclaimed New Zealand composer Ross Harris’ Cento, and Schumann’s triumphant Symphony No 2.

Emperor

in association with Summerset Retirement Villages

EDUARDO STRAUSSER Conductor

PAUL LEWIS Piano

ROSS HARRIS Cento

BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 5 Emperor

R SCHUMANN Symphony No. 2

TE WHANGANUI-A-TARA WELLINGTON | Michael Fowler Centre|Thursday 11 May| 7.30pm

TAURANGA | Baycourt Community and Arts Centre|Sunday 14 May| 2.00pm

ŌTAUTAHI CHRISTCHURCH | Town Hall|Sunday 21 May| 2.00pm

Orpheus

in association with Summerset Retirement Villages

EDUARDO STRAUSSER Conductor

PAUL LEWIS Piano

BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 1

BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 4

TAURANGA | Baycourt Community and Arts Centre|Friday 12 May| 7.30pm

ŌTAUTAHI CHRISTCHURCH | Town Hall|Friday 19 May| 7.30pm

Reverence

in association with Summerset Retirement Villages

EDUARDO STRAUSSER Conductor

PAUL LEWIS Piano

WA MOZART Don Giovanni Overture

BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 2

BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 3

TAURANGA | Baycourt Community and Arts Centre|Saturday 13 May| 7.30pm

ŌTAUTAHI CHRISTCHURCH

| Town Hall|Saturday 20 May| 7.30pm

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