Requiem

Access & Inclusion Learn more p83–86

What does it mean to be alive, knowing that life is finite?

Poignantly shaped around poetry by Bill Manhire, Sam Hunt, Chloe Honum, Ian Wedde and James K Baxter, and inspired by the visual language of acclaimed photographer, Anne Noble, this exquisite world premiere work from awardwinning composer Victoria Kelly explores one of the most ancient musical forms, the Requiem, and takes it to new secular and spiritual heights.

In contemplating our existence, the natural world, and feelings of wonder, loss, longing, desire and surrender, Kelly has created an orchestral and choral work of rare beauty and power, uplifted by the magnificent voices of Simon O’Neill and Jayne Tankersley.

Ātahu – a work for taonga puoro and orchestra by Ruby Solly – is a second, much-anticipated world premiere that will be performed in the same evening. Complementing the two debuts will be performances of Debussy’s Nocturnes and one of Mahler’s Rückert-Lieder, ‘Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen’.

PRESENTED BY AUCKLAND ARTS FESTIVAL & AUCKLAND PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA

SUPPORTED BY COMPOSER VICTORIA KELLY TENOR SIMON O’NEILL ONZM SOPRANO JAYNE TANKERSLEY CHOIRMASTER DAVID SQUIRE LUMINATA VOICES WOMEN’S CHAMBER CHOIR AUCKLAND PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA

TAONGA PUORO MAIANGINUI

RUBY SOLLY Ātahu DEBUSSY Nocturnes MAHLER ‘Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen’ VICTORIA KELLY Requiem

Great Hall, Auckland Town Hall

Sat 11 March, 7.30pm

1hr 30mins inc interval

Pre-show talk: 6.15pm (Concert Chamber)

TICKETS $52 – $131

BOOK NOW AAF.CO.NZ

“Themes don’t come any greater... life and death, love and loss, beauty, transience, and our place in the cosmos... It is her own sense of shape and scale, sonics and song, and remarkable ability to unsettle with one chord and comfort with the next, that makes this much-needed secular requiem a musical experience that is awesome in the truest sense.” — nick bollinger