Orchestra Wellington’s 2024 season uses ‘The Story of Music’ as its theme. The thought-provoking suite of five concerts spans 286 years of musical genius from 1738 to the present day. The focus is on masterpieces that look back to previous eras for inspiration. Casting such a wide net allows for a diverse range of tastes. You’ll hear everything from Baroque to French impressionists, jazz to modernism, and more. Stay tuned for an epic year of concerts. The Orchestra Wellington performing at the Michael Fowler Centre to a full audience. Mark Tantrum Concerts in Wellington The Secret Society 28 September 2024 Michael Fowler Centre Les Apaches, ‘The Secret Society’ was a group of composers inspired by symbolism, Javanese music, Russian composers, poet Edgar Allan Poe, and artist Paul Cézanne. The group’s mentor, Debussy, features in this concert with his symphonic poem ‘Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun’. Other works by Boulanger and Schmitt are included, plus Ravel’s famous ‘Piano Concerto for the Left Hand’. The soloist for this concerto, Jian Liu, is the Head of Piano Studies at Victoria University of Wellington. Book now The Jazz Age 9 November 2024 Michael Fowler Centre George Gershwin’s beloved opera ‘Porgy and Bess’ is given a semi-staged performance in this thrilling concert. Considered one of the 20th century’s great operas, Gershwin blends jazz, gospel, spirituals, blues, and classical styles in a completely new way. Soloists include Deborah Wai Kapohe and brothers Eddie Muliaumaseali’i and Siliga Sani Muliaumaseali’i. They are joined by Wellington’s acclaimed Pasifika Signature Choir. Book now A Modern Hero 7 December 2024 Michael Fowler Center In 1962 Benjamin Britten was asked to write music for the reopening of Coventry’s 14th century cathedral. The building had been bombed during WWII. His magnificent ‘War Requiem’ sets the traditional Latin text ‘Requiem Mass’ alongside war poetry by Wilfred Owen. This epic piece requires massive resources including a large orchestra, a separate chamber orchestra, two organs, three soloists, a main chorus, and a boys’ choir. The orchestra’s Composer-in-Residence, Eve de Castro-Robinson, also premieres a work in this concert.