NZSO line-up for next year includes Dr Who

The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra 2014 Season

Next year The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra will be undertaking a rare event on any orchestra’s musical calendar – a season of all the Beethoven symphonies. These will be performed over four days in Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin. The Ninth symphony will include a line-up of international singers – Madeleine Pierard, Andrew Staples and Jonathan Lemalu

Showcasing their impressive talent, the NZSO will collaborate with some of the major figures of the conducting world and some acclaimed international soloists to perform a series of orchestral masterpieces as well as contemporary music from home and abroad.

Conductors will include Edo de Waart and Alexander Lazarev  along with experienced virtuosos such as Håkan Hardenberger – rated as one the great contemporary trumpeters, pianist Alexander Melnikov, American cello prodigy Alisa Weilerstein and Simone Lamsma, one of the world’s leading violinists. .

Highlights include works by Grieg, Tchaikovsky and Richard Strauss; Haydn’s magnificent oratorio The Creation, led by renowned Haydn specialist Nicholas McGegan; a new commission from New Zealand composer Gareth Farr; and works by acclaimed Scottish composer James MacMillan.

The Dolce Vita concert will feature Resphegi’s three notable works – The Pines of Rome, The Fountains of Rome and Roman Festival

Major symphonies in the programme include Mendelssohn’s Symphony No 4, Mahler Symphony No 9, Shostakovich No 15 and Gorecki’s Symphony No 3 – The Symphony of Sorrowful Songs which brought him to world attention.

As part of next year New Zealand Festival the orchestra will have a Wellington only performance featuring Daleks, Cybermen and a host of other Doctor Who monsters in the BBC’s smash hit Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular

Touring with a new show based on the recent Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Proms in the UK, Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular will play three performances at Wellington’s TSB Bank Arena. This is the first time the show has come to New Zealand, following sell-out seasons in Melbourne and Sydney last year.

A musical celebration of the iconic TV series, features music written by composer Murray Gold for Doctor Who series. Specially edited sequences of Matt Smith’s performance as the Eleventh Doctor will appear on the big screen.