One of the world's best pianists returns after 25 years to perform with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in September.
Canadian Louis Lortie will be joined by acclaimed Israeli conductor Asher Fisch for the NZSO's Transfiguration tour coming to Wellington, Auckland, Dunedin and Christchurch. The concerts feature three exhilarating works by Rachmaninov, Richard Strauss and Wagner.
He will play in at the Auckland Town Hall on Saturday September 7.
Lortie, hailed by The New York Times as "mesmerising" and by The Seattle Times as "brilliant", will perform one of Rachmaninov's most famous works, the romantic Piano Concerto No. 2. The concerto is the basis for the song Full Moon and Empty Arms performed by Frank Sinatra and Bob Dylan, and Eric Carmen's top 10 hit All By Myself.
Since last performing with the NZSO in 1994, Lortie has gone from strength to strength as a distinguished and virtuosic pianist. He performs with the world's leading orchestras, as along with an acclaimed recording career. He continues to spellbind audiences and critics with his interpretations of great composers, including Rachmaninov, Beethoven, Chopin, Ravel and Liszt.