The king is back

ART SONGS AT TIROMOANA: Baritone William King returns to Gisborne on Sunday to perform at Tiromoana. Picture supplied

Having performed Schumann’s song cycle Dichterliebe in January, one of 65 poems composed by a lovelorn knight-poet who plans to stuff them, along with his pain, into a huge coffin, which 12 giants will throw into the sea, baritone William King returns to Tiromoana on Sunday.

This time he will sing a selection of lieder and arts songs by Brahms and Ravel, as well as some lighter favourites.

Associated with the 19th century and the Romantic era, a lied is described as a German-language art song for voice and piano performed in intimate settings. The genre of lieder was originally intended as music for entertainment in the home.

Second place-getter in last year’s Dame Malvina Major Aria Competition with his performance of Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo and Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte, King began singing as a boy soprano and performed with the Auckland Boys Choir and King’s School Chapel Choir.

In 2011, he joined the NZ Secondary Students Choir and pursued further vocal training.

The Wellington-based baritone’s operatic roles include Count Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro, Sam in NZ Opera’s premiere of Gareth Farr’s The Bone Feeder, and Valens in a staged production of Handel’s Theodora.

King is also a member of Freemasons NZ Opera Chorus, Voices NZ Chamber Choir and the NZ Youth Choir.

He will be accompanied by Nicholas Kovacek, who will also perform solo piano pieces.

Musica Viva presents William King and Nicholas Kovacek in the group’s continuing efforts to provide performance opportunities for young musicians.

The performance will be held at Tiromoana, 41 Winifred Street, on Sunday at 2.30pm. For reservations, email Gill Armstrong at gillco@gisborne.net.nz or 021 170 7641 to help with seating. Entry is by koha. Proceeds go to Musica Viva to enable them to continue to bring more artists to Gisborne.