NZSO and RNZB perform in Kerikeri and Whangarei: The Soldier's Tale and Town and Country

NZSO Principal Conductor in Residence Hamish McKeich and NZSO players performing The Soldier's Tale, which will be in Kerikeri next month. Photo / Stephen A'Court.

Northland classical music and dance lovers are in for several treats next month when the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra brings its hit concerts The Soldier's Tale and Town and Country to the region.

The NZSO and New Zealand Herald presents The Soldier's Tale in association with Royal New Zealand Ballet, featuring a talented ensemble of NZSO musicians, RNZB dancers, and actors, to perform Igor Stravinsky's timeless and riveting "pocket theatre" experience.

Hailed as "an inspired piece of programming" by Theatreview, The Soldier's Tale will be performed at Kerikeri on June 12 and Whangārei on June 13.

Town and Country is an exciting selection of music, from the sublime first movement of Beethoven's Pastoral symphony to John Barry's Oscar-winning title theme from Out of Africa. It will be at Kerikeri on June 11.

New Zealander Holly Mathieson conducts the NZSO's Town and Country concerts in Kerikeri and Whangārei in June.

The NZSO's Setting Up Camp series sees the Orchestra spend up to three days in Auckland and Northland, complementing the evening concerts with daytime performances and community events.

A family concert of Sergei Prokofiev's beloved Peter and the Wolf will be performed in Kerikeri on June 12.

The Soldier's Tale is directed by the acclaimed Sara Brodie and features accomplished actors Peter Hayden, Sepelini Mua'au and Sophie Hambleton, and stunning choreography from RNZB Choreographer in Residence Shaun James Kelly performed by RNZB dancers.
NZSO Principal Conductor in Residence Hamish McKeich leads the Orchestra.

"The music for The Soldier's Tale is often performed without the stage acting and dancing, as the music is so good it easily stands up on its own," Maestro McKeich said.

"To now have the staging as well, with top director Sara Brodie, and Shaun James Kelly from the RNZB, is a dream come true."

Kelly was hugely inspired by Stravinsky's music.

"I like an audience to feel the music and movement moving together and I had such fun pairing my choreographic style with this wonderful Stravinsky score, played so powerfully by the NZSO. With many varieties of musical influences – such as tango, waltz and ragtime – it gave me a great opportunity to tell this story of the new lovers, ultimately creating a light-hearted and contemporary spin on classical ballet."

Renowned conductor Holly Mathieson will lead the NZSO for Town and Country, with music inspired by the splendour of the countryside and the energy of the city.

The programme also features English composer Malcolm Arnold's charming and colourful English Dances, Argentinian tango legend Astor Piazzolla's Tangazo, the intoxicating first suite from Spanish composer Manuel de Falla's The Three Cornered Hat, and the great Leonard Bernstein's Three Dance Episodes, based on material he composed for the musical On The Town, which evokes 1940s New York.

Town and Country is at:
The Turner Centre, Kerikeri, on June 11 from 7.30pm.

The Soldier's Tale is at:
The Turner Centre, Kerikeri on June 12 from 7.30pm.
Capitaine Bougainville Theatre, Whangārei on June 3 from 2pm.

For more details and tickets see https://www.nzso.co.nz/