The power of live orchestral music to entertain and bring people together in uncertain times is at the heart of the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra’s 2022 season, announced recently.
The DSO will be joined on stage by three new conductors this year — NZSO conductor emeritus James Judd, Australian cellist-conductor Umberto Clerici and rising talent Brent Stewart, of Wellington.
The orchestra also looks forward to working again with two of New Zealand’s finest conductors — Marc Taddei and Kenneth Young.
The versatility of orchestral music will be illustrated in the DSO’s Matariki concert "Celebrating Matariki — Whakanuia Matariki", which reflects our fascination with stars and planets.
The concert will include taonga puoro played by Ariana Tikao and Alistair Fraser.
The 2022 season also features acclaimed pianist Sara Lee for the first time.
The orchestra will also welcome the return of soprano Rebecca Ryan, violinist Amalia Hall, flautist Luca Manghi, cellist Ashley Brown and the women from City Choir Dunedin.
The broad-ranging repertoire features highlights such as J.S. Bach’s sparkling Flute Concerto, Tan Dun’s exotic Crouching Tiger Concerto, intimate contemporary New Zealand songs, Holst’s massive The Planets and the lush Romantic melodies of Dvorak’s Symphony No 8, Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto and Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.
The DSO thanks its core funders (Creative NZ, the Dunedin City Council, Otago Community Trust), sponsors (especially series and concert sponsors Forsyth Barr and Polson Higgs Wealth), donors and its treasured audiences for their invaluable support over the orchestra’s 56-year history.
Subscriptions to the 2022 concert series are now on sale, and tickets for single concerts will be on sale from May 30, through the Regent box office and Ticketmaster.
