The main auditorium at the Aotea Centre in Auckland has had a change of name – it's now known as the Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre. There was a gala concert to celebrate.
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa Photo: supplied
Pene Pati, Anna Leese, James Ioelu Photo: RNZ/Tim Dodd
The auditorium has been known as the ASB Theatre. But now it’s being officially renamed the Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre in honour of our most famous opera singer and the woman who has done so much to help in the establishment of the Aotea Centre.
And Dame Kiri is the guest of honour at this gala concert.
It’s opera favourites for the programme. Joining the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra on stage is the Freemasons New Zealand Opera Chorus.
Three of New Zealand’s best singers are the special guests: soprano Anna Leese, tenor Pene Pati, and bass-baritone James Ioelu.
The conductor is Giordano Bellincampi.
The MC for the event is Jennifer Ward-Lealand Te Atamira.
Programme:
BOBERG arr WIREMU, YOUENS: Whakaaria mai – NZ Opera Chorus
WAGNER: Lohengrin, Prelude to Act 3 – Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra/Giordano Bellincampi
WAGNER: Bridal Chorus, from Lohengrin – NZ Opera Chorus, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra/Giordano Bellincampi
MOZART: Madamina, il catalogo è questo, from Don Giovanni – James Ioelu (bass-bar), Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra/Giordano Bellincampi
DONIZETTI: Una furtiva lagrima, from L'elisir d'Amore – Pene Pati (ten), Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra/Giordano Bellincampi
VERDI: Mercè, dilette amiche, from Sicilian Vespers – Anna Leese (sop), Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra/Giordano Bellincampi
VERDI: Va pensiero, from Nabucco – NZ Opera Chorus, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra/Giordano Bellincampi
BIZET: Au fond du temple saint, from The Pearl Fishers – Pene Pati (ten), James Ioelu (bass-bar), Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra/Giordano Bellincampi
MASCAGNI: Easter Hymn, from Cavalleria Rusticana – Anna Leese (sop), NZ Opera Chorus, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra/Giordano Bellincampi
VERDI: Anvil Chorus, from Il Trovatore – NZ Opera Chorus, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra/Giordano Bellincampi
ROSSINI: La calunnia, from The Barber of Seville – James Ioelu (bass-bar), Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra/Giordano Bellincampi
PUCCINI: Act 1 excerpts, from La Bohème – Anna Leese (sop), Pene Pati (ten), Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra/Giordano Bellincampi
WAGNER arr KISTLER: Apotheosis of Hans Sachs, from Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg – NZ Opera Chorus, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra/Giordano Bellincampi
PUCCINI: O mio babbino caro, from Gianni Schicchi – Anna Leese (sop), Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra/Giordano Bellincampi
TE RANGI PAI arr YOUENS: Hine, e hine – NZ Opera Chorus, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra/Giordano Bellincampi
VERDI: Brindisi, from La Traviata – Anna Leese (sop), Pene Pati (ten), NZ Opera Chorus, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra/Giordano Bellincampi
Recorded in the Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre at the Aotea Centre, 20 November 2019
Producer, Presenter: Tim Dodd; Sound engineer: Adrian Hollay
