Chief Conductor of the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, Benjamin Northey Photo: Laura Manariti
For decades now, Strauss’ Four Last Songs have settled at in the top of RNZ Concert’s annual classical music countdown, Settling the Score. And the work takes the place of honour in tonight’s programme from the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, called ‘Last Songs’. But what makes this a truly special event is the chance to hear the rising star Kiwi soprano, Eliza Boom, in her first performance of the work in New Zealand.
The CSO's Chief Conductor, Benjamin Northey, led this programme which also includes two dazzling twentieth century works, Lili Boulanger’s ‘D’un Matin de Printemps’ and Igor Stravinsky’s ‘Petroushka’.
Lili Boulanger Photo: Supplied
Lili Boulanger was only 24 years old when she died of tuberculous. ‘D’un Matin de Printemps’ from 1918 captures the essence of a spring morning with its light, airy melodies and vibrant rhythms. Boulanger, the first woman to win the Prix de Rome, composed this work during the last year of her life. Despite her tragically short career, her music is celebrated for its impressionistic textures and lyrical beauty.
Richard Strauss Photo: Wikicommons
Richard Strauss’s ‘Four Last Songs’ poignant and reflective set of songs composed in 1948 are considered some of the most beautiful in the soprano repertoire, exploring themes of life, death, and transcendence.
Strauss composed the ‘Four Last Songs’ towards the end of his life, drawing on the poetry of Hermann Hesse and Joseph von Eichendorff. The songs reflect a serene acceptance of mortality and a deep connection to nature. Since their premiere, they have remained a staple in the soprano repertoire, beloved for their lush orchestration and profound emotional depth.
New Zealand soprano Eliza Boom Photo: Gabriel Rollinson
In this performance we have the young Kiwi soprano Eliza Boom stepping into repertoire made famous by some of the world’s most luminous voices, from Elizabeth Schwarzkopf to Renee Fleming.
Based in Munich, she’s been performing with the Bavarian State Opera for several seasons, as well as in the UK and New Zealand. At home in New Zealand, she grew up on stage singing folk and gospel music around the country with her family. In 2017 she was named a Dame Malvina Major Scholar with New Zealand Opera before moving to Manchester to study at the Royal Northern College of Music.
Recently, Eliza Boom has performed Italian opera arias with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra but in this performance we hear her affinity for German repertoire.
Igor Stravinsky portrait Photo: Jacques-Emile Blanche, Public Domain
Igor Stravinsky’s vibrant and dynamic ballet score ‘Petrushka’ was a composed in 1911 for Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes, and it premiered in Paris to great acclaim. The innovative use of rhythm and orchestration in ‘Petrushka’, and Stravinsky’s use of Russian Folk themes marked a significant departure from traditional ballet music and had a lasting impact on classical music.
The ballet tells the story of three puppets brought to life by a magician during the Shrovetide Fair in Saint Petersburg. The main characters are Petrushka, the Ballerina, and the Moor. Petrushka, now alive with human emotions, falls in love with the Ballerina, but she is attracted to the Moor. Overcome with jealousy, Petrushka confronts the Moor, who ultimately kills him. The crowd is initially shocked, but the magician reassures them that Petrushka is just a puppet.
As the fair ends and night falls, Petrushka’s ghost appears, shaking his fist at the magician, leaving a haunting impression of his enduring spirit.
Recorded at the Douglas Lilburn Auditorium, Christchurch Town Hall, 11 November, 2023
Producer, engineer: David Houston
Assistant engineer: Alex Harmer
