Orchestra Wellington 2024 season

George Gershwin’s beloved opera ‘Porgy and Bess’ is given a semi-staged performance in this thrilling concert. Considered one of the 20th century’s great operas, Gershwin blends jazz, gospel, spirituals, blues, and classical styles in a completely new way. Soloists include Deborah Wai Kapohe and brothers Eddie Muliaumaseali’i and Siliga Sani Muliaumaseali’i. They are joined by Wellington’s acclaimed Pasifika Signature Choir.

In 1962 Benjamin Britten was asked to write music for the reopening of Coventry’s 14th century cathedral. The building had been bombed during WWII. His magnificent ‘War Requiem’ sets the traditional Latin text ‘Requiem Mass’ alongside war poetry by Wilfred Owen. This epic piece requires massive resources including a large orchestra, a separate chamber orchestra, two organs, three soloists, a main chorus, and a boys’ choir. The orchestra’s Composer-in-Residence, Eve de Castro-Robinson, also premieres a work in this concert.