KEY POINTS:
Auckland Festival AK07 may be opening with a fireworks extravaganza in the Domain on Saturday, but theatre and music events open their doors on Friday night.
The first live event of the festival is the NZSO's Mahler - The Resurrection, an 80-minute epic journey from tomb to resurrection, with 200 musicians on stage.
This is a big year for the orchestra, which celebrated its 60th birthday in Wellington last night with a historic live webcast. What is more, that and the AK07 Mahler are the final appearances of the orchestra's music director James Judd.
During his eight years here, Judd has been an integral force in some major moves for the orchestra, including the 2005 overseas tour and many well-received Naxos recordings.
Says NZSO timpanist Laurence Reese, "Judd leaves me alone to be the professional that I am. He trusts me to be prepared.
"Many conductors meddle and try to fix everyone's component parts of a symphonic work. James shows great respect and trust."
One of Reese's favourite performances was his first concert with Judd, which included Elgar's Enigma Variations.
"It was a nice touch, the new boss coming and doing English music," adds the American musician, "especially when I had had a bit of English training."
Friday's Mahler should be special, says Reese.
"Judd always has a huge historical awareness of Mahler. He brings that perspective and shares it with us."
Judd also has the rare talent to spiel with brevity, wit and pertinence before a work that he feels might benefit from an introduction. Reese puts it down to the time the conductor worked in the United States.
"We need to reach out to the audience to sustain our future," he muses.
"And they want be make sure there is more of an emotional investment than just the ticket purchase."
These talents are not limited to the podium.
"I have watched James work a room after a show," Reese says, "and that guy could sell ice to Eskimos."
Horn player Heather Anderson agrees. "He has been great for PR and has come along at a crucial point in time for the orchestra."
She singles out his energy, commitment and his gift with English composers.
"Eight years ago, the orchestra wasn't doing a lot of English music. Every time we did, it seemed overblown.
"James conducts Elgar with that same intimate feeling I experienced when I was with the Liverpool Philharmonic."
And it is Judd's recordings of Elgar, not to mention other composers such as Bernstein, Lilburn and Gershwin, that have thrust the orchestra into the international arena.
"Naxos Records are all round the world," Anderson says.
"We have been there and seen them."
Mezzo Helen Medlyn can be heard on one of the best of the CDs, the 2002 recording of Bernstein's Jeremiah Symphony; on Friday she will sing Mahler's inspiring Urlicht movement.
Introduced to Mahler's music by Miguel Harth-Bedoya, the mezzo went on to work under Judd when the NZSO programmed Das Lied von der Erde in 2005. Immediately, she realised he was "as filled with awe and respect for Mahler as I am".
Talking about the upcoming Second Symphony, she highlights the difference between the two conductors (she first sang it with the APO in 2002).
While Harth-Bedoya saw the Urlicht movement as "more reflective, projecting something of a spiritual uncertainty", with James, "the singer is in no doubt about wanting to go to God. This is absolutely as Mahler wrote it, with very driven tempi."
Friday night's concert will be a celebration on many levels including the faith shown by AK07 to give it such prominence and, if you were not lucky enough to secure a ticket, Radio New Zealand Concert will be relaying its broadcast on Easter Monday.
Performance
What: Mahler 2 - The Resurrection, with the NZSO
Where and when: Auckland Town Hall, Friday 6.30pm (sold out)
And: Broadcast on Radio New Zealand Concert, Mon April 9, 8pm
