LRB and NZSO central summer festival acts

Little River Band and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra are the flagships of the summer festival to be held during the Louis Vuitton America's Cup regatta.

The pair were among nine acts announced by Team New Zealand yesterday at the Viaduct Harbour.

Another six are still to be confirmed.

Team New Zealand executive director Tony Thomas said all events would be held on Te Whero Island in the centre of the Viaduct Harbour. That section of the Viaduct will be open to the public daily from 9am to 5pm.

Daytime events are planned throughout the regatta on race days, weekends and public holidays.

The man-made island will feature seating for 3000, a big screen to watch the racing, and a stage.

The 80-piece NZSO will launch the festival on December 7 with a performance of Howard Shore's Oscar-winning Lord of the Rings Suite.

The orchestra will return two days later to accompany With a Song in My Heart, a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Richard Rodgers.

The event will feature the songs of Rodgers & Hammerstein from The Sound of Music, Oklahoma, South Pacific and Carousel.

LRB's two concerts on December 30 and 31 bookend Not a Silent Night, an evening of caroling to be held on December 22.

Maui, performed by this year's kapa haka champions, Waihirere, and singer Hinewehi Mohi, will be held on January 17 and 18.

The final event will be the World of Wearable Art Awards, which will make their first Auckland appearance over February 7 and 8.

nzherald.co.nz/americascup