Chamber Music New Zealand
An unusual year for CMNZ which, for much of its season, moves away from what we traditionally think of as classical music. That’s no bad thing, and Vismaya, billed as “a celebration of Indian music and dance” (June/July) looks particularly interesting. My pick, though, is the Darroch/DeHart Duo (August/September), which brings together CSO principal flute Hannah Darroch and ace percussionist Justin DeHart in works by Takemitsu, Harrison and Gareth Farr, among others.
NZ Opera
Verdi’s Rigoletto will get bums on seats and the promise of Jane Austen performed up close in historic buildings could overcome the lack of name recognition for Jonathan Dove’s 2011 adaptation of Mansfield Park, but be sure to catch Le Comte Ory (May/June), too. The story, which takes place during the Crusades, is daft even by Rossini’s standards, but the music is a delight.
NZTrio
NZTrio’s concerts are so consistently well programmed it’s often hard to pick a favourite. My roulette wheel stopped on Triptych 3: Untamed Hope (October/November), which comprises works by four female composers including a new piece by Kiwi up-and-comer Eva Bedggood. Somi Kim is on maternity leave for part of the year, so founding NZTrio pianist Sarah Watkins will sit in for several concerts.
NZ Barok
This year marks the 20th anniversary of NZ Barok, and the period instrument orchestra will be hoping it turns out better than 2023, when the group lost substantial funding and had to cancel its final concerts of the season through a freak injury to star conductor Erin Helyard. Everything crossed, then, for the health of big-name cellist Mime Yamahiro-Brinkmann, who plays works by Vivaldi, CPE Bach and underrated Neopolitan composer Leonardo Leo (May). The concerts have an awful title – Cellomania – but Yamahiro-Brinkmann is a wonderful cellist and has played with some of the most fêted historically informed orchestras in the world, including La Petite Bande, Bach Collegium Japan and Tafelmusik.
Tudor Consort
An exciting year for the choir which, in September, gives the world premiere of a new work by New Zealander David Griffiths, then in October kicks off a three-year formal collaboration with like-minded Wellington period performance group Queen’s Closet; they’ll play English music of the Restoration. Best of all, though, looks to be the Music for Holy Week concert (Good Friday). Among the works is the New Zealand premiere of James MacMillan’s Cantos Sagrados, which explores political repression, violence and redemption in Latin America. The concert will also boast music by British Tudor masters Byrd, Gibbons, Tomkins and Weelkes.
