In Search of Peace - 100 Years On

The fourth and final in our series of World War One commemoration concerts, and third event in the Auckland Town Hall, the Aorangi Symphony Orchestra returns to honour the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, 1919 – marking the end of four years of the horror, bloodshed and suffering of the Great War.

Following the tragedy of the Christchurch Attacks last week, and in keeping with theme of world peace, our organisation is adding a further public dedication: to the victims of the Christchurch Attacks... and with that, a plea for tolerance, understanding and compassion.

With the exquisitely beautiful “Adagio for Strings” by Samuel Barber as the opening piece, the main feature of this programme is Giuseppe Verdi’s powerful and moving “Requiem”.

Together with international New Zealand-born soloists Anna Leese (soprano), Kristin Darragh (mezzo-soprano), Amitai Pati (tenor) and Wade Kernot (bass), the Aorangi Singers and accompanying orchestra bring to us the drama, passion, protest and final peace of this great work.

Under the baton of the inspirational and award-winning conductor Sarah Bisley Schneider, recently returned from conducting “La Traviata” in Bulgaria to acclaim, this promises to be a night to remember.

The meaning of the White Poppy:
The sprouting of poppy flowers on battlefields and grave sites across Europe marked the conclusion of World War I. The flowers feature prominently in John McCrae’s poem “In Flanders Fields.” After the war, the Royal British Legion (a nonprofit similar to the American Legion) promoted the wearing of red poppies on November 11, Armistice Day. Britons also place wreaths of them on graves.

In 1933, the anti-war Women’s Co-operative Guild began selling white poppies to embody both remembrance and pacifism. The whiteness symbolizes a lack of bloodshed, and has been taken over by the Peace Pledge Union.

Photo Credit Flowering White Poppy: DanielPrudeck