Chosen and Beloved

The 2020 Festival opens with an unforgettable live orchestral art experience. Henryk Górecki’s phenomenally popular Symphony No. 3 has special reverence for Lemi Ponifasio – both as a piece of music that fuelled his early creation as a dancer and choreographer, and as a work that has taken on new meaning for him since 15 March 2019, when New Zealand changed forever.

The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and Syrian soprano Racha Rizk are conducted by Kristjan Järvi and joined by the MAU company for this evening of transcendent music, welcome, reflection and celebration – where we, the living, greet and embrace those who have gone before us and prepare to welcome those who are about to join us.

Concept, Direction, Design, Choreography: Lemi Ponifasio
Technical and Light Director: Helen Todd
Performers: MAU Wāhine
Management: Susana Lei’ataua

Conducted by: Kristjan Järvi

Partnered by: Stuff
Thanks to Creative NZ.