23 October 2024 - 0 Comments

Comical canine capers and captivating Kiwi collaborations feature in the exciting lineup of over 40 concerts just announced for Auckland Philharmonia’s 2025 Season. The season offers live music experiences for all tastes; from performances by some of the world’s best orchestral artists, to exciting collaborations with Bic Runga and Ria Hall, concerts featuring beloved family favourites Hairy Maclary and Wallace & Gromit, and a blockbuster evening of film music by Hans Zimmer.

A highlight of the season will be two concerts in February featuring internationally renowned Canadian violinist James Ehnes. Other renowned artists to look out for in 2025 include British pianist Benjamin Grosvenor, who was recently named in Gramophone magazine’s top 50 greatest all-time pianists, and tremendous Spanish pianist Javier Perianes. The season also features debuts from major international artists, including guitarist JIJI, cellist Daniel Müller-Schott, and conductor Pierre Bleuse.

July’s Pub Charity Opera in Concert production of Verdi’s La traviata will be an unforgettable tale of true love, passion and heartbreak. This tragic story is one of the most romantic and moving operas ever written. The Baroque & Beyond series also returns in 2025, with two concerts that celebrate the masters of the Baroque era, alongside composers who were inspired by the music and art of the period.

The music of the movies will meet the sound of the symphony at Art of the Score: The Music of Hans Zimmer. Hans Zimmer is one the most influential film composers of all time and is behind the iconic scores for Interstellar, Inception, The Dark Knight Trilogy and themes from Pirates of the Caribbean and Gladiator. Audiences will feel the power of the full Auckland Philharmonia in flight as they go on a journey through Zimmer’s music, presented by Australian Art of the Score podcasters and film buffs, Andrew Pogson and Dan Golding, with Nicholas Buc on the podium.

Previous Auckland Phil Matariki concerts have sold out, and in 2025, Matariki with Ria Hall will be another popular night to celebrate the Māori New Year. One of Aotearoa’s most compelling and thoughtful voices, Ria Hall, will join forces with the Auckland Phil to recreate her evocative songs They Come Marching, Te Ahi Kai Pō, and Black Light, with a magnificent symphonic soundscape.

Soul-stirring vocals by a Kiwi music icon will collide with the wonderful sound of a full-strength orchestra at Bic Runga with Auckland Phil. With Runga performing such beloved classics as Something Good, Precious Things and Bursting Through, reimagined together with a full orchestra, this will be an extraordinary evening of musical fusion.

Tamariki across Tāmaki Makaurau will dig the announcement of a fun-filled interactive show featuring New Zealand’s beloved canine icon, Hairy Maclary’s Greatest Hits. It will be barks and laughs a minute as Jackie Clarke, together with the Auckland Phil, brings the stories of Hairy Maclary and his adorable friends from Donaldson’s Dairy to life through music and songs.

Get ready for a captivating show for the whole family starring everyone’s favourite duo, Wallace & Gromit, at Wallace & Gromit in Concert. Complete with live music performed by Auckland Phil, custom animations and classic movie clips, including The Wrong Trousers screened in full, this action-packed show is sure to delight both tamariki and adults alike.

Highlights from Learn & Participate events in 2025 include two Tunes 4 Tamariki interactive one-hour concerts specially designed for under-sixes: the adventures of Hana the Glowworm in April and Suzy Cato joins the orchestra in a fun-filled Christmas extravaganza at Christmas with Suzy. Next year, the Community Classics series, presented by Davis Funeral Care, goes Beyond the Stars and celebrates music by superstar composers and performers showcasing their most sparkling pieces. A full slate of exciting community and education activity from our Learn & Participate department will be announced soon.

Santa Claus is comin’ to Auckland Town Hall in December 2025, with Christmas Cheer, presented by Walker & Hall, a sing-along Christmas concert to kick off the holiday season. The amazing vocals of Awhimai Fraser and Nic Kyle, together with The Graduate Choir New Zealand, will get audiences in the spirit with a fantastic festive blend of orchestral classics, modern Christmas favourites and traditional seasonal carols.

Diana Weir, Auckland Philharmonia’s Chief Executive, says, “Whether you enjoy timeless masterpieces by Beethoven and Mahler, contemporary works from global and local composers, or unique performances by legendary New Zealand musical stars alongside the orchestra, this season offers music experiences for all tastes and backgrounds. I’m delighted to share this season with you and hope you can join us next year as we connect, inspire, and enrich the lives of Aucklanders through music.”

Tickets for Auckland Philharmonia’s 2025 Season are now on sale at aucklandphil.nz. Book now to enjoy subscriber benefits, including best seats, savings on individual ticket prices and no booking fees.

For more information or to book tickets to the 2025 season, visit aucklandphil.nz/2025-subscriptions

Season brochures are available online from aucklandphil.nz or by phoning Auckland Philharmonia Ticketing on (09) 623 1052.

Photo Credit: Sav Schulman

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