18 March ASB Theatre Aotea Centre
MAX RICHTER
VIVALDI RECOMPOSED / THREE WORLDS sponsored by
THE RICHTER RESIDENCY
RECOMPOSED BY MAX RICHTER: VIVALDI, THE FOUR SEASONS Some works are so familiar that it is almost impossible to hear them afresh, but that is what Max Richter has achieved with Vivaldi Recomposed. This is no mere arrangement; instead Richter has absorbed Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons into his own musical bloodstream. At first Richter followed the example of other works in the Recomposed series, which re-mix existing recordings, but, he says, “I wanted to open up the score on a note-by-note level, and working with an existing recording was like digging a mineshaft through an incredibly rich seam, discovering diamonds and not being able to pull them out. That became frustrating. I wanted to get inside the score at the level of the notes and in essence re-write it, recomposing it in a literal way… I’ve used electronics in several movements, subtle, almost inaudible things to do with the bass, but I wanted certain moments to connect to the whole electronic universe that is so much part of our musical language today.”
THREE WORLDS: MUSIC FROM WOOLF WORKS Drawn from his music to Wayne McGregor’s awardwinning Royal Ballet production, Max Richter’s Three Worlds: Music From Woolf Works is inspired by the works of Virginia Woolf. The album, structured in three parts, is built around themes from three of Woolf’s novels: Mrs Dalloway, Orlando and The Waves. Fragments from her letters, diaries and other writings are woven into the work, with spoken words from Gillian Anderson, Sarah Sutcliffe and even Woolf’s own voice, reading the essay ‘Craftsmanship’ from a 1937 BBC recording. The work is written for orchestra, electronics and soprano voice.
PERFORMERS Pianist & Composer Max Richter
Violin/Leader Mari Samuelsen
Soprano Grace Davidson
Sound Engineer Chris Ekers
Tour Manager Suzie Curtis
AUCKLAND PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA
As projected 9 February, 2018 Music Director Giordano Bellincampi Concertmaster Andrew Beer Associate Concertmaster Liu-Yi Retallick Assistant Concertmaster Miranda Adams First Violins Artur Grabczewski # Mark Bennett Elzbieta Grabczewska Ainsley Murray Alexander Shapkin Caroline von Bismarck Yanghe Yu Lucy Qi Zhang Yuri Cho Second Violins Dianna Cochrane ◊ Xin (James) Jin + William Hanfling # Rae Crossley-Croft = Sarah Hart Jocelyn Healy Rachel Moody Milena Parobczy Ewa Sadag Katherine Walshe
2hrs 10mins no interval photography: yulia mahr (cover)
Violas Robert Ashworth ◊ David Samuel + Christine Bowie # Anne Draffin # Helen Bevin Ping Tong Chan Gregory McGarity Susan Wedde Cellos David Garner + Liliya Arefyeva Katherine Hebley You Lee James sang-oh Yoo Callum Hall Basses Gordon Hill ◊ Annabella Zilber + Evgueny Lanchtchikov # Matthias Erdrich Michael Steer Flutes Melanie Lançon ◊ Kathryn Moorhead + Piccolo Jennifer Seddon-Mori * Oboes Bede Hanley ◊ Camille Wells + Cor Anglais Martin Lee * Clarinets Bridget Miles (Bass Clarinet) + James Fry (Eb Clarinet) +
sponsored by the university of auckland
Bassoons Ingrid Hagan ◊ Yang Rachel Guan Ebbett + Contrabassoon Ruth Brinkman * Horns Nicola Baker ◊ Emma Eden * Carl Wells # Simon Williams # David Kay Trumpets Huw Dann ◊ Josh Rogan # Trombones Douglas Cross ◊ Mark Close # Bass Trombone Timothy Sutton * Tuba Tak Chun Lai * Timpani Steven Logan ◊ Percussion Eric Renick ◊ Jennifer Raven # Shane Currey Harp Rebecca Harris * Guest Musicians Harpsichord – Eddie Giffney ◊ Section Principal = Section Leader Emeritus * Principal + Associate Principal # Sub-Principal ~ APO Orchestral Fellow
“I think the reason I write music is because I’m trying to say things that I find difficult to encapsulate verbally. Music is its own kind of language and it’s very good at saying things that words struggle with.” “Music is a physical process. The way you play something has to make sense physically. It’s a way of thinking aloud but the text also has to make sense, so for me composition and improvisation are connected.” — Max Richter photography: bogdan krezel (above); rahi rezvani (max richter + overleaf)
Max Richter stands as one of the most prolific figures on the contemporary music scene today with ground-breaking work as a composer, pianist, producer and collaborator. From synthesizers to full symphony orchestra, Richter has spun a web of innovation to compose music for solo albums, ballets, concert hall performances, film and television scores, video art installations and theatre works. Whilst classically trained (studying at Edinburgh University, the Royal Academy of Music and completing his studies with composer Luciano Berio in Florence), German-born Richter also draws inspiration from the developing sonic world around him, including electronica and punk, resulting in a clear, distinctive style.
MAX RICHTER
Richter’s albums have landmarked the musical world with projects such as Sleep – an eight-and-a-halfhour piece being broadcast and performed in celebrated venues across the world, including the Sydney Opera House, Kraftwerk, the Concertgebouw and the
Barbican. In 2012, he was commissioned by Deutsche Grammophon to rewrite the infamous Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, winning him the prestigious ECHO Classic Award and an established place in the classical charts. Ballets include his many collaborative ventures with Royal Ballet resident choreographer Wayne McGregor, with his works also being used by, amongst others, The Joffrey Ballet, Nederlands Dans Teatre, Lucinda Childs, New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Dutch National Ballet, Dresden Semper Opera, Ballet du Rhin and the Northern Ballet. Richter has created over 50 film and television scores most recently EuropaCorp’s Miss Sloane, Black Mirror’s ‘Nosedive’ for Netflix, Taboo on BBC One which gained him an Emmy nomination, and the final season of the critically acclaimed series The Leftovers. His music also featured in the Oscarwinning film Arrival by Denis Villeneuve and Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island. His latest album is Three Worlds: Music From Woolf Works which was released by Deutsche Grammophon in January 2017.
BIOGRAPHIES
MARI SAMUELSEN Highly acclaimed Norwegian violinist Mari Samuelsen has enjoyed a remarkable rise on the international concert stage through a characteristic mixture of artistry and enterprise. Her concerts combine a breath- taking musical finesse and virtuosity and an imaginative and innovative approach to presentation. For more than 25 years she has also collaborated in duo with her brother, cellist Hakon Samuelsen, performed together, connecting with audiences and musicians around the world. In spring 2015, they released their debut album, Pas de Deux, Mercury/Decca (Universal), the centrepiece of which was a new work written for them by the Oscar-winning composer, the late James Horner. It went directly to no. 1 in the Norwegian pop charts, the first classical album to do so in more than 20 years. Mari Samuelsen has appeared as soloist at some of the world’s most prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, New York; Théâtre des Champs – Elysées, Paris; Konzerthaus, Berlin; Smetana Hall, Prague; Kremlin Hall, Moscow; and the Victoria Hall, Geneva, most recently making debuts in recital at the Barbican, London and the KKL, Lucerne, with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, at the Hollywood Bowl and the opening concert of the Montreux Jazz Festival. Mari works regularly with the composer Max Richter, as the
GRACE DAVIDSON soloist, in concert performances of both his Recomposed and Memoryhouse, as well as on his recent Deutsche Grammophon album Three Worlds: Music From Woolf Works. She is founder and artistic director of ‘A Christmas concert from Norway’ which she started together with her brother in 2003. It’s been broadcast several years on the Norwegian BBC (NRK) and in the USA through PBS, hosted by Princess Märtha Louise of Norway. Mari Samuelsen has also been artistic director of Yellow Lounge in Norway and bringing the Berlin-born club night to Oslo, collaborating with partners such as the pre-eminent video artist, Philipp Geist, keeping classical music in the mix at the forefront of contemporary art. Her latest album, Nordic Noir, released on Decca in September 2017, went again straight to top of Norwegian pop chart (no. 2). Her upcoming and ongoing collaborations with leading composers of today, as well as electronic music artists such as Jeff Mills and Dubfire, puts Mari Samuelsen in a position as an artist who is thriving and new thinking, being innovative and reaching out to new audiences. Mari Samuelsen plays the ‘Duke of Edinburgh’ Stradivarius 1724, generously on loan from Florian Leonhard Fine Violins, London.
photography: kaja bruskeland / decca (mari samuelsen); nick white (grace davidson)
Grace Davidson is a soprano who specialises, first and foremost, in the performance and recording of Baroque music. She won the Early Music Prize while studying singing at London’s Royal Academy of Music. Since then, she has worked with leading Baroque ensembles of our day, singing under the batons of Sir John Eliot Gardner, Paul McCreesh, Philippe Herrweghe and Harry Christophers. Her discography includes a decade of CDs with The Sixteen, many of which feature her as soloist – Handel’s ‘Jephtha’ (as Angel), ‘Dixit Dominus’, Monteverdi’s ‘Vespers of 1610’, ‘Pianto della Madonna’, and the Lutheran Masses of Bach. Later this year she will record ‘Acis and Galatea’ for Harry Christopers with a performance at The Wigmore Hall in London. The technical mastery that comes with singing Baroque music plus Grace’s musicality and exceptional purity of tone have broadened her career into the worlds of contemporary classical and film music. Grace is a featured voice on many films including The Hobbit, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Great Gatsby and Morgan to name a few, but most notible is her work with acclaimed composer Max Richter whom she has recorded Sleep and Woolf Works (for Deutsche Gramophon). She has already performed Sleep all over the world; next year, performances are planned in America, Europe and Japan. Later this year she will record Memoryhouse, again by Richter and is also pleased to announce two new recordings released on the Signum record label featuring soprano favourites by Handel and Vivaldi and the whole of John Dowlands first song book with Luteanist David Miller. gracedavidsonsoprano.com
ALSO AT AUCKLAND ARTS FESTIVAL
at z ok .n Bo f.co aa
EX MACHINA / ROBERT LEPAGE
THE
FAR SIDE OF THE MOON Two brothers so far apart that one of them might as well be on the moon.
Pure theatre magic – an iconic masterpiece from writer/director Robert Lepage.
22–25 March ASB Theatre Aotea Centre
aaf.co.nz Auckland Arts Festival is a place for ambitious ideas by storytellers, provocateurs and creators. The Festival reflects our contemporary, cosmopolitan city with its many communities. It challenges artists and audiences to be bold and take a risk. Through the work of artists from Aotearoa and across the world, we aim to unify, uplift, enlighten and inspire the people of Tāmaki Makaurau and our many visitors. Taking place annually in March, 2018 marks the 10th Auckland Arts Festival. This year more than 200,000 people are expected to attend the Festival, which comprises more than 50 events taking place in all corners of the Auckland region and many of which are free.
CONTACT +64 (0)9 309 0101 info@aaf.co.nz Level 5, Wellesley Centre 44-52 Wellesley Street Auckland City 1010 PO Box 5419 Wellesley Street Auckland 1141, NZ
FESTIVAL PEOPLE Patron The Governor General, Her Excellency The Right Honourable Dame Patsy Reddy, GNZM, QSO Board of Trustees John Judge (Chair) Angela Clatworthy Rick Carlyon Evan Davies Sarah Judkins Tarun Kanji Margaret Kawharu MNZM Jim Moser Ben Taufua Fred Ward Founding Friends Adrian Burr Graeme Edwards Friedlander Foundation Dame Jenny Gibbs Sir Chris & Lady Dayle Mace Official Suppliers ABE’s Bagels Delmaine Fine Foods Mojo PwC Russell McVeagh
Chief Executive David Inns Artistic Director Jonathan Bielski Business & Finance Director Shona Roberts Accounts & Payroll Administrators Suzanne Watt Mirena Tomas Executive Assistant Josie Maskell Office Manager Donna Lynskey
Creative Learning & Community Engagement Assistant Natasha Lay Programme Administrator Helen Winskill Project Coordinator, Whānui Noma Sio-Faiumu Whānui Project Assistant Amo Ieriko Technical Manager Nick Tomlin Technical Administrator Catherine Hart
Head of Programming Dolina Wehipeihana
Artist Liaison & Logistics Manager Megan Andrews
Senior Programme Manager Tama Waipara
Artist Liaison Assistant Sophie Williams
Programme Manager Angela Green
Production Manager Vicki Cooksley
Programme Assistant Tanya Muagututi’a
Festival Playground Operations Managers Charlotte Crone Gareth Baston (Boris)
Producer’s Assistant Aroha Rawson Creative Learning & Community Engagement Manager Tracey Marama Lloydd
Head of Staging Andrew Gibson Head of Lighting Andrew Meadows
Head of Sound Sandy Gunn Head of AV Simon Baker Marketing & Communications Director Thierry Pannetier Marketing Contractor Sally Woodfield Content Editor Tim Wong Campaign Executive Alistair Kwun Media & PR Manager Siobhan Waterhouse Media & PR Assistant Josephine Granese Marketing Intern Ellie Tapsell Sponsorship Executive Jessie Congalton Sponsorship Assistant Gill Saker Designer Barny Bewick Ticketing Manager Karen Cartwright Ticketing Assistant Laura Aldis
AUCKLAND ARTS FESTIVAL CORE FUNDERS
GOLD SPONSORS
SILVER SPONSORS
BRONZE SPONSORS
CORPORATE PATRONS
THANK YOU
A STANDING OVATION FOR ALL THE FUNDERS, SPONSORS, PATRONS, AND SUPPORTERS WHOSE GENEROSITY LETS US BRING THE WORK OF GREAT ARTISTS TO THIS WONDERFUL CITY.
MAJOR FUNDERS
FUNDING PARTNERS The Clyde Graham Charitable Trust managed by
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS
PLATINUM PATRONS Janet Clarke and John Judge, Sir Roderick and Gillian, Lady Deane,
GOLD PATRONS
Andrew and Jenny Smith, Sir James Wallace (Wallace Foundation), Fran Wyborn
Bill and Frances Bell
SILVER PATRONS Julie and Brian Cadzow, Jeremy Collins, Christine and Richard Didsbury, Trevor and Jan Farmer, Friedlander Foundation, Kent and Gaye Gardner, Dame Jenny Gibbs, David Levene Foundation, Sir Chris and Lady Dayle Mace, Heather Simpson, Sonbol and Farzbod Taefi, Walker and Hall Trust BRONZE PATRONS John Barnett, John Billington QC,
JADE PATRONS Lisa Bates and Douglas Hawkins,
Rick and Jenny Carlyon, Rosslyn Caughey, Jo and John Chaplin,
John and Victoria Carter, Graham Cleary, Martin Cooper,
Mark and Angela Clatworthy, John and Jo Gow, Rochelle McLaren,
Amber Coulter and Andrew Lewis, Tarun Kanji,
Kate Plaw, Fran and Geoff Ricketts, Michelle and Will Rouse,
Jim Moser, Chris Simcock and Camilla Hope-Simcock,
Martin and Catherine Spencer, Lady Philippa Tait, Fred and Nicky Ward,
Angela Temata and Vanessa Morgan
Sally Woodfield and David Inns, William and Sarah Yates
Aotea Centre
In partnership with
1–25 March DAILY UNTIL LATE
FESTIVAL CLUB All roads at the Auckland Arts Festival lead back to the iHeartRadio FESTIVAL CLUB at the Aotea Centre, a hangout space and music stage for audiences, artists and the creative community to meet, mix and celebrate. Food and drink curated by ArtDego
FESTIVAL CLUB designed by Angus Muir
In the centre of the Aotea Arts Precinct, this comfortable and upbeat pop-up club is your place to gather before and after a show, grab a delicious meal from a bespoke menu, enjoy live music from instrumentalists and DJs, or unwind over the long summer nights with a special Festival cocktail.