7.30pm, Friday 20 July Auckland Town Hall Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra is New to complement the presence of APO Music Zealand’s full-time professional Metropolitan Director Giordano Bellincampi. orchestra, serving Auckland’s communities The APO is also proud to support both New with a comprehensive programme of Zealand Opera and the Royal New Zealand concerts and education and outreach Ballet in their Auckland performances. It activities. In more than 70 performances also works in partnership with Auckland Arts annually, the APO presents a full season Festival, the New Zealand International Film of symphonic work showcasing many of Festival, the Michael Hill International Violin the world’s finest classical musicians. Competition and Auckland War Memorial Recent high-profile artists include Anna Museum, among other organisations. Netrebko, Vladimir Ashkenazy, composer and conductor Tan Dun, violinists Alina Through its numerous APO Connecting Ibragimova and Chlöe Hanslip, pianists (education, outreach and community) Kathryn Stott and Behzod Abduraimov, initiatives the APO offers opportunities and harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani. to more than 20,000 young people Leading international artists in 2018 and adults nationwide to participate in include clarinetist Andreas Ottensamer, music, ranging from hip-hop and rock to cellist Alban Gerhardt, and violinist contemporary and classical. Arabella Steinbacher. We are also More than 250,000 people hear the delighted to welcome back pianist Jean- orchestra live each year, with tens of Efflam Bavouzet, cellist Li-Wei Qin, and thousands more reached through special conductors Stephen Layton, Carlos Miguel events, recordings, live streams and Prieto and Lionel Bringuier, among others, other media. Welcome 3 Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra 2018 4 Verdi’s Aida 5 Acknowledgements 18 Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra receives major funding from Please consider others and mind that cough. A hand or handkerchief placed over the mouth greatly reduces the volume. Please turn off all watch alarms and mobile devices before entering the auditorium. It is strictly prohibited to take photographs, visual or audio recordings of any performance. PROGRAMME BOOK VISITING INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS Programme notes by Frances Moore © 2018 Layout and print management Stay at Enjoy The flowers presented on stage are Creative design generously donated by Scarecrow – Auckland city’s deli, café and florist. Verdi’s Aida 2018 1 Proudly helping the APO bring you the best international talent. www.malcolmpacific.com Aida has captured the imaginations of The Trusts Community Foundation (TTCF) is operagoers for nearly a century and a half, delighted to be a strong supporter of Opera and tonight we are pleased to present the in Concert, the cornerstone of the Auckland APO premiere of this wonderful opera. Philharmonia Orchestra’s annual programme. Verdi’s transcendent music makes Aida a TTCF’s partnership with the APO was perennial favourite, masterfully balancing established in 1998, a relationship that grandeur and spectacle with a deeply continues to grow and develop. We moving personal tragedy. We’re delighted increasingly value the role that the APO to have our own Music Director Maestro plays. It delivers not only world-class main Giordano Bellincampi lead our orchestra stage concerts but also APO Connecting, through this timeless work. He joins a superb an extensive community and education roster of guest singers including tenor programme for toddlers through to aspiring Antonello Palombi, who has sung the role of professional musicians – a programme Radamès to great acclaim at La Scala and also supported by TTCF. The Met, as well as soprano Maria Luigia TTCF is proud to have West Auckland’s Borsi, who returns to the APO following a Portage and Waitakere Trusts as foundation memorable performance in Otello in 2016. members and it is the Portage trustees’ Bringing these wonderful singers and consistent recommendations that ensure musicians together is made immeasurably TTCF’s ongoing support of APO’s Opera easier thanks to our ongoing collaboration in Concert is an easy decision. with New Zealand Opera, and we’re also We very much hope that you will enjoy grateful for the continued support of The Proudly helping the APO bring you the best international talent. tonight’s operatic masterpiece, Verdi’s Trusts Community Foundation. Aida, performed by wonderful guest artists Above all, we’d like to thank you, our and Auckland’s own world-class orchestra audience, for joining us tonight. We hope conducted by Music Director, Maestro you enjoy the concert. Giordano Bellincampi. Barbara Glaser Ross Clow Chief Executive, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra Chairman, The Trusts Community Foundation www.malcolmpacific.com Verdi’s Aida 2018 3 Music Director Cellos Horns Giordano Bellincampi David Berlin Nicola Baker β David Garner + Emma Eden * Concertmaster Liliya Arefyeva # Carl Wells # Andrew Beer Katherine Hebley Simon Williams # Associate Concertmaster You Lee David Kay Liu-Yi Retallick James sang-oh Yoo Trumpets Callum Hall Assistant Concertmaster Huw Dann β Miranda Adams Basses Jenna Smith Gordon Hill β First Violins Trombones Annabella Zilber + Artur Grabczewski # Douglas Cross β Evgueny Lanchtchikov # Mark Bennett Mark Close # Elzbieta Grabczewska Matthias Erdrich Bass Trombone Ainsley Murray Michael Steer Timothy Sutton * Alexander Shapkin Eric Scholes Caroline von Bismarck Flutes Tuba Yanghe Yu Melanie Lançon β Tak Chun Lai * Lucy Qi Zhang Kathryn Moorhead + Timpani Yuri Cho Piccolo Steven Logan β Annabelle Swainston ~ Jennifer Seddon-Mori * Percussion Second Violins Oboes Eric Renick β Dianna Cochrane β Bede Hanley β Jennifer Raven # Xin (James) Jin + Camille Wells + Shane Currey William Hanfling # Rae Crossley-Croft = Cor Anglais Harp Sarah Hart Martin Lee * Ingrid Bauer * Jocelyn Healy Clarinets Fanfare Trumpets Rachel Moody Bridget Miles (Bass Clarinet) + Stephen Bemelman Milena Parobczy James Fry (Eb Clarinet) + Josh Rogan Ewa Sadag Natalie Harris + Bruno Siketa Katherine Walshe Rob Sims Mia Stanton ~ Bassoons Ingrid Hagan β Guest Musicians Violas Yang Rachel Guan Ebbett + First Violin Lucía Siwy Robert Ashworth β Second Violin Irina Lgotkina Contrabassoon David Samuel + Viola Wen Chuan Lin Ruth Brinkman * Christine Bowie # Cello Jesbery Hartono, Sally Kim Anne Draffin # 2nd Harp Rebecca Harris Helen Bevin Ping Tong Chan Gregory McGarity Susan Wedde β Section Principal = Section Leader Emeritus * Principal Grace Leehan ~ + Associate Principal # Sub-Principal ~ APO Orchestral Fellow 4 apo.co.nz Presented by Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra in association with New Zealand Opera Conductor Giordano Bellincampi Aida Maria Luigia Borsi Radamès Antonello Palombi Amneris Olesya Petrova Amonasro Lucio Gallo II Re Pelham Andrews Ramfis Giacomo Prestia High Priestess Anna Leese Messenger Oliver Sewell The Freemasons New Zealand Opera Chorus Stage Direction Stuart Maunder AM Verdi’s Aida 2018 5 SYNOPSIS ACT I ACT II In a hall in the royal palace in Memphis. In the quarters of Amneris The high priest Ramfis tells Radamès, Ethiopia is defeated and Amneris’s slaves Captain of the Guard, there is a rumour are preparing her for the triumphant feast. Ethiopia is preparing another attack, When Aida approaches, Amneris sends threatening the Nile valley and Thebes. her entourage away, so the two women Ramfis tells Radamès that he has prayed can be alone. to Isis and will be telling the King who Suspicious of Aida, Amneris tells her Isis has chosen to be the supreme that Radamès has fallen in the battle. Egyptian commander. Aida despairs, revealing her true feelings. Alone, Radamès reflects that if chosen, he Vindicated in her suspicions, Amneris will be able to set free his beloved Aida – reveals the truth – that Radamès lives – the Ethiopian slave of Princess Amneris. and declares that she will be Aida’s rival in her pursuit of the General. She orders Aida Amneris enters, jealously noticing the to accompany her to the triumphant march, passion in the Captain’s eyes and grows to bear witness to her people’s defeat. more suspicious when she sees how he looks at Aida. The city gates The King and his entourage enter the hall, The people sing hymns of thanksgiving as and a messenger steps forward confirming the army marches into the city with the spoils that the Ethiopians have attacked, led by of war. The King embraces the victorious the fearsome warrior-king Amonasro. The Radamès, while Amneris offers him a crown. King declares that Radamès has been Finally, the prisoners are led in, including chosen to lead the Egyptian army and all King Amonasro, who whispers to Aida that sing a patriotic anthem. she must not reveal his true identity. Alone, Aida is torn between her love of Amonasro begs for leniency, saying Radamès and her love for her country and that he saw his own king killed on the father – King Amonasro. battlefield. Ramfis demands the prisoners are executed, but Radamès is impressed Inside the temple of Vulcan. by Amonasro and begs the King’s mercy. Priestesses offer prayers to the god Fthà. The King grants his General’s request, but Ramfis addresses Radamès, bestowing keeps Amonasro as a hostage. As a reward him with a sacred sword, ordering him to for Radamès, the King grants the General protect his homeland. his daughter Amneris’s hand in marriage. 6 apo.co.nz ACT III ACT IV The banks of the River Nile In a hall in the royal palace in Memphis. Ramfis bids Amneris to visit the temple of Radamès is awaiting his trial and sentencing. Isis, to seek a divine blessing on the eve of Believing Aida to be dead, he decides to her wedding. offer no defence. Amneris, desperate to save him, confesses that Aida has survived, Aida, waiting for Radamès, is lost in though her father was killed. She offers to thought. She is surprised by her father, who save him, but only if he will renounce his knows that she loves Radamès. Invoking love of Aida. Radamès refuses. her sense of patriotic duty, he asks his daughter to find out from the General Brought before the priests, Radamès refuses which route the Egyptian army will use to to answer their charges against him, and is attack Ethiopia.