Acclaimed Italian Ensemble I Musici Performs in Auckland in March
Date: 27 Jan 12
“In every style [I Musici] bring the essential impulse of life… The result is playing of verve, stylistic purity and impeccable artistry." The New York Times
Acclaimed Italian chamber ensemble I Musici makes its first visit to New Zealand in February and March, performing a concert in Auckland to open Chamber Music New Zealand’s 2012 season.
Famed for its 1955 recording of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons which led to the work becoming one of the most famous compositions of the classical music repertoire, I Musici celebrates its 60th anniversary with a Celebration World Tour taking in China, Singapore, Taiwan, Korea, Japan and Australia, Europe - and New Zealand.
I Musici performs at Auckland Town Hall, THE EDGE on Monday 5 March as part of the New Zealand tour which includes Wellington, Palmerston North, Napier, Hamilton, New Plymouth, Dunedin, Invercargill, Christchurch and Nelson.
“We were absolutely thrilled to secure I Musici as our opening artists for the 2012 season and I can’t wait to experience this iconic group,” says Chamber Music New Zealand chief executive Euan Murdoch.
Formed in Rome in 1952, the 12-member group is one of the longest-running active chamber music ensembles in the world and is well known for its interpretations of baroque works particularly those of Antonio Vivaldi and Tomaso Albinoni.
Their 1955 recording of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons was only the second recording made of the work and the ensemble is widely credited with the work’s enduring popularity - it has featured in films including Spy Games, A View To Kill and What Lies Beneath, and is often heard in advertising and at weddings. I Musici went on to record Four Seasons another five times with different soloists racking up more than 25 million album sales across the different recordings.
I Musici’s programme for the Chamber Music New Zealand tour ‘Serenata Italiana’, takes audiences on a journey of the Italian serenade, with music by Rossini, Respighi, and film composer Nino Rota (of The Godfather fame).
I Musici performs at Auckland Town Hall, THE EDGE on Monday 5 March at 8pm with a pre-concert talk at 7pm. Tickets are available from the Aotea Centre box office, or by phoning 0800 BUY TICKETS 0800 289 842 or www.buytickets.co.nz. For more information, visit www.chambermusic.co.nz
Chamber Music New Zealand acknowledges major funding from Creative New Zealand.
Programme
Rossini | Sonata a quattro No 1 in G
Rossini | Une Larme: Theme and variations for cello and strings
Donizetti | Allegro in C for strings
Paganini | Il Carnevale di Venezia, theme and variations for violin and strings
Bossi | 3 Intermezzi Goldoniani, Opus 127
Respighi | Aria for strings
Rota | Concerto for strings (written for I Musici)
Bacalov | Concerto Grosso for I Musici’s 60th Anniversary