Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra (APO) regrets to advise that the upcoming Beethoven 250 Symphony Series concerts will not go ahead as planned, owing to the critical Covid-19 situation and the Government’s new limits on mass public gatherings.
We are however delighted to announce that the APO will still be performing each of the Beethoven concerts for you to enjoy via a livestream on the APO website and Facebook page as well as other third-party digital channels.
All four concerts will be livestreamed:
The Classicist
7.30pm, Saturday 21 March
Symphonies No.1, 2, 3
The Romantic
7.30pm, Tuesday 24 March
Symphonies No.4, 5
The Revolutionary
7.30pm, 26 Thursday March
Symphonies No.6, 7
The Radical
5pm, Sunday 29 March
Symphonies No.8, 9
APO will be in contact with all ticketholders for these concerts within the next 48 hours.
This is not a situation we could have foreseen, and we appreciate your support during this challenging time. We hope that you stay safe and well and we look forward to sharing our Beethoven performances with you and welcoming you back into the concert hall soon.
Ticket holders shall receive a full refund from the point of purchase. If customers have any queries regarding their booking, please contact Ticketmaster
Ludwig Reflected #1 | 6pm, Monday 23 March
Gillian Whitehead Weaving time and distance
Beethoven String Quartet in D Major Op.18 No.3 (mvts I & II)
In the last few years of his life, Beethoven concentrated on string quartets to the exclusion of almost all else. Most of his contemporaries thought these late quartets incomprehensible. Dame Gillian Whitehead disagrees, answering Beethoven’s rarefied questions with her own new utterance.
Ludwig Reflected #2 | 6pm, Wednesday 25 March
Chris Gendall Disquiet
Beethoven Piano Trio Op.70 No.2
The infinitely lyrical violin and cello, versus the more mechanical piano: a combination of opposites? Beethoven thought not, saying ‘One can also sing with the pianoforte’. Chris Gendall has long experience writing for piano trio, and his new piece will be the perfect foil to Beethoven’s.
Ludwig Reflected #3 | 6pm, Friday 27 March
Celeste Oram and Alex Taylor The Paihia Piano Party
Celeste Oram and Alex Taylor have frequently worked together, but this time they have a new collaborator – a sprightly 250-year-old by the name of Ludwig. Based on Beethoven’s music, this new piece promises to be a playful, theatrical and robustly provocative examination of Beethoven’s art and influence.
Beethoven’s Big Birthday Bash | 2.30pm, Sunday 15 March | Auckland Town Hall
Calling musicians of all ages and skill levels who love Beethoven! This is your chance to join Ludwig’s birthday celebrations with our community play-in – Beethoven’s Big Birthday Bash.
For this special event, community and student musicians will work together with their APO counterparts to create a mass community orchestra and choir, performing selected extracts from the Ninth Symphony, led by Giordano Bellincampi. Music will be specially arranged by APO Communities composer Ryan Youens, so that everyone can join in.
