The Dominion Post Summer Concert

Tickets are now on sale for Vector Wellington Orchestra’s annual picnic concert at Government House in February.

Government House will throw open its gates again for the public to enjoy the magnificently refurbished gardens while the orchestra entertains them with a composer’s portrait of Europe.

Ticket sales start early for what Music Director Marc Taddei calls “the most eagerly awaited classical concert of the calendar”.

“I love the feeling of these outdoor concerts and can't wait to play with the cannons again!” Taddei says.

As in previous VWO outdoor concerts, a battery of historical replica cannons will fire a salvo for the finale of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture.

Otherwise, the concert is a vibrant musical tour through Europe accompanied by New Zealand’s finest singers, he says.

It will be an afternoon of classic favourites that stir the heart or set the toes tapping. Tchaikovsky’s Capriccio Italien, Bizet’s L’Arlesienne, Chabrier’s Espagna, a Brahms Hungarian Dance and a Strauss Polka set the scene for a whirlwind tour around the continent.

Back by popular demand, mezzo soprano Helen Medlyn and tenor Ben Makisi return to share not only their splendid voices but their famously charismatic wit and sparkle.

They’re joined this year by exciting young New Zealand soprano Julia Booth. Together they will perform a bouquet of popular arias with their inimitable flair for drama, passion and the sheer joy of music-making.

As in previous years, concert tickets include a picnic lunch from Wishbone and a glass of wine or beer.

Broadcaster and raconteur Ian Fraser will be the master of ceremonies.

The concert will be held in Government House Grounds. Gates open at 12 noon. Ticket price includes pre-concert entertainment, concert, and a Wishbone picnic lunch, with glass of wine.

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