Stunning performance of Odes to Joy

City of Dunedin Choir, Voices New Zealand Chamber Choir and soloists joined the NZSO and conductor Pietari Inkinen last night, 28 September 2011, for the performance of the decade! The Dunedin Town Hall was packed and the audience spell-bound from the first to the last notes of Gareth Farr's new work Kaitiaki and Beethoven's Symphony No. 9.

The soloists were:
Madeleine Pierard soprano
Sarah Castle mezzo-soprano
Simon O’Neill tenor
Jonathan Lemalu bass-baritone

During the pre-concert talk Gareth Farr said that the afternoon rehearsal he attended had been the best performance of Kaitiaki so far, but you can bet we gave much more during the evening performance.

Here are some comments from the audience:

"Stunning!"

"You guys were just great" - from members of the NZSO to a City of Dunedin Choir member on the aeroplane flying back to Wellington

"Goosebumpy"

"The best Beethoven's 9th I've heard..."

"What a great concert!"

"Congratulations! What a spine tingling night from start to finish. I thought the Kaitiaki was fantastic and could have listened to it over again."

"The choir in both works was stupendous."

"Congratulations to the City of Dunedin Choir on a job well done! That was great...we've enjoyed every moment of the Odes to Joy!"  - from Southern Sinfonia

"Wonderful concert, the boys all loved it. Farr marvelous!" - from Waitaki Boys High

"I really enjoyed the Odes to Joy concert....especially the Gareth Farr.........what a wonderul work."

Where you there? What did you think of this performance?

Thank you to New Zealand Symphony Orchestra for bringing this opportunity to Dunedin - wow! what an experience!