There are many great listening, and viewing, experiences on offer from RNZ Concert this weekend. Here's a run down to help you plan your time:
Thursday 8 pm Music Alive: Verdi’s Requiem
Stephen Cleobury conducts Verdi’s Requiem in his last Easter concert at King’s College, Cambridge in 2019. He passed away in November of 2019. Listen on the radio.
Thursday 8 pm APO Encore Video: Puccini’s Manon Lescaut
One of the original anti-heroines, Manon makes one poor decision after another, leaving her an exploited, desolate woman.
Join us on the RNZ Concert website and on the RNZ Concert Facebook page for the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and soloists performing Puccini's breakthrough opera Manon Lescaut. (not on radio).
Dalibor Jenis Photo: Supplied
Good Friday
10 am Pergolesi’s famous Stabat Mater
1 pm Onstage: The Tudor Consort performs Music for Holy Week.
A beautiful Good Friday concert recorded at St. Paul's Cathedral, Wellington, in 2011. Join RNZ Concert and the Tudor Consort on Facebook to listen together. Listen on the radio.
7.30 pm Video: Royal NZ Ballet: Live in your Living Room - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Lovers, fairies, mischief and moonlight conspire in Shakespeare’s classic tale, vividly retold with dazzling dance and Mendelssohn’s famous score, specially arranged and conducted by Nigel Gaynor, and played live by the NZSO.
Video presentation on the RNZ Concert website and on the RNZ Concert Facebook page (not on radio) Repeats on 10:30 am Sunday 12 April.
8 pm Music Alive: Bach’s monumental St. Matthew Passion performed by the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, and conducted by internationally renowned choral director, Stephen Layton. Listen on the radio.
Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral's Great Window, designed by Nigel Brown, is said to be the largest expanse of stained glass in the southern hemisphere. The windows have a Polynesian and a European side, with the risen Christ in the centre crowned by a flower depicting the seven days of Creation. Photo: RNZ
Easter Sunday
6 am Sanctuary has music for Easter Sunday, including a complete performance of Bach’s Easter Oratorio and at 7:30 am Hymns on Sunday is dedicated to favourite hymns of the season.
9 am Easter Choral Eucharist from Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral, Auckland. Listen on the radio.
10:30 am Video: Royal NZ Ballet: Live in your Living Room - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Encore video presentation on the RNZ Concert website and on the RNZ Concert Facebook page (not on radio).
1 pm Onstage: A Baroque Easter - The Auckland Phil and Voices New Zealand join forces to present a collection of Easter music from Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s Passions and Easter Oratorio. Listen on the radio.
10 pm Sunday night - 6 am Monday morning: Max Richter's Sleep - Unifying Nations in Quarantine
It’s been called a “lullabye for a frenetic world”.
Composer Max Richter worked with a Neuroscientist to compose this 8 hour piece of music to accompany sleep.
Broadcasters around the world are joining with BBC Radio 3 to broadcast Sleep on Easter Weekend.
Max Richter performing Sleep in London, 2015 Photo: Mike Terry via BBC
Max Richter says: "Five years ago I wrote Sleep as an invitation to pause our busy lives for a moment. Now we are all facing an unexpected and unwelcome pause. It is far from easy to adjust to this new normal, which daily brings fresh anxiety and suffering to our communities, to those we love, and to ourselves. At this time the magical ability of creativity to elevate our days and to connect us with one another is more valuable than ever, and I’m really happy that BBC Radio 3 and the EBU will allow us to listen all together across the world. Please stay home, stay safe and enjoy this 8-hour place to rest with those you love".
Here at RNZ Concert, you can hear this unique work on the radio from Sunday night at 10 pm through to 6 am Monday morning.
Max Richter's 'Sleep' performed in London, 2015. Photo: Mike Terry via BBC
Easter Monday
6 am - 6 pm RNZ Concert listener favourites
Every year we hold a poll for RNZ Concert’s favourite classical music called ‘Settling the Score’. We tally the votes, and broadcast a countdown on Labour Day Monday and again on New Year’s Day. But we can usually only fit about 80 works into our 12 hour broadcast of Settling the Score.
This Easter Monday, we delve into the rest of the top 200 list, and play selections throughout the day. From 6 am to 6pm hear a sampling of New Zealand’s favourite composers, both from home and abroad.
HOW TO LISTEN to RNZ Concert:
On your radio:
RNZ Concert is between 90 and 100 on the FM dial, depending where in New Zealand you are.
Online:
Click here for real-time RNZ Concert radio streaming
Via TV (audio only):
Freeview: Channel 51
SKY: Channel 422
