5 May 2025

NZSO: Poem of Ecstasy

From Music Alive, 8:00 pm on 5 May 2025

This concert features titans of early twentieth-century romanticism. At the heart of the programme is Debussy’s solo flute piece Syrinx, a brilliant showcase for NZSO flutist Bridget Douglas and later the golden-voiced New Zealand soprano Madeleine Pierard embodies the Finnish goddess of nature in Sibelius’ tone poem Luonnotar.

Soprano Madeleine Pierard

Soprano Madeleine Pierard Photo: Supplied by NZSO

The programme takes its name from Scriabin’s 1908 Poem of Ecstasy, music that embraces both the sensual and the spiritual worlds and harnesses the full power and beauty of the symphony orchestra. The concert begins and ends with dance. The Daphnis and Chloe Suite No 2 by Ravel and begins closer to home with Dance by NZ composer Kenneth Young.

Programme

Kenneth YOUNG: Dance

SCRIABIN: Poem of Ecstasy Op 54

DEBUSSY: Syrinx

SIBELIUS: Luonnotar Op 70

RAVEL: Daphnis & Chloé, Suite No 2

New Zealand Symphony Orchestra/Gemma New

New Zealand Symphony Orchestra/Gemma New

Bridget Douglas (flute)

Madeleine Pierard (soprano), New Zealand Symphony Orchestra/Gemma New

New Zealand Symphony Orchestra/Gemma New

Soprano Madeleine Pierard talks to Bryan Crump on Three to Seven. 

Producer: David McCaw

Sound Engineer: Darryl Stack

Recorded at the Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington by RNZ Concert