150 Years. A Celebration of Otago in Words and Music
Dunedin Town Hall
Sunday, June 2
A red carpet and near capacity house heard the music and performing arts celebration of Otago University's 150 years.
O Taiko Drummers gave a first welcome and one of Humanities' broadened research.
Lone piper Andre Mason paid homage to colonial heritage with March and Hornpipe.
The programme neatly reflected all aspects of the creative arts nurtured within Otago University's fortressed walls.
John Broughton gave the Mihi Whakatau and Peter Hayden and Lisa Warrington read extracts of works from a selected list of writers. Iain Lonie's The Entrance to Purgatory and Charles Brasch's Indirections focused on their overall ambivalence towards the experience of being an undergrad. Readings from Sarah Quigley and Janet Frame highlighted the isolation, while Hamish McKenzie highlighted more inglorious social experiments.
The contribution from the music department showcased its successes throughout the years. Peter Adams led the St Kilda Brass Band and Anthony Ritchie led the 150th Gala Orchestra and massed city choirs.
The evening opened with soprano Anna Leese singing Puccini and bass-baritone Joel Amosa singing Mozart. Sopranos Rebecca Ryan and Anna Leese performed Delibes' Flower Duet supremely.
Baritone Kawiti Waetford's performance of Te Rangi Hikiroa's Kamate, kamate! was effective but, in this instance, the challenge of melding Maori and Western music styles diluted the impact of the former.
Vaughan Williams' Serenade to Music, featuring all the soloists, had some brilliant moments.
The highlight of the evening was Ritchie's Owheo, a setting for the massed forces of Sue Wootton's words. Here the meld between Maori music syntax with that of the West using Taonga Puoro (Jennifer Cattermole) and Leese and Ryan's lower registers worked excellently.
Two songs from the Capping Sextet and a mass singing of Gaudeamus Igitur closed this showcase of Otago University's contribution to New Zealand's culture.
- Marian Poole
