Transfigured Night
World Premiere 2021 / Auckland Town Hall
Commissioned by Chamber Music New Zealand
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Created for New Zealand String Quartet
Ballet Collective Aotearoa
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Choreographer Loughlan Prior
Composers Tabea Squire
Antonín DvoÅ™ák
Arnold Schoenberg
Featuring:
Laura Saxon Jones
William Fitzgerald
Tabitha Dombroski
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Helene Pohl violin
Monique Lapins violin
Gillian Ansell viola
Serenity Thurlow viola
Rolf Gjelsten cello
Ken Ichinose cello
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With special thanks to
Jack Hobbs, Rachel Hardie,
Turid Revfeim, Brigitte Knight,
Chamber Music New Zealand and
Creative New Zealand
Program Notes: Award-winning choreographer Loughlan Prior creates a new visceral performance work to Schoenberg’s ‘Verklärte Nacht’ – TRANSFIGURED NIGHT. Based on the mystical poem by Richard Dehmel, this chamber concert brings together the New Zealand String Quartet and the BalletCollective Aotearoa in a celebration of new life, the duality of conflict and resolution and, ultimately, reconciliation with the universe.
Coupled with DvoÅ™ák’s gorgeously Slavonic string sextet and a new commission by Kiwi composer Tabea Squire, this night of sumptuous music and dance will take you on a moving journey of courage, strength and human warmth.
Loughlan Prior embraces the challenge of bringing coherency to the programme. The eyes are invited to hear and the ears to see. - The Dominion Post
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It proved a choreographic masterwork, and will position Loughlan Prior firmly on the international choreographic scene. - Michelle Potter...on dancing
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Beautiful, intimate and uplifting - Theatre Review