Come dancing with the APO

Music and dance go together like Fred and Ginger, Nuriyev and Fontaine, Rodney Hide and… (well, maybe not). The Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra will present a concert enticingly called Invitation to the Dance on Thursday 4 October at the Aotea Centre with an exuberant programme of symphonic works written for, or inspired by, dance.

The concert is the final in the three-concert Vero Aotea Series for 2007. The programme features works by composers Piazolla, Ravel and Weber and includes the groundbreaking Symphonic Dances from West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein and Khachaturian’s feisty Sabre Dance.

The works will conjure up images of ballet, tango and waltzes in a fast-paced aural whirl of activity, enhanced by live demonstrations of dance on stage.

“The theme of dance provides a rich pool of beloved classical works to draw upon and the orchestra is thrilled to present this exciting blend of works in what will be a swift-footed, graceful and sweeping evening of musical entertainment,” says APO Chief Executive, Barbara Glaser. “With maestro Mischa Santora and the APO’s concertmaster Dimitri Atanassov taking the lead, we invite audiences to join us on the musical dancefloor for an evening of great entertainment.”

Like all Vero Aotea Series concerts, Invitation to the Dance will be narrated with conductor Mischa Santora providing insight into the works and how they relate to dance. The works in the Vero Aotea Series concert programmes have been selected to provide a substantial and engaging introduction to classical music while also presenting much-loved works in a themed concert for more experienced concertgoers.

Tickets (from $15 to $65 plus booking fee) for Invitation to the Dance are available from Ticketek Ph 09 307 5139, www.ticketek.co.nz

INVITATION TO THE DANCE – Vero Aotea Series, Concert 3
Thurs 4 October, 8pm, Aotea Centre, THE EDGE

Mischa Santora – Conductor & Narrator
Dimitri Atanassov – Violin