Opening season’s programme
Public Open Day, Saturday February 22 from 9am to 3pm
The community is invited to come and explore the new Ka¯ piti Performing Arts Centre and get a backstage tour of all of the facilities included in this incredible venue. See the theatres and dance studios in action and take centre stage to view it from the performer’s perspective. The public open day is a way of showing the community what a truly magnificent facility Ka¯ piti now has. Entry will be by gold coin donation to support final fundraising efforts for the centre. There will also be an array of food trucks out the front of the centre.
The open day may be the only chance people get to experience the backstage areas that normally only the performers and backstage crew get to see. Techies will especially enjoy hearing about the theatre technology to power the productions behind the scenes.
Project Ex, Sunday February 23 from 5pm to 9pm
Project Ex is a unique Sundaysession gig celebrating some of the finest musical talent to come out of Ka¯ piti College. Get some rock, hip hop and rap into your ears from a stellar line up including Pale Lady, Simloco, Oh Sweet Nothings and Will McClean. Tickets available www.eventfinda.co.nz. Strictly R18 event — ID required at the door, no pass outs.
Royal New Zealand Ballet, Tutus on Tour Saturday February 29 from 2pm to 6.30pm
The Royal New Zealand Ballet is delighted to bring the company’s much-loved regional touring programme to Ka¯ piti in 2020, featuring works tailor-made for the RNZB by trail blazing choreographers at home in New Zealand and on the world stage. This hour-long performance is suitable for all ages. Get your tickets at www.mynzballet.org. nz
2pm tickets available, 6.30pm ticket allocation is exhausted. Parihaka — Ka¯ piti College’s sell-out production returns, Wednesday 4 and Thursday 5 March 7.30pm
The 2019 Ka¯ piti College production Parihaka achieved rave reviews. The college has a special relationship with the people of Parihaka and the show’s 2019 season was a sell-out. The production will return for two nights with an adapted version for the larger stage and theatre. Tickets available from www.eventfinda.co.nz
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, J S Bach Goldberg Variations Saturday 7 March 7.30pm
The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra will present a concert to bring the Opening Season to a dramatic conclusion.
JS Bach’s Goldberg Variations is a masterpiece. First written for harpsichord, it opens with a beautifully tranquil and ornamented aria followed by intricate and distinct variations. NZSO performs this gem of the baroque idiom for regional audiences with the variations performed on a variety of instruments.
“The different instruments will add a huge amount of colour to the variations, making an already exquisite work even more mesmerising for audiences,” says NZSO concertmaster and baroque series director Vesa-Matti Leppa¨ nen. “Bach’s Goldberg Variations is hauntingly beautiful and a work of genius. It’s the most incredible piece.” Tickets at www.nzso.co.nz