Friday, September 27, 2013

Around Auckland

I spent 4 nights in Auckland.



On Day 10 of my trip I travelled on the ferry to Waiheke Island passing Rangitoto Island, one of the extinct? volcanoes.


I took a walk around the coast of the island. Unfortunately I did not take my stick and walking boots and the track was very muddy and slippery so I only completed about two thirds.













On Day 11 I attended Eucharist at the Auckland cathedral.








Then I drove north to Piha Beach on the west coast. It is regularly featured on TV surf rescue programs.








I then drove to Muriwai also featured on TV but not so pretty.

On Day 12 I visited the Auckland Botanical Gardens.



On two evenings I attended concerts in the Town Hall. The first was an organ recital by Dr Indra Hughes of Bach's the Art of Fugue. I like organ music but Dr Hughes gave a very involved lecture beforehand of which I understood little and the piece played was very long.
Much better was the 2nd night when the Australian conductor Richard Gill led the New Zealand Youth Orchestra playing
LOGAN Zhu Rong Fury!
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No.3
TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No.5

It was a marvellous night.

I had also been fortunate when I stayed in Napier.
I purposely left Dunedin the morning after attending a concert by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. They toured the South Island with a Mozart performance
MOZART The Abduction from the Seraglio: Overture
MOZART Sinfonia Concertante
MOZART Symphony No.40 in G minor

At the same time they were touring the North Island with a Beethoven  performance
BEETHOVEN The Ruins of Athens Overture
BEETHOVEN Symphony No.2
BEETHOVEN Symphony No.5
and it was in Napier at the art deco theatre opposite my hotel on the night I was staying there.

Therefore I attended 3 marvellous concerts within 2 weeks.

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