Just as monarchs rise and fall, so does the music written to accompany their reigns. The rise of the queen is represented in the first half of the concert, with coronation music including Zadok the Priest by Handel and William Walton’s Coronation Te Deum. For these majestic works, the choir will be conducted by Matthew Howes and accompanied by organist Philip Smith.

Our second half is Dido and Aeneas: telling the tragic love story of Dido, the founder and Queen of Carthage, and the Trojan hero Aeneas. Written by Henry Purcell in 1688, this Baroque opera is based on Book IV of Virgil’s Aeneid. Camerata Chamber Choir will form the chorus, with students from Te Whare o ngā Pūkōrero Pūoro School of Music, University of Auckland taking on the solo roles in the opera. We are also delighted to welcome instrumentalists Hanna Wiskari (saxophone), Lindsay McLay (viola) and James Bush (cello).

Performed in the beautiful surroundings of St Matthew-in-the-City, this will be a concert you won’t want to miss.