In Review –The NZSO, Mozart & Salieri

By Aiden Charles (they/them)

It was around the halfway mark that I realised something: classical music kinda goes hard.

If you know me, know of me, or have just seen my general appearance at a glance, I don’t seem the type to be into Mozart, violins, or songs that weren’t written in the ‘90s. My usual scenes are dimly lit, grungy, this-ain’t-your-mama’sgig kinda joints.

However, I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to see the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Mozart & Salieri, a short and sweet show boasting amazing talent and showcasing some of the best of Eighteenthcentury music.

I’m just going to say this earlier on: if you’re a fan of this style of music and are thinking of seeing the NZSO, then do it. Outside of this performance, I have seen them play once before. They performed music from ‘Doctor Who’, and like that last time, they did not disappoint.

Under the leadership of director and violinist Vesa-Matti Leppänen, the NZSO took the audience through a variety of compositions spanning four composers: Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Antonio Salieri, and Johann Nepomuk Hummel.

The roughly hour-long programme showed just how talented the NZSO are. The style, grace, and class which they bring to the stage is nothing to scoff at, not to mention the precision with which each note played. Everyone playing looked like they were having a genuinely good time. Something which I did not expect to find at this show was comedy, but Leppänen even managed to sneak some of that onto the stage, with humorous yet informative commentary between performances. These small pieces of commentary gave background to the music being played, informing the audience of the circumstances surrounding the writing, as well as musical quirks within each piece. These small bits of dialogue would not be found during a longer concert, and created a welcome break from the music, acting as a palate cleanser between sets.

As a musician and just a general fan of live performances, I thoroughly enjoyed what was on offer. Mozart & Salieri was an excellent, bite-sized piece of classical entertainment. If they’re swinging by your town and you’re looking for an excuse to dress up, class up, and go listen to some high society tunes, then I cannot recommend them enough. While their run of this particular set has ended, I’m thoroughly excited to see what pieces they bring to the stage in the near future.