RITA PACZIAN TO CONDUCT FINAL CONCERT WITH BACH MUSICA NZ THIS DECEMBER
Bach Musica NZ close out their 2025 programme with a festive celebration on Sunday 7 December at the Auckland Town Hall, with music by two favourite Baroque composers, Bach and Handel.
This end-of-year concert will be conducted by Bach Musica NZ’s distinguished Music & Artistic Director, Rita Paczian, who will take her final bow with the organisation and mark the end of an extraordinary era spanning 32 years. “Celebrating this special moment with Bach and Handel is my tribute to these geniuses.” says Paczian.
The evening will include performances of Bach’s orchestral Suite No 3 in D Major, featuring 3 trumpets, oboes and strings, alongside his Christmas Cantata Unser Mund ist voll Lachens, and Handel’s coronation anthems The King Shall Rejoice and Zadok the Priest. Listening to this joyous music is the perfect celebration to ring in the festive season.
Alongside Bach Musica NZ’s acclaimed choir and orchestra, the concert will showcase leading New Zealand vocal soloists, Elizabeth Mandeno (soprano), Iain Tetley (tenor), James Harrison (baritone) and London based Christie Cook (alto).
"In the final chorus Rita Paczian once again demonstrated her tremendous musicality and talent, where Bach Musica NZ’s artistry is impressively demonstrated by orchestra and chorus members - this with their complete immersion into Bach’s music."
– Rainer Buhmann, NZ Opera News
Best of Bach & Handel
Sunday 7 December at 5pm – Auckland Town Hall
Tickets are available via Ticketmaster.
Rita Paczian Conductor
Elizabeth Mandeno Soprano
Christie Cook Alto
Iain Tetley Tenor
James Harrison Baritone