WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND
The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra will return to Te Whare Whakarauika Wellington Town Hall in February 2027 with one of the largest and most ambitious classical music performances staged in the capital.
More than 200 musicians and singers will come together for Resurrection, a landmark concert celebrating the reopening of the historic Wellington venue after an extensive restoration.
The concerts will be held at 6.30pm on Thursday, 25 February and Friday, 26 February 2027.
Led by the NZSO’s internationally recognised Artistic Advisor and Principal Conductor Gemma New, the programme will feature Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 in C minor, commonly known as the Resurrection Symphony.
The event will also include the world premiere of a new composition by Wellington-based composer Salina Fisher, commissioned especially to mark the Town Hall’s new era.
New Hooker Valley Suspension Bridge at Aoraki Mount Cook to Open on 28 July – WebfitNews
More Than 200 Performers to Fill the Town Hall
Mahler’s Second Symphony is regarded as one of the most powerful and emotionally intense works in the orchestral repertoire.
The performance will bring together more than 100 NZSO musicians, the Orpheus Choir of Wellington and internationally acclaimed vocalists Deborah Humble and Madeleine Pierard.
Humble will perform as mezzo-soprano, while Pierard will appear as soprano.
The symphony is known for its dramatic scale, moving from a thunderous opening through moments of reflection before reaching a sweeping choral finale.
Mahler’s original conducting notes include instructions such as “with maximum power”, “massive, mighty, powerful” and “heartfelt and intimate”.
The renewed Town Hall’s acoustics and restored pipe organ are expected to play a major role in delivering the full impact of the work.
It will be the first time since 1968 that the NZSO has performed Mahler’s Second Symphony inside Wellington Town Hall.
Historic Return for the NZSO
The reopening of Te Whare Whakarauika Wellington Town Hall represents a major moment for Wellington’s cultural community.
The venue will become a base for the National Music Centre, a partnership involving the NZSO, Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington’s New Zealand School of Music Te Kōkī, and Wellington City Council.
The partnership is intended to create a permanent centre for performance, education, collaboration and recording.
Gemma New said Mahler’s Second Symphony was the right work to celebrate such a significant occasion.
“From its thunderous opening to its radiant chorale, Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 is the perfect piece for this monumental occasion,” she said.
“Here we explore life’s deepest ambitions and how to build a bright future together.”
New said returning to the venue would be an emotional experience for the orchestra and Wellington audiences.
“We can’t wait to return to the Town Hall, the artistic heartbeat of the city and the NZSO’s musical home,” she said.
“Becoming immersed in these stunning acoustics once more, feeling welcomed back into this warm space, and coming together with so many wonderful people who love music, the NZSO and Wellington Town Hall is going to be a deeply moving and poignant experience for the ages.”
New Zealand Composer Commissioned for World Premiere
The concert will begin with the world premiere of a new work by Salina Fisher.
Fisher is one of New Zealand’s most internationally performed contemporary composers.
Her works have been commissioned by leading ensembles including the Auckland Philharmonia, NZTrio and the New Zealand String Quartet.
Her music has also been performed at major international venues and festivals, including Wigmore Hall in London, Philharmonie Berlin, Lincoln Center in New York and the Tanglewood Music Festival in Massachusetts.
Gemma New said Fisher’s ability to create distinctive musical worlds made her an ideal choice for the Town Hall reopening.
“Salina is a longtime collaborator with the NZSO, and we love how, with every piece she writes, she captures an absolutely fascinating, beautiful and unique sound world that so strongly expresses the message behind it,” New said.
Venue Rebuilt with Acoustic Performances in Mind
Heidi Morton, General Manager of Events and Experiences at WellingtonNZ and Venues Wellington, said the organisation was eager to welcome the NZSO back during the Town Hall’s opening week.
“The rebuild has been undertaken with outstanding acoustic performances like this in mind, making it a wonderful way to celebrate the venue’s return,” Morton said.
“Wellingtonians and orchestral music lovers from across the motu are in for a real treat.”
The Town Hall has long been valued for its internationally recognised acoustics, making it one of New Zealand’s most important venues for major orchestral and choral performances.
Its reopening is expected to provide a significant boost to Wellington’s performing arts sector and strengthen the city’s reputation as a major cultural centre.
Longstanding Vision Finally Achieved
The opening concert is being supported by Susan and Donald Best ONZM.
Donald Best served as NZSO Board Chair from 2009 to 2019 and was closely involved in plans to establish the Town Hall as the orchestra’s permanent home.
“During my time the Board decided to progress the vision that the refurbished Town Hall become the permanent home of the NZSO, incorporating a recording studio that would take advantage of the auditorium’s internationally recognised acoustics,” he said.
“It is pleasing to see that vision finally achieved.”
Tommy’s Real Estate has also joined as a supporting sponsor for the orchestra’s return.
Tickets Available from September
Tickets for Resurrection will go on sale when the NZSO announces its full 2027 season in September 2026.
The two concerts are expected to be among the most significant NZSO performances staged in a generation.
Concert Details
Event: Resurrection
Conductor: Gemma New
Mezzo-soprano: Deborah Humble
Soprano: Madeleine Pierard
Choir: Orpheus Choir of Wellington
Programme: Salina Fisher NZSO commission, world premiere, and Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 in C minor
Venue: Te Whare Whakarauika Wellington Town Hall
Dates: Thursday, 25 February and Friday, 26 February 2027
Time: 6.30pm
Source: New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
