Top British Conductor To Join Dame Kiri In Concert

TOP BRITISH CONDUCTOR TO JOIN DAME KIRI TE KANAWA, TIM FINN & SIR EDMUND HILLARY IN UNIQUE CONCERT

Acclaimed British conductor Robin Stapleton will lead out a line-up of New Zealand icons at a unique concert on January 25, to be held beneath the legendary Te Mata Peak in Hawkes Bay.

The "Our Giants" concert with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Tim Finn, Sir Edmund Hillary and the Auckland Philharmonia marks the official opening of the innovative Craggy Range Winery and is set to become one of this summer's cultural highlights.

As well as a one-off musical collaboration between two of New Zealand's most successful stars, the evening is also a special tribute to Sir Edmund Hillary and celebrates the start of the 50th anniversary year of his ascent of Everest.

The concert will also feature internationally acclaimed tenor Patrick Power and a choir of eight of New Zealand's most promising singers - including this year's Mobil Song Quest winner, Anna Lease.

As conductor of "Our Giants", Robin Stapleton is one of Dame Kiri's favourite conductors. They have worked together throughout Europe and most recently in Dublin, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. In the coming months he will conduct her in concert in Australia as well as New Zealand.

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2/....Top British Conductor to Lead Our Giants Concert

Specialising in opera, Robin Stapleton began his career with the UK's Royal Opera Covent Garden as Chorus Director and Conductor, working with such singers as Martina Arroyo, Monserrat Caballe, Grace Bumbry,Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti.

In the UK, he has also conducted at Glyndebourne, Opera North, Scottish Opera and Opera Northern Ireland and become associated with many classical music programmes on television and radio featuring artists such as Dame Kiri, Stuart Burrows and Placido Domingo. His work for BBC Television includes studio productions of Verdi's Macbeth, Puccini's La Boheme and Provokfiev's Love of Three Oranges.

A limited number of prime public tickets for "Our Giants" is available at $195, along with a larger number of $130 places on the gentle sloping amphitheatre created on the lower reaches of Te Mata Peak. All positions have a great view and plenty of space to enjoy the concert.

There is still plenty of B & B and motel accommodation in Hawkes Bay available for the weekend of the Giants concert. Information from Hawkes Bay Tourism 0800 429 537

Concert tickets are available through Ticketek on (09) 307 5000 or (04) 384 3840, or online at http://www.ticketek.com

Issued on behalf of Craggy Range Vineyards by Porter Novelli New Zealand

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