BARROCO | Perfection isn't the goal in art or nature, but rather depth and human feeling.

AWE 2025 | Barroco
Sunday 5 October, 2 & 5pm
Rippon Hall, Wānaka

Our Sunday programme at Rippon Hall, Barroco, draws its name from the Portuguese word meaning an imperfect pearl — something naturally flawed, yet no less beautiful for it. This idea runs through the programme: that perfection isn't the goal in art or nature, but rather depth and human feeling. We’ve got a fantastic line up of festival artists joining us for these performances, including Baroque specialists James Bush (cello) and Erin Helyard (harpsichord).

At its heart is the enduring friendship between Georg Philipp Telemann and George Frideric Handel. The two composers grew up together and remained close throughout their lives, even after Handel settled in London. They shared a love of music and flowers, and their letters are filled with warmth and humour. In this programme, their music is a conversation across time and distance: playful and deeply connected.

In between works by these composers, we will present the world premiere of the first of John Psathas’ AWE Commissions: a string quintet The Jagged Stone. This work draws on a thread that began last year with Schubert’s much-loved String Quintet in C, one of the most revered pieces in the chamber music repertoire. Like Schubert’s, John’s quintet is scored for two cellos, a formation that’s not commonly attempted, and this work continues that exploration of rich, resonant textures and interwoven voices.

John will be speaking about this commission and introducing his work during our AWE+ Free Artist Talk which takes place between the two performances of Barroco.

The evening concludes with a celebratory performance of Locatelli’s Concerto Grosso, bringing all of our festival artists together on stage. It’s the largest ensemble we’ve ever hosted at one time within our chamber music festival, a joyful, full-bodied finale that reflects the spirit of Barroco, alive with connection.