Auckland Arts Festival 2016 to Bring Opera Back to the Mercury

Following the closure of the Maidment Theatre, Auckland Arts Festival 2016 is pleased to announce the World Premiere Season of Brass Poppies will now take place at the glorious and much-loved Mercury Theatre.

Mercury Theatre has a long history of staging opera, from Don Giovanni to La Traviata, Turandot and Porgy and Bess. In 2014, William Dart praised the venue in his review of a performance of Lucia di Lammermoor, writing, 'Mercury Theatre brought the atmosphere of a real night at the opera.'

Brass Poppies director Jonathan Alver agrees. "The Mercury holds a dear spot in the hearts of performers and audience alike; this was the home of Auckland theatre, and particularly opera, for many years. More than all of that, the shape of the theatre is also perfectly suited to singing," he says.

There is also a nice resonance in that the opera will be performed in a venue that witnessed the First World War. Again, as Alver notes, "Brass Poppies is a World War One story, the characters onstage talk to the audience of their experiences of that time. The Mercury opened, (as The King's Theatre) in 1910, so the setting is completely real. Our performers will be standing on the footprints of actors of that exact period."

The Maidment Theatre was closed with immediate effect in December, after the building was deemed an earthquake risk. Due to this venue change and the availability of Mercury Theatre, Auckland Arts Festival's World Premiere Season of Brass Poppies will comprise of two performances, on Friday 11 March and Saturday 12 March.

Auckland Arts Festival 2016 will be contacting all affected ticket holders. If you have not been contacted or have any questions regarding these changes please contact Auckland Arts Festival on (09) 309 0101 or email info@aaf.co.nz.

Brass Poppies is co-produced by Auckland Arts Festival, New Zealand Festival and New Zealand Opera with support from the Lottery Grants Board.

Auckland Arts Festival is Auckland's premier festival of New Zealand and international arts. The globally recognised event celebrates people and culture, and showcases the unrivalled location, cultural diversity and vibrant energy of New Zealand's largest city.

Previously a biennial event, the Festival is now held annually from 2016. Nearly 1.4 million people have attended the Festivals to date.

Auckland Arts Festival is governed by the Auckland Festival Trust. Trustees are John Judge (Chair); Rick Carlyon; Sarah Judkins; Tarun Kanji; Margaret Kawharu MNZM; Jim Moser; Fred Ward.

The Trust receives core funding from Auckland Council through the Auckland Regional Amenities Funding Act, and Creative New Zealand through the Toi Totara Haemata programme.

Significant support for AAF 2016 is received from Foundation North, Pub Charity, NZ Community Trust, and The Lion Foundation.

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