Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
Michael Houstoun is giving Beethoven a birthday party tonight in Auckland – on the 250th anniversary of the composer’s birth.
The programme of Beethoven sonatas and bagatelles is sold out, but the recital will be broadcast live on RNZ Concert from 7.30pm.
Beethoven has been a constant feature throughout Michael’s career – the Appassionata Sonata was his light-bulb moment as a 10-year-old realising he felt a connection with music and Beethoven.
On his 60th birthday, Michael Houstoun performed the complete sonata marathon around Aotearoa and then recorded the series for Rattle. It was the second time he'd done this.
Tonight’s Beethoven recital was supposed to be his final performance but as he tells Eva Radich, 2020 has thrown him a few curve balls.
