The symphony Kukai weaves a millennial epic in Auckland

The Oceania premiere of the symphony Kukai concluded at Auckland Town Hall in New Zealand on Friday. This event brought together over 160 artists from China, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and China's Hong Kong and Taiwan to present an awe-inspiring symphonic masterpiece.

The symphony Kukai commemorates the 1250th anniversary of the birth of Master Kukai, a revered monk from Japan's Heian Period. The symphony narrates Kukai's extraordinary life through music – from his pursuit of truth and rigorous ascetic practices to his journey to China for study.

This extraordinary rendition was led by British conductor Derrick Morgan, in collaboration with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, the Central Conservatory of Music Choir (China), and the Auckland Music Association.

Following its 2023 debut and successful tours in Lanzhou, Kyoto and Tokyo, and London, Kukai has garnered widespread acclaim.

This Oceania premiere of symphony Kukai serves not only as a tribute to the history of cultural exchange between China and Japan but also as a call for communication and mutual understanding between Eastern and Western civilizations.

Distinguished guests attending the performance included Zhou Li, cultural consul of the Chinese Consulate-General in Auckland, Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown, Makoto Osawa, ambassador of Japan to New Zealand, Matsui Shinji, consul general of Japan in Auckland, Nancy Lu, member of Parliament for the New Zealand National Party. The concert hall was filled with nearly 1,300 attendees that created grandeur and unprecedented excitement.