The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra has had to cancel performances of The Soldier’s Tale in Dunedin, Oamaru, and Ashburton this week, 16-18 June, due to conductor Hamish McKeich becoming unwell.
Hamish, NZSO Principal Conductor in Residence, fell ill on 11 June after a performance of The Soldier’s Tale in Manukau. Scheduled performances in Kerikeri and Whangārei at the weekend were subsequently cancelled.
He is in a stable condition in hospital. His family have asked that his privacy is respected while he recovers.
The NZSO’s thoughts are with Hamish and his family and we wish him a speedy recovery. He has had a close association with the NZSO for two decades and previously was a member of the Orchestra.
The NZSO is heartened by the many messages of support Hamish’s family have received in the past few days from across Aotearoa New Zealand’s arts community, including The Soldier’s Tale touring partner the Royal New Zealand Ballet.
We appreciate the patience and understanding our audiences and supporters in Dunedin, Oamaru and Ashburton have had for The Soldier’s Tale tour after the performances were postponed in March due to Covid-19 restrictions.
We also appreciate the understanding from audiences and supporters in Kerikeri and Whangārei for us having to cancel our weekend performances at short notice.
All tickets to The Soldier’s Tale in Dunedin (16 June), Oamaru (17 June), and Ashburton (18 June), will be refunded. Ticketing agencies will contact ticket purchasers directly.