Puttin' on the Ritz!

Free

Napier’s Octavius Chamber Choir will present an Art Deco concert with a difference in the Waiapu Cathedral on Saturday, February 21. Joined by members of the Cathedral Strings orchestra, the choir will take listeners on a musical journey through the jazz clubs and dance halls, Hollywood studios and radio stages of the Jazz era.

The programme features music by Cole Porter, Duke Ellington, George and Ira Gershwin and other well-known composers. Many of their songs were first heard in films and stage shows and have become standards through their association with important events of the era. A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square, Bye Bye Blackbird and Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy capture the mood of wartime romance and resilience, while Somewhere Over the Rainbow and Mister Sandman remind us that in uncertain times, people turn to music for comfort, hope, and a little sparkle.

Swing and syncopated rhythms were a feature of the era, heard in It Don’t Mean a Thing, Chattanooga Choo Choo and the Maple Leaf Rag. Ain’t Misbehavin’ is pure Fats Waller charm, and lush, lyrical melodies feature in a song made famous by Frank Sinatra: Fly Me to the Moon. These and other songs will bring you 90 minutes of pure pleasure and foot-tapping fun - just wait till you hear the men of the group presenting a unique take on I Got Rhythm!

Octavius is a 12-voice choir based in Napier, directed by Anthony Tattersall. The Cathedral Strings orchestra plays in special events in Waiapu Cathedral, and many of the instrumentalists play in other local orchestras.

What? Puttin’ on the Ritz – a concert by Octavius Choir
When? 1:30 pm, Saturday February 21st 2026
Where? Waiapu Cathedral, Browning Street, Napier
Entry? All are welcome, no tickets required; your Koha/donation will be appreciated

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