The Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts is proud to announce Gloria as a signature event for the 2026 programme – a landmark trans-Tasman collaboration honouring one of New Zealand’s most revered choreographers, the late Douglas Wright.
Presented by The New Zealand Dance Company (NZDC) and Co3 Contemporary Dance Australia, Gloria restages Wright’s iconic masterpiece, first seen at the Festival in 1992, alongside two bold new works. Returning as part of the Festival’s 40th anniversary celebrations in 2026, this event pays tribute to one of Wright’s seminal works, while embracing the future of contemporary dance.
Set to Vivaldi’s most famous sacred score, performed live by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and Voices New Zealand conducted by Dr Joseph Nolan, Gloria is a breath-taking celebration of life. Dancers soar, twist, and turn in a powerful, joyous affirmation of the human spirit.
This triple-bill programme also features A Moving Portrait, a meditative new work by Co3’s Founding Artistic Director Raewyn Hill, and Lament, a moving reflection on resilience and memory from New Zealand Dance Company’s Artistic Director, Moss Patterson. Together, these works honour the whakapapa of contemporary dance in Aotearoa while forging fresh creative pathways across the Tasman.
Exclusive to Wellington, this exhilarating performance will premiere as part of the 2026 Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts at Wellington’s St James Theatre from 12th -14th March. The Festival’s full programme will be announced in November.
Photo Credit – Chris Symes
