Along with a big crowd of other British expats wearing red white and blue, I attended a joyful and nostalgic version of the Last Night of the Proms performed with orchestra and choir in the Bruce Mason theatre on Auckland’s North Shore.
The programme began with God Save the King and finished with Rule Britannia, Land of Hope and Glory and Jerusalem, with many other traditional items in between. New Zealand content included the national anthem, a Maori song called A Te Tarakihi, and a film of the Spitfire flying at the Warbirds air show. The soprano soloist wore a series of splendid gowns, one resembling a giant Union Jack. I used to think I hated bagpipes, but the wonderful performance of Highland Cathedral by a pipe band was a highlight of the show.
Towards the end, the hall filled with balloons and streamers as the wildly enthusiastic audience sang along and waved our flags. We all had a good time, and perhaps some of us were left wondering whether the UK or NZ feels more like home.
Jennifer Barraclough 