And you thought you nailed choreography? Sydney Dance Company has a Mardi Gras float

Sydney Dance Company Mardi Gras parade 1

Updated: 02/03/2019

OK, so, if you’ve ever seen the Sydney Dance Company dancers on stage, then you know what you’re in for. Prepare to pack up your dancing shoes, rip apart your pom-poms and go home if you’re in this year’s parade, because shit is about to get turned up. The world renowned dance troupe is, for the first time ever, making its debut in the 2019 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade down Oxford Street in front of millions. In honour of the Company’s 50th anniversary in 2019, the Sydney Dance Company’s choreography features a high energy, tightly rehearsed dance routine with 80 members of Sydney Dance Company’s community, led by dance class manager Ramon Doringo. If you need a taste of the kind of magic that awaits, have a look at what they did at their most recent presentation. Ramon will lead the synchronised marching troupe from the back of a golden Sydney Dance Company Studio float, complete with ballet bar, mirrors and performing drag queens. Doesn’t matter if you’re gay, or just love the energy of the LGBTIQ festival and show of pride, missing the dance rendition from the Sydney Dance Company along the full parade track is more of a sin than the life we’re all living. So get trackside! See what’s on at this year’s Sydney Mardi Gras at their program.

Category: CITIES, DANCE, DRAG, LGBTIQ, LIFESTYLE, SYDNEY

Tags: mardi gras, sydney dance company, Sydney Dance Company choreography, Sydney Dance Company Mardi Gras, Sydney Dance Company Mardi Gras Parade, sydney mardi gras, ThE F Mardi Gras

A chat with Yonghoon Lee, Calaf in Turandot by Opera Australia

by James Banham

Posted: 23/02/2019

New to opera, old to opera; it doesn’t matter. If there’s one voice you hear this season by Opera Australia, it’s Yonghoon Lee as Calaf in the company’s production of Turandot, on until 30 March. If there was ever a tenor to belt out the aria made most famous by the late Luciano Pavarotti, Nessun Dorma, it’s Yonghoon, who makes hitting that hair-standingly invigorating high C seem all too easy. Yonghoon is a Korean born opera singer, who’s established himself internationally as a leading tenor of his generation. He has made debuts at most of the most prestigious theatres in the world, including the Metropolitan Opera, Teatro alla Scala, Chicago Lyric Opera and so many more, and has now joined OA to give some of their singers a taste. We had a chat with him off the back of his more-than-rousing performance in Turandot at the Joan Sutherland Theatre in Sydney Opera House recently. How exciting is it to perform for OA this year? I’m so happy to work with OA. It has become a favourite place among opera singers, where we all want to perform. This year is especially exciting for me – I get to perform my favourite piece and production with my favourite artists, so it made me so thrilled to be here. You can really blow the roof off with your rendition of Nessun dorma. How long have you been practising that aria? I made my Calaf debut in 2012, but of course I sang this beautiful and famous aria long before 2012. How emotionally invested do… Read More

Category: ARTS & CULTURE, CITIES, LIFESTYLE, OPERA, SYDNEY

Tags: sydney opera house, the f opera, turandot, Turandot Opera Australia, Turandot Yonghoon lee tenor, Yonghoon Lee

KING by Shaun Parker for Sydney Mardi Gras: A Review

by James Banham

Updated: 22/02/2019

Being a gay man in 2019 really is a revelation. In 30-or-so years, gay men and women have gone from the ostracised outcasts of abnormality, to something few people bat an eyelid to. But it’s the underlying tone of masculinity and what exactly that is, and the questioning of it, that has been the most rocking of qualities of the homosexual existence since it first came into common parlance in the mid 20th century. Fast forward to today, when we’re looking at KING, a dance production choreographed by Shaun Parker and musically backed by Ivo Dimchev and you have a culmination of the story of males that could only be done in collaboration with the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festival 2019. KING is a dance production of 10 male dancers and Dimchev himself, a Bulgarian choreographer, visual artist, singer-songwriter that explores Parker’s (choreographer) trademark highly physical choreography in an articulate interrogation of male power, control and group dynamic, expertly exposing the brutality of macho ritual and the human toll of toxic masculinity. In short: KING is the Queen of Mardi Gras in 2019 that is a visually striking, musically intoxicating and artistically rousing performance that makes you three things: proud to be gay, proud to be around gays and proud to be in an age where the concept of masculinity can be picked apart, dissected and danced away as a farce, open to artistic interpretation and playfulness, welcoming of all. And then, of course, there’s the striking vocals of Dimchev who’s obviously a… Read More

Category: ARTS & CULTURE, CITIES, DANCE, FEATURES, LGBTIQ, LIFESTYLE, SYDNEY

Tags: Ivo Dimchev KING, Ivo Dimchev singer, KING dance, King Shaun Parker, KING< Seymour Centre KING, Shaun PArker choreographer, Shaun Parker Ivo Dimchev, sydney gay lesbian mardi gras, Sydney Gay Lesbian Mardi Gras Seymour Centre, sydney mardi gras, THE F KING review

The bard is back: Shakespeare by the Bay is on again in Sydney

by James Banham

Updated: 18/02/2019

Back by popular demand, Shakespeare By The Bay by Bard On The Beach, Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel and the Woollahra Council, brings world-renowned Shakespearean performances to life. Get your ‘tithers’, ‘whithers’, thines and mines and all your oxymorons ready as the magic of the words of William grace the beach to the stunning backdrop of Sydney Harbour. It’s kind of like the Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour, only Shakespeare. The troupe will be putting on classics like The Life and Death of King John as well as The Comedy of Errors all from Robertson Park in Watsons Bay. Performances will run during the evening over two weeks 1st March – 10th March, from Friday through to Sunday. And you can even bring your dog! This year will also introduce Bard & Bark for the performance on 3 March of “The Comedy of Errors”. A dog friendly evening for you to enjoy the works of Shakespeare with the WHOLE family. See the wonder of William’s work at: The Life and Death of King John: Friday 1st, Saturday 9th, Sunday 10th The Comedy of Errors: Saturday 2nd, Sunday 3rd, Friday 8th Time: 7:30pm – 10:15pm Get tickets at the website.

Category: ARTS & CULTURE, LIFESTYLE, THEATRE

Tags: Sydney Shakespeare, THE F Shakespeare, the f sydney, William Shakespeare

Worth a visit: The Royal Opera House in London has been redone

by James Banham

Updated: 16/02/2019

Three years after the Royal Opera House in London was overhauled, it’s open and the result is exactly what you’d expect of the city’s finest arts and culture venue. It comes complete with all the bells ‘n’ whistles of the old opera house, just a lot nicer, newer and with a whole new feeling entirely its own. With inviting new entrances, extended foyers and terraces and a new café, bar and restaurant, together with an extensive programme of ticketed and free daytime events, the Royal Opera House is now open to the public every day from 10am. You’re welcome to wander in, check it out, have a coffee and take a tour, but for those die hards, there’s a full program of oeratic wonderment that is absolutely worth a ticket. See their full line-up here. The whole project was spurred on by the Linbury Theatre; a new space, which takes the spot as the West End’s newest and most intimate theatre. The new space will let The Royal Ballet, The Royal Opera and other special artists all perform in the same space. Check out the Royal Opera in Covent Garden and the new space with any production at the Opera House any time. Have a look at their website.

Category: ARTS & CULTURE, CITIES, FEATURES, LIFESTYLE, LONDON, OPERA

Tags: Covent Garden Opera, opera, opera blog, Opera House, opera review, Royal Opera House, the f opera, THE F Opera blog

MONA museum in Hobart: Why you need to go right fucking now

by James Banham

Updated: 15/02/2019

When it comes to MONA – the Museum of Old and New Art – in Hobart, there’s one thing it has plenty of: stories. Sure, there are the tales of the debaucherous parties that went on in the gallery’s earlier hey-days. The fact it’s privately owned and how and why that came to be. The stories of its political disdain; the owner’s penchant for personal gratification through a gallery hacked into the side of a mountain; it goes on. One thing is for certain, though; there’s only one story that matters, and that’s that it’s a damn good time. There’s nothing but one hell of a cultural awakening that is a far cry from what you’d expect to come out of Hobart, but 8 years prior. MONA is the art gallery that put Hobart on the map, turned up the city’s tourism quota and sits at the pinnacle of wholesome Australian experiences that can only really be found in our southernmost city. The city itself is known – if anything, for its work over the past few years alone – for quality. Quality food, wine, art, experiences, hotels, road trips, scenery, oxygen. Much like the rumours of the existence of MONA, what you can take away from a trip to Tasmania is as wide and varied, but one thing is constant: quality, stories and the whole array of it all. The gallery almost sits atop it all. Though it’s about a 20 minute trip from the centre of town – a journey easily embarked on… Read More

Category: ART, ARTS & CULTURE, CITIES, FEATURES, HOBART, LIFESTYLE

Tags: About MONA Hobart, Art blog, Australian art, Australian art blog, Hobart art, How to get to mona, MONA blog, MONA Boat, Museum of Old and New Art, right fucking now, THE F art blog, ThE F Hobart, THE F Mona, Why to go to MONA, Why you need to go to MONA in Hobart - like

See Sound on Sunday 17 Feb with Winston Surfshirt

by James Banham

Posted: 14/02/2019

Winston Surfshirt are doing a DJ set at the Coogee Pavillion on 17 February and you need to be there. They’re some Sydney kids that have, since 2014, been around and spinning their sweet tracks all over town. With fans like Elton John and Rufus, they’re making their way in the music world and one act to watch. This Sunday as part of the Coogee Pavillion’s summertime offerings and just general coolness, otherwise known as Merivale’s new music program, See Sound; a series of free music events around Sydney this February. At the Pavillion’s rooftop, Vic on the Park and The Royal at Bondi, the program will turn weekends up with some stellar music. See what’s on at the Coogee Pavillion here, the Vic on the Park here and The Royal here.

Category: LIFESTYLE, MUSIC

Opera Australia is taking it to the bush in a bold new outback series

Opera Australia Madama Butterfly Capitol Theatre Sydney flowers

by James Banham

Updated: 10/02/2019

Opera Australia is taking it to the Aussie outback in a new series launched in partnership with tour people APT. Opera in the Kimberley will comprise two exclusive concerts in September 2019 at Cathedral Gorge in the heart of the Bungle Bungle Ranges. It’ll come complete with opera singers ready to brave the heat and harsh conditions to deliver a stellar performance in the Purnululu National Park, a World Heritage listed area of Western Australia. What’re they performing? OA’s National Tour in 2019 will see John Bell’s celebrated production of Puccini’s much loved Madama Butterfly travel through Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia and South Australia taking in some of Australia’s most iconic landscapes along the way. See more at the Opera Australia website.

Category: ARTS & CULTURE, OPERA

Tags: opera australia, Outback Australia, THE F Madama Butterfly, the f opera, The F Opera Australia, THE F opera outback

Who’s who? The cast of West Side Story on Sydney Harbour has been announced

by James Banham

Posted: 08/02/2019

They’re doing something different this year. Every year, Opera Australia puts on a grand outdoor performance of their headline act for the autumn-winter season, but this year, they’re trying something new. The Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour (HOSH) isn’t doing an opera this year, rather a modern production of West Side Story and the cast is epic. They’ll take to Opera Australia’s famous over-water stage and join opera/musical crossover stars Julie Lea Goodwin and Alexander Lewis, the role of the fiery Anita will be played by Melbourne-born Karli Dinardo, who is gaining attention as a rising musical theatre star in the U.S., with performances in Hamilton(National Tour), West Side Story (Carnegie Hall), and the starring role in Flashdance (National Tour). Karli will be joined on stage by her sister, Luca Dinardo, who will play the tomboy Anybodys, pitching the sisters against each other on opposing sides of the famous West Side Story gang rivalry. “I was blown away by the calibre of Australian performers that auditioned,” said Associate Director and Choreographer, Julio Monge. See it from 22 March to 21 April 2019, or for more, go to the Opera Australia website.

Category: ARTS & CULTURE, LIFESTYLE, OPERA, THEATRE

Sydney Philharmonia Choir presents An Intimate Evening with Brahms

by James Banham

Updated: 06/02/2019

The latest season of Sydney Philharmonia Choirs is on this February with An Intimate Evening with Brahms, a concert that has been stripped back to voice and piano that pays tribute to Brahms’ legacy. Opening with a short program of solo songs and duets, ahead of a full choral performance of Brahms’ acclaimed and deeply personal Ein deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem). It’ll be a classic music lovers’ dream. Recognised as one of the world’s most beautiful choral works and the composition that brought Brahms to the world’s attention, A German Requiem was ensured widespread appreciation when Brahms’ publisher insisted that he make an arrangement for piano duet, bringing all the vocal and orchestral parts together in a version that four hands could play at home, on one instrument. So now that it’s in Sydney, it’s one of the city’s must-see events – and just after the famed Sydney Festival wound-up recently, too. Complete with special vocal treats for the die-hards; soloists Emma Pearson and Sam Roberts-Smith will be in the mix, too, pitching in to a highly anticipated and incredibly moving chamber music presentation. The concert is a one-off, so get your tickets now for $39. It’s on 7pm Friday February 8, City Recital Hall, Sydney with the Sydney Philharmonia.

Category: ARTS & CULTURE, CITIES, FEATURES, MUSIC, SYDNEY

Tags: Sydney orchestra, Sydney Philharmonia Choirs presents An Intimate Evening with Brahms, Sydney Philharmonic orchestra, THE F Sydney Philharmonia