Category: ARTS & CULTURE

China’s Terracotta Warriors are coming to the National Gallery of Victoria

Terracotta Warriors

by

Updated: 20/12/2018

This is quite possibly one of the most exciting achievements of the National Gallery of Victoria – NGV – in quite some time. And that’s taking into consideration their constant sessions with world renowned artists and designers as an ongoing thing. Alongside the world of Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang, the Terracotta Warriors of Shaanxi, China will make their way to Melbourne for the second time at the Gallery. “Thirty-six years ago, in 1982, the National Gallery of Victoria presented the first international exhibition of China’s ancient Terracotta Warriors only several years after their discovery. History will be made again in 2019, when the Qin Emperor’s Terracotta Army will return to the NGV for the 2019 Melbourne Winter Masterpieces exhibition series – this time in a sophisticated dialogue with the work one of China’s most celebrated contemporary artists, Cai Guo-Qiang,” said director of the NGV, Tony Ellwood. As part of the Gallery’s 2019 Melbourne Winter Masterpieces presentation: China’s ancient Terracotta Warriors alongside a parallel display of new works by one of the world’s most exciting contemporary artists, Cai Guo-Qiang will make their way to the city of Melbourne in a large scale exhibition from China that is set to outlast the memories of most. The exhibition is aptly named Terracotta Warriors: Guardians of Immortality and is a large-scale presentation of the Qin Emperor’s Terracotta Warriors, which, discovered in 1974 in China’s Shaanxi province, are regarded as one of the greatest archaeological finds of the twentieth century and widely described as the eighth wonder of the world. They’re from c.200 BCE and… Read More

Category: ART, ARTS & CULTURE, CITIES, MELBOURNE

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Nominees for the 2018 Sydney Theatre Awards are…

Sydney Theatre Awards2

by

Posted: 19/12/2018

The Seymour Centre is about to play host to Sydney’s Theatre Awards for 2018 after the nominees were announced. It’s time to get excited. Nominations in the 33 categories were spread across 49 productions which played on Sydney stages during 2018. Sydney Theatre Company has a clean sweep in the Best Mainstage Production category with Blackie Blackie Brown, The Harp In The South, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui and Saint Joan all vying for the award, the first time one theatre company has dominated all nominations in this category. The nominees for Best Independent Production are The Flick (Outhouse Theatre Company in association with Seymour Centre), Metamorphoses (Apocalypse Theatre Company in association with Red Line Productions), Stupid Fucking Bird (New Theatre) and There Will Be A Climax (Red Line Productions in partnership with NIDA). The Sydney Theatre Awards are presented annually by a group of leading theatre critics to celebrate the strength, quality and diversity of theatre in Sydney. The panel consist of Elissa Blake (Audrey Journal), Jason Blake (Audrey Journal), Deborah Jones (The Australian), Jo Litson (Limelight), John McCallum (The Australian), Joyce Morgan (The Sydney Morning Herald), Ben Neutze (Time Out), John Shand (The Sydney Morning Herald) Diana Simmonds (Stagenoise), Cassie Tongue (Time Out) and Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See). Here are the nominees… BEST MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION Blackie Blackie Brown (Sydney Theatre Company) The Harp in the South (Sydney Theatre Company) The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (Sydney Theatre Company) Saint Joan (Sydney Theatre Company) BEST INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION The Flick (Outhouse Theatre Company in association with Seymour Centre) Metamorphoses (Apocalypse Theatre Company in association with Red Line Productions) Stupid… Read More

Category: ARTS & CULTURE, THEATRE

Tags: , , , ,

Underground Cinema: HOTEL

Underground Cinema Hotel 2

by

Posted: 19/12/2018

The Secret Squirrel crew go above and beyond in setting the scene for Underground Cinema’s nights out at the movies. Previous highlights include recreating Casablanca’s Rick’s Café América in in a hangar (complete with World War II-era plane) and The Life of Brian’s Roman-occupied Judea in the sandy grounds of the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, featuring live camels. But a new standard was set in Underground Cinema’s latest offering, with Melbourne’s iconic Windsor Hotel turned into The Grand Budapest Hotel. Hotel guests decked out in their 1940s finest checked in and enjoyed the sumptuous feast, full bar and dancing in the Grand Ballroom. A quick walk down the hallway allowed guests to indulge their sweet tooth in the recreated Mendl’s Pâtisserie, complete with towers of pink pastry boxes, a chocolate fountain and plates of tiny desserts as if Agatha had made them herself. Lobby boys in perfectly-pressed purple uniforms later gathered guests to take us for stroll around the block to St Peter’s Church Hall, recreating the mountaintop monastery where Monsieur Gustave and Zero made their escape. Melbourne rain substituted alpine snow perfectly. Monks settled guests into their seats for the film and ensured our glasses were full. Kudos to the Underground Cinemas actors remaining in full character when I sneezed in the front row and a monk blessed me profusely; divine intervention which I’m convinced cured my hay fever. Wes Anderson’s witty, adventurous, cinematic romp which looks good enough to eat was the perfect end to Underground Cinema’s 2018 season. If the Secret Squirrel’s Immersive Cinema… Read More

Category: ARTS & CULTURE, CITIES, LIFESTYLE, MELBOURNE, THEATRE

Tags: , , , , ,

Lone Hemisphere at Sydney’s Carriageworks

Lone Hemispheres 1

by

Updated: 18/12/2018

Melbourne officially has a contender in the title for Australia’s cultural capital it seems, if the likes of Sydney-based Ensemble Offspring, under the charge of Claire Edwardes, has anything to do with it.  The independent musicians’ soloist movement is known for its participation in the Sydney Festival and other, independently charged cultural activities, one of which was Lone Hemispheres that took over track 8 at Carriageworks, Sydney as a standalone, one-night-only production. A program of seminal works inspired by revolutionary architect, mathematician and composer Iannis Xenakis, alongside newly commissioned solo compositions by Berlin-based Australian Cathy Milliken, and Sydney composers Elizabeth Younan and Michael Smetanin, the whole production by is a testament to the cultural underbelly of Sydney and the vast space of it that’s missing the likes of this, that independently-produced music can address. In Edwardes’ program, the performers explored a range of musical works. This included the moment of vocal utterance in a violin piece called Crie written by Cathy Milliken and played by Véronique Serret, Claire Edwardes (percussion) performed Electors of Middlemarch by Elizabeth Younan and Zubin Kanga on the piano belted out Four Angels by Michael Smetanin.  Performed alongside three works by Iannis Xenakis, the contemporary pieces worked perfectly well and really let the skill of local composers shine. As Edwardes said, the music of Iannis Xenakis is unashamedly bold, and it’s hard not to notice. It’s no surprise that the music showcased by the locals matched that of Xenakis who approached music with mathematical precision, architectural finesse and electronic refinement that gave his music a certain edge over others’. 

Category: ARTS & CULTURE, LIFESTYLE

Tags: , ,

When does Book Of Mormon Sydney close? Sooner than you think

Book Moron

by

Posted: 16/12/2018

The Book Of Mormon has had a good run in Sydney and around Australia, but for those who’re planning on seeing it before it goes for good, you’d better act quickly!  Following a record-breaking season, The Book of Mormon will hold its final performance at the Sydney Lyric Theatre on Friday 8 February 2019. Sad times. The show will then move north to the Lyric Theatre, QPAC from 16 March followed by the Festival Theatre, Adelaide from 27 June 2019. Final Sydney tickets will go on sale on 17 December from BookOfMormonMusical.com.au After an epic run of 752 Australian performances since opening at Melbourne’s Princess Theatre in January 2017 for a one year run, before moving to the Sydney Lyric Theatre from 27 February 2018, it’s time for the book to close on the Sydney leg and carry the highly successful production north to share it with the rest of Australia.  At the 2017 Helpmann Awards, The Book of Mormon was crowned winner of the coveted Best Musical award, while Trey Parker and Casey Nicholaw were awarded Best Direction of a Musical. Tickets are available from BookOfMormonMusical.com.au

Category: ARTS & CULTURE, LIFESTYLE, THEATRE

Tags: , ,

Evita the Musical in Melbourne: A review

Tina-Arena-EVITA-Sydney-2018-photo-Jeff-Busby-1024x691

by

Posted: 10/12/2018

If you had asked me – before the announcement of this production – which Australian performer would be best suited to play the role of Eva Peron in Evita, I doubt I would’ve been able to think of any. Yet, as soon as the casting was announced I was simultaneously surprised, excited, and relieved that the enormously talented Tina Arena had been cast. (Full disclosure – I am a huge Tina fan).  With effortless delivery and commanding vocal range, Arena takes hold of the legendarily demanding role and delivers a multiple standing ovation-worthy performance; one that is sure to be remembered by all who bear witness. Setting the tone and direction of the story Kurt Kansley as charmingly sardonic narrator Che, captures the audience from the outset with cynical asides and humour and like Ms. Arena, delivers a pitch perfect performance imbuing Tim Rice’s simple lyrics with deep understanding. Paulo Szots’s gutsy Peron is grounded, rich and much more three-dimensional than other interpretations and is both refreshing and absolutely right.  The powerhouse ensemble was the glue that brought the show together and effortlessly delivered a new standard in cohesiveness and unity that punctuated and allowed the score to flow with ease. The greatest privilege was to be able to see the original production design, choreography,and costume. With a strong reference to Brechtian staging and direction it allows the performances to be the focus of every moment and shows great restraint that perfectly balances the grandeur of the subject matter that led to the world’s fascination… Read More

Category: ARTS & CULTURE, CITIES, LIFESTYLE, MELBOURNE, THEATRE

Tags: , , , , , ,

NGV Friday Nights return with late-night summer access to Escher X nendo

NGV Friday

by

Posted: 15/11/2018

Food, drink and dining are back on at the NGV this summer, into the late hours for the gallery’s loved Friday Nights arrangement. Complete with a music line-up fusing classical and contemporary influences, exclusive late-night access to Escher X nendo / Between Two Worlds, this summer’s headline electronic artists and DJs include songwriter and producer Andy Bull, Melbourne duo Confidence Man, Sydney’s Nicole Millar, record producer Jonti and Australian/Filipino artist Chela are ones to see. Creative collaboration platform anon. will also present Bach X Reimagined, an immersive music installation featuring live classical musicians in the Gallery Kitchen. Head along any Friday from 7 December 2018 – 5 April 2019 + 6 April, 6pm – 10pm. Get tickets here.  

Category: ART, ARTS & CULTURE, CITIES, LIFESTYLE, MELBOURNE

Tags: , , ,

Free opera is coming to Melbourne with the Mazda Opera in the Bowl

Opera Sidney Myer Music Bowl

by

Updated: 26/03/2022

With ol’ faithfuls Natalie Aroyan, Sian Pendry, Virgilio Marino and Luke Gabbedy, Opera Australia about to knock Melbourne’s socks off with the annual Mazda Opera in the Bowl, coming this November. On 24 November, Australia’s premiere opera company will take over the Sidney Myer Music Bowl on the fringe of Melbourne’s CBD to fill the city skyline with some tracking tunes from the world’s most beloved productions. Classics from Carmen, Turandot – which is coming back this season – Tosca and The Barber of Seville, you can get in amongst the action for free from 4pm. Here’s the program for the night… BIZET Overture to Carmen ROSSINI ‘Largo al factotum’ from The Barber of Seville BIZET The Flower Song from Carmen SAINT-SAËNS ‘Mon cœur s’ouvre à ta voix’ from Samson and Delilah VERDI ‘Ritorna vincitor’ from Aida BIZET ‘Au fond du temple saint’ from The Pearlfishers Interval ROSSINI Overture to William Tell BIZET Seguidilla from Carmen BIZET The Toreador Song from Carmen PUCCINI Vissi d’arte’ from Tosca MASCAGNI ‘Intermezzo’ from Cavalleria Rusticana DELIBES ‘Dôme épais, le jasmin’ from Lakmé PUCCINI ‘Nessun dorma’ from Turandot See more info at the Opera Australia website.

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

Tags: , , , , , ,

Summer is getting cold with Opera Australia and the return of Turandot

Turandot

by

Posted: 14/11/2018

It’s been a few years since the Chinese princess locked away in her Pagoda tower graced the Sydney stage in Turandot, but she’s back again this summer, and bringing the chill. She’s known for her cold demeanour, ruthlessness and cunning nature – especially toward men – sure to add a bit of frost to Sydney’s revolting humidity right in the thick of the summer months. Opera Australia is bringing back Puccini’s principessa as part of the spring-summer season and it’s sure to be a hit. She’s lauded as one of the ultimate classics in the Opera Australia repertoire. This time around, the production will feature the director’s own famous choreography, sculptural stagecraft and larger than life costumes, this renowned staging of Turandot has transformed this already powerful drama into a spectacular piece of theatre. After stunning audiences with her role debut in Opera Australia’s 2018 digital production of Aida, American powerhouse soprano Amber Wagner makes her triumphant return to Sydney to take on the role of the brutal Turandot. Read more about the last time Opera Australia performed Turandot at the Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour here. Turandot is on in Sydney from January 15-29, February 1-27 and March 1-27. Get tickets for the production from Opera Australia.

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

Tags: , , ,

Copyright © 2024 · All Rights Reserved · THE F

About · Terms of Use · Cookies · Privacy · Instagram · Facebook ·