Sydney Festival Off to a Flying Start

SYDNEY'S FESTIVAL VILLAGE BIGGER THAN EVER

Sydney Festival Village turns Hyde Park into a stage, with live acts into the night and a Stonehenge bouncy castle for kids.

It takes a village to raise a child, and at the Sydney Festival's village in Hyde Park that proverb has been taken quite literally.

Hundreds of children and quite a few adults wasted no time leaping on Sacrilege, the life-size bouncy castle replica of Stonehenge.

Festival director Lieven Bertels said artists Jeff Koons and Carsten Holler explored playfulness in their art but ''nobody took it to heart as much as Jeremy Deller with this one''.

A Turner Prize-winning artist, Deller invites people to jump, run and cartwheel on his artwork, and his depiction of one of Britain's ancient monuments is far from the reverential treatment it usually suffers.

''We still don't know what it was,'' Bertels said. ''It's a place of worship most likely but he does this and gives it the title of Sacrilege.''

Bertels said the squishy Stonehenge was an ideal symbol of the festival: ''We do very serious stuff and we are also perhaps the most playful of the Australian festivals.''

Sacrilege is part of the greatly expanded Festival Village, which has tripled in size with two circus tents - the Spiegeltent and Circus Ronaldo tent - providing the stage for contemporary music acts such as Amanda Palmer and the circus and cabaret shows Limbo and Scotch & Soda.

The latter are strictly adults only, especially if contortionist Philipp Tigris's jaw-dropping feats of flexibility are any guide as demonstrated to passers-by in Hyde Park on Wednesday.

''That's what I can do with an easy warm-up,'' said Tigris, who performs in Limbo. ''I only had a couple of minutes to warm up so this is the basic stuff.''

Tigris said he took up contortionism aged seven, much to his parent's displeasure. ''My family are doctors. My mum is a physiotherapist but maybe that's why I did it,'' he said.

''When mum and dad say don't do that, of course you do it.''

Ten FREE Events at Sydney Festival

You don’t need to miss out on Sydney Festival if the pennies are short after Christmas. Here are ten free events that measure up!

Sydney Festival looks great this year! But what excites us most at artsHub are the number of free events spread across the city and extending to the Festival's new hub at Parramatta. There is something for everyone - as the saying goes - from jumping castles to kookie interactive film noir and roof top jamming sessions. 

Here is our list of top ten FREE events to put in your diary this January. 

1. Christian Boltanski @ Carriageworks

16 tonnes of scaffolding with a random  filmscript moving through it, this interactive installation will captive the imagination of all ages. Chance is his first major installation to be presented in Australla, a work that was originally created for the French Pavilion at the 2011 Venice Biennale. At Carriageworks from 10 January through 23 March.

2. Climbing the walls with Leandro Erlich @ Darling Harbour

Argentinian artist Leandro Erlich is known for his ability to skew architectural perspective in his interactive installations. Known internationally, he comes to Darling Harbour during the festival turning what appears to be a standard 19thc dock-side building on its end, giant mirrors allowing anyone to have the ability to defy gravity. It is the ultimate selfie opp! Merchants Store will be at Darling Harbour 9-23 January.

3. Stonehenge in Hyde Park

Always wanted to visit Stonehenge? Well Sydney Festival brings you the next best thing, Sacrilege (pictured top). As the spiel goes this timeless monument has had ‘an irreverent makeover’. The work of Turner Prize winning artist Jeremy Deller, this giant jumping castle allows you to physically collide with history. Open 9 – 26 January.

4. Roman Ondak in Parramatta

Presented by Kaldor Public Art Projects at Parramatta Town Hall, this trio of performative art works by Slovakian artist Roman Ondak will include Measuring the Universe, previously presented in New York and London, Terrace a new work for Parramatta, and Swap, which featured in last year’s popular 13 Rooms at Pier 2/3. Be part of contemporary art from 10 – 24 January.

5. Festival Village in Hyde Park

Running throughout Sydney Festival Hyde Park will be transformed into the Festival Village, a hub for beverages, food and entertainment including the location of the infamous Spiegeltent, with nightly performance. From 8-26 January (closed Mondays), entry near the Archibald Fountain.

6. Concerts under the stars at the Domain

And the cornerstone of each Sydney Festival is the Domain concert series. Mark the dates for your diary now: 11 January is that night of popular smorgasbords both on and off stage as thousands gather with their picnic hampers under the stars; And on 26 January be prepared to enter an interstellar zone with Symphony in The Domain, with Gustav Holst’s The Planets and readings by the Bell Shakespeare company.

7. Interactive cinema at Artspace

Sydney artist Alex Davies loves to mess with your mind. ‘Step into The  Very Near Future and you’ll find yourself in th ebacklot with the cast and crew of a film noir in the making. From 16 January – 16 February (closed Mondays).

8. Pop 2014 – the street party of the year.

Street theatre, music, amazing food – it is a recipe for the coolest street party – including performances by jazz legend Ambrose Akinmusire, the soul sounds of Bella Kalolo, blues-infused funk of Ben Capalan to funk in Prince Alfred Park with Lee Fields & The Expressions. Head to Parramatta on 10 January to be part of it.

9. Donny Benet in the Spielgeltent

Donny Benet is claimed ‘the poster boy of Italo funk disco’. Mixing late nights in The Spielgeltent on 10, 17 and 24 January, it is the perfect place to drop in to keep the mood going after catching a spot of theatre during the Festival.

10. Make those summer lights last at Paradiso Lates

And more for the late night dwellers – check out the Paradiso Terrace Bar at Sydney Town Hall for after-hours entertainment. With a rolling schedule of free bands and DJs you can get down at the top, skyline and projections adding to the party buzz. Check the festival night for specific performances.

And remember to visit the Festival site to stay in touch with the latest new.

View the Original Article

Biggest Production to Date Heads Down Under as Sydney Festival Countdown Begins.

With just a month to opening night preparations are well underway for Sasha Waltz’s iconic production of Dido and Aeneas, the centerpiece of January’s Sydney Festival. The much applauded, 

spectacular rendering of the oldest love story in English opera famously commences with a prologue that is danced underwater in a giant fish tank to be mounted on the stage of Sydney’s Lyric Theatre (the only stage strong enough to support the show).

The set travels in four 40-foot shipping containers and will arrive on December 29. Once installed at The Star, the 9 metre long aquarium will be filled with a staggering 7,500 litres of (mercifully heated) water. To accommodate the tricky set changes, pumps are used to empty the water quickly from the aquarium after the dancers have finished performing in it.  The tank is then split in two and moved into the wings.

The German director and dancer’s choreographed version of Purcell’s baroque masterpiece is due to be accompanied by one of the world’s leading baroque ensembles, the Academy of Ancient Music Berlin. 

The cast list is headed by mezzo soprano Aurore Ugolin as Queen Dido and British baritone Reuben Willcox as her vacillating lover Aeneas. The cast also includes experienced singers of the likes of British soprano Deborah York as Dido’s confidant Belinda and tenor Fabrice Mantegna in the travesty role of the sorceress.

With flying dancers and a special role for the choreographer’s eight-year-old daughter, this is one of the biggest productions ever to come to an Australian festival and is similar in size to Théâtre du Soleil’s Flood Drummers, which was presented at Sydney Festival 2002.

Minister for Tourism, Major Events and the Arts, George Souris is leading the cheers for Waltz’s latest Australian outing and was keen to stress a possible special resonance for Sydneysiders. “Dido & Aeneas by Sasha Waltz will provide the kind of unique and cutting edge cultural experience for which Sydney Festival is renowned,” he said. 

“The aquatic theme, retelling the ancient and tragic tale of unrequited love involving Dido the Queen of Carthage and the Trojan hero Aeneas, is sure to resonate with Sydney audiences given our own love of the water.”

Dido and Aeneas plays The Lyric Theatre at the Star from January 16-21.

Lion King Crowns Sydney Capital of Theatre

Opening this weekend to packed houses and civic excitement, the Lion King stage production has seemingly completed Sydney's ascension as the Asia-Pacific's capital of the stage musical.

Sydney's usually dour Taxis are painted as giant Simba Lions; children are dragging about lion soft-toys and even the local government has been keen to bathe in the warm glow of popularity that the latest in a string of international productions has created in Sydney.

The locally created production of one of the world's most popular stage musicals, The Lion King, opened its Australian exclusive run this week at Sydney's Capitol Theater, seemingly crowning Sydney as a major live performance capital of the world.

A thrilled State Minister for Tourism, Events and the Arts, George Souris, told Xinhua that the show would out perform even the most successful shows to have toured through Sydney in the last years -- and that includes world-beaters like Wicked and Phantom of the Opera.

"Fans of this phenomenally successful musical, from Sydney and across Australia, have welcomed The Lion King with open arms, resulting in record breaking ticket sales," he said.

The Minister's office anticipates that the Australian production entirely exclusive to Sydney - will generate about half a million ticket sales, with around 50,000 interstate and international patrons traveling to Sydney to see the show.

The State's tourism and events unit, Destination NSW, told Xinhua that the number of visitors alone means an injection of 28 million Australian dollars into the state economy.

The Disney organization anticipates that the cumulative economic impact to NSW will be about 100 million Australian dollars confirmation that the stage musical sector is booming and only likely to grow in the coming months.

That bodes well for the launch of the musical adaptation of one of Australia's most loved and iconic films Baz Luhrmann's Strictly Ballroom, which will hit the stage here next year.

The build-up to Strictly Ballroom's long-awaited arrival has reached fever pitch after delays have pushed back the opening night because of Luhrmann's constant tweaking of his Hollywood blockbuster The Great Gatsby; and an already packed stage calendar with the two Kings -- the King Kong musical in Melbourne, and Sydney's Lion King taking precedence.

When Strictly Ballroom was released, it gained 13 Australian Film Institute (AFI) nominations, winning eight categories.

The Lion King by comparison is an international blockbuster and the highest-grossing stage show in the world, with more than 70 million people having enjoyed the musical since its Broadway premiere in 1997.

The highly-regarded live show is the winner of more than 70 major international awards including, six Tony Awards in 1998 and a Grammy for Best Musical Show Album.

Sydney's Lion King is the 22nd production worldwide and the 10th production running concurrently, the highest number in the show's history.

Certainly, this is one of the biggest productions ever to open in Sydney and the capacity of these events to drive tourism, create jobs and grow the local economy is never missed by decision makers.

Now in its 16th year, The Lion King continues to reign as a cultural phenomenon and one of the most popular stage musicals in the world.

Since its Broadway premiere on Nov. 13, 1997, 21 global productions have been watched by more than 68 million people and, cumulatively, run a mind-boggling 96 years.

Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/entertainment/2013-12/14/c_132967855.htm

Bruce Springsteen Live in Concert - AllPhones Arena, Sydney

After delivering in March 2013 what many critics and fans declared the ‘greatest rock and roll show on earth,’ Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band have announced they are headed back to Sydney in 2014 for their most extensive tour of our shores to date.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band brought the Wrecking Ball tour to Sydney earlier this year on their first tour Down Under in more than a decade, performing three hour plus shows.

Said Springsteen’s long-time manager and producer, Jon Landau:

“Our shows in Australia earlier this year were among the very best and most satisfying of our whole 128 show tour. 

The crowds were tremendous, the fans as warm, friendly, and welcoming as we could ever hope for, and the quality of the performances, as virtually every reviewer commented, were spectacularly high."

WITH SOME VERY SPECIAL GUESTS:

- HUNTERS & COLLECTORS REFORM FOR SPECIAL MELBOURNE ONLY SHOW
- JIMMY BARNES - AUCKLAND ONLY
- DAN SULTAN - MELBOURNE & HUNTER VALLEY ONLY

When: Wednesday 19th February 2014

Where: Allphones Arena, sydney

Pricing:

Front Standing – General Admission: $227.90
A Reserve: $227.90
B Reserve: $196.00
C Reserve: $129.40
D Reserve: $99.70

Tickets Onsale Now!

Bruce Springsteen Competition at Metro Hotel on Pitt, Sydney

Book Now to go into the draw to win either 2 tickets to the Bruce Springsteen concert at the Allphones Arena, or one of 5 Bruce Springsteen Greatest Hits CDs

The legendary Bruce Springsteen and the E Street band will be making their upcoming 2014 tour in Australia.

Bruce Springsteen – rock and folk music legend, singer- songwriter, muiti-award winning artist, best known for his heartland rock and soulful lyrics and partnership with the E Street band.

Bruce will be debuting in Sydney at the Allphones Arena on the 19th of February.

To celebrate, between December 2013 and January 2014, when you make a booking at Metro Hotel on Pitt using the promo code BRUCE, you will go into the draw to win either 2 tickets to the Bruce Springsteen concert at the Allphones Arena, or one of 5 Bruce Springsteen Greatest Hits CDs.

The lucky winners will be drawn on the 3rd of February.

Don't wait! Make your bookings now for the chance to win!

Metro Hotel on Pitt: http://www.metrohotels.com.au/sydney-hotels/metro-hotel-on-pitt-3

Tyrannosaurs Exhibition - Australian Museum Sydney

Tyrannosaurs' is the first exhibition in the world to shine a light on this legendary dinosaur family. If you thought you knew tyrannosaurs, guess again. 

While the most famous member of this family was the mighty T-Rex, tyrannosaurs come in all shape and sizes, including Guanlong, the 'Crown Dragon' and the diminutive Dilong, the 'emperor dragon', with a skeleton that is only 1m long. 

With fossil specimens from China and North America that have never been seen in Australia and stunning life sized skeletons and models, Tyrannosaurs tells the story of this celebrated dinosaur family in a completely new way. Using cutting edge technology, 

Tyrannosaurs is the first exhibition in Australia to feature augmented reality, and hands on and multimedia experiences that will engage and excite children and adults alike. 

Tyrannosaurs tells the story of this celebrated dinosaur family in a completely new way. Using 'cutting-edge' technology, augmented reality, hands-on and multimedia experiences that will engage and excite children and adults alike.

Don't be late. Book now! Exclusive to Sydney for a limited time at the Australian Museum! Stay and see packages from $86*per person per night
From prices based on twin share midweek ticket   at 3-star property. Prices cannot be guaranteed.

Exhibition from: Sunday 23 November 2013 - Sunday 27 July 2014
Block out day applies for Christmas Day.

Don't be late. Book now! Exclusive to Sydney for a limited time at the Australian Museum!

For more information: tyrannosaurs.com.au

Where:

Australian Museum

6 College StreetSydney, 

NSW  2000 

tyrannosaurs.com.au 

Phone: (02) 9320 6000