Travel |

July 24, 2017

The 2017 Dusseldorf Festival

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Held this year from the 13th of September to the 2nd of October, the Düsseldorf Festival fills the city with culture and the arts. From eccentric dance to global music, this is a festival that has something for just about everybody, but here are a few of its most highly-anticipated performances.

Ahi – Taksim Trio
The Taksim Trio are three musicians from Istanbul, and have made quite the name for themselves in Turkey. Their music is not only always entertaining, but also extremely skilled, and with a bold, multicultural quality, making this a show that you should not miss. The instruments involved include a clarinet, a duduk, an amplified baglama, and the Turkish zither, which work together to play a mix of Anatolian folk music and oriental pop, with a touch of classical and jazz too. They will be performing at the Düsseldorf Festival on the 29th of September, with this being their very first performance in Germany.

Ahnsim Dance – Eun-Me Ahn
Eun-Me Ahn is a Korean choreographer who is famous for her provocative, and extremely eccentric, dance pieces. For the first time ever, she will be presenting her latest trilogy in Europe, at the Düsseldorf Festival on the 26th of September. The piece features dancers that are both blind and sighted, and they tell a beautifully emotional story of the difficulties that being different brings in society.

The Revival – Cory Henry
Cory Henry is from the younger generation of gospel artists, but is just as well-loved as the classics. His latest program, called The Revival, features the magnificent Hammond organ, and this is used on its own for the majority of the performance, although he is sometimes accompanied by a single percussionist. Cory Henry is incredibly talented when it comes to the organ, bringing about such a wide range of sounds from it, starting off soulful and then moving on to progressive jazz, and even rock.

Y Ole – Jose Montalvo
Jose Montalvo is a French choreographer with a Spanish heritage, and this performance takes on an almost competitive edge, as he mixes together so many different dance types. From vibrant flamenco to the beats of hip hop to classical dance to soulful African rhythms, this is a performance that melds together all of Montalvo’s childhood memories, from all over the world, and can be seen on the 19th of September.

Master Drummers of Burundi
The Master Drummers of Burundi have been one of the leading drum ensembles in the world for the past few decades, and their performances are always filled with so much color and intensity. Performing at the Düsseldorf Festival on the 22nd of September, the performances usually involve 12 batimbos who create an astounding rhythm to sing and dance to, while using their musical instruments to fight imaginary battles.

The Düsseldorf Festival brings together musicians, dancers and artists from all over the world. From Turkey to France to Korea, this is a fantastic representation of international art and culture, with many of the performers being famous in their home countries.

Travel |

July 10, 2017

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New Performances at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Russia

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A historic theatre in the heart of Moscow, the Bolshoi Theatre has earned itself a worldwide reputation for the performances that they host. For those visiting the city this summer, here are a few of the new performances that you will be able to catch at the Bolshoi Theatre.

Etudes
Etudes is a one act ballet that is dedicated to the world of dancing, following dancers from their early work in a rehearsal room to a final, most elaborate, stage performance. The ballet begins by showcasing the five basic positions in the dance, but ends with some of the most difficult of ballet moves, showing off the art’s many different sides. Originally created for the Royal Danish Ballet in 1948, Etudes is one of the most famous of Danish ballets when it comes to international ballet, with this version having been performed all over the world. This is a ballet that was so hugely loved by a worldwide audience that it has even been filmed for television on numerous occasions, but nothing quite beats catching it live at Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre.

The Cage
The Cage is another one act ballet which was originally created by Jerome Robbins. Robbins was hugely inspired by Concerto in D for String Orchestra by Stravinsky, which was the composer’s first work for string orchestra since Apollon Musagete. The piece itself is rich and haunting, which led to Robbins creating a ballet that imagined a community of female dancers. By using the ballet dance form for this idea, Robbins was able to truly portray the creatures in the way that he imagined, and did not need to confine himself to conventional human movements. This is such an ethereal ballet, and is well worth seeing, especially for Stravinsky fans, who are likely already extremely familiar with Concerto in D.

The Golden Age
While the Golden Age premiered at the Bolshoi Theatre at the end of last year, this is a ballet that only exists on the Bolshoi stage, as there is no other ballet company in the world that performs it. The ballet depicts a conflict between criminals and hard working citizens, and shows a struggle that ends up all being in the name of love. When it was first performed in the 1930’s, it did not win over many people, but, when it was very first staged by the Bolshoi, in 1982, it experienced much more success. This latest version of The Golden Age has taken on an even better air, with gripping choreography and so many different types of dance.

Tickets for each of these performances can be purchased from a number of vendors, so do take a look at the Bolshoi Theatre’s website if you would like to catch a show. In Moscow, a visit to the theatre was always considered to be quite a festive occasion, and while some people do turn up wearing everyday clothing, people tend to dress up for the theatre here, so do join in with this to really make the most of your experience.

Travel |

December 9, 2016

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The 2017 Sydney Festival

Sydney festival fireworks
First established in 1977, the annual Sydney Festival is one of the most important arts festivals in Australia, and is held every January for three weeks, with the dates for this year being the 7th to the 29th. Featuring a mixture of visual and performing arts, with everything from concerts to exhibitions to workshops, here are some of the highlights that you can expect to see in the 2017 Sydney Festival.

Music
The music acts being showcased at the 2017 Sydney Festival are definitely diverse, as they are each year, and there are quite a few performances that music buffs will not want to miss. PJ Harvey, an English singer and songwriter, will be performing on the 22nd of January, giving you the chance to hear her ninth studio album live, while Americana artist Dori Freeman will be performing her Australian premiere at the festival. 1967: Music in the Key of Yes will be a significant show to attend, as it focuses on the way in which Aboriginal people have been discriminated over the years, with some of the most legendary songs of the civil rights movement interpreted by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stars.

Theater
For those that enjoy watching theater performances, there are many to choose from in Sydney in January. Ladies in Black is a smash hit musical by Tim Finn that will take you back in time to the late 1950’s, while The Encounter makes use of 3D audio technology to tell the story of when a National Geographic photographer became lost in the Brazilian rainforest in 1969. For a performance that combines theater with sport, Prize Fighter promises to be a thrilling show to attend, as it features live boxing alongside compelling storytelling, featuring the tale of a young Congolese boxer who becomes quite the rising star. Those that are familiar with Australian theater will know all about Urban Theatre Projects, who host performances in unusual locations. This year, for the 2017 Sydney Festival, they will be hosting a play called Home Country, in a multi-level car park in Blacktown.

Visual Art
Sydney transforms into a visual arts spectacle during the Sydney Festival, with exhibitions, shows, and installations scattered throughout the city. A few of these installations are ideal for the entire family, such as The Beach, which features 1.1 million recyclable polyethylene balls that create a giant ocean into which you can literally submerge yourself, and the House of Mirrors, a disorientating labyrinth created entirely from mirrors. In addition to these interactive installations, some of the other visual art highlights of this year’s festival include Nude Live, which makes use of highly emotional choreography, and Another Day in Paradise, which is Myuran Sukumaran’s first major installation and will be accompanied by pieces from other prominent Australian artists.

For those that are planning to travel to the city for the 2017 Sydney Festival, it is imperative that you book your trip as soon as possible, as everything from hotels to restaurants become much busier during these three weeks. This is a festival that beautifully transforms the city into a creative paradise, and is well worth making the trip to Sydney for.