Festival of Colour 2-7 April 2019, a celebration of the arts

Festival of Colour 2-7 April 2019, a celebration of the arts

It is a beautiful day in Wanaka with the promise of Spring in the air - we do love the changing of the seasons. As the year races by we'll be making announcements about next years Aspiring Conversations - in the meantime make a note of the programme launch day on Monday 12 February.

Over the winter, Festival GM Lindsey Schofield was in the UK visiting family and was fortunate enough to attend the Mariinsky ballet at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden. Such a treat for any ballet fan to see such masters of their craft on the grandest of stages.

Festival Director Philip Tremewan has been in Europe for several weeks enjoying the best of performing and visual arts at Manchester Festival, London, Berlin and checking out the stunning Elbphilarmonie Concert Hall in Hamburg (pictured below).

He is currently in Edinburgh and here is what he has to say about the festival mania that hits Edinburgh every year
"Edinburgh is packed with visitors and locals flooding into the festivals. At the Book Festival in Charlotte Square, I’ve heard Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon talk about women in politics and about nationalism, Dutch writer Rutger Bregman on the need for a realistic utopia, Turkish writer Elif Shafak on how she lives in exile from her home country, and the aging Richard Holloway talk about catching the last bus.

The International Festival has included the glorious flamenco work 'Yo Carmen' and Turin Opera are bringing their fantastical version of La Boheme this week (which our own Tech Director Danny Hones is working on).

The Edinburgh Fringe again has 3,300 plus shows to choose from and I’ve particularly enjoyed a music/theatre show on Nina Simone, stand-up comedian Mark Thomas who targets the political scene, an Aussie show called “Bruce” (he’s a kind of talking sponge), and an Belgian show where we played the money market until the banks collapsed! Then there was the conversation between an actor and her iPhone companion Siri….

"The Show that Gamles on the Future' Mark Thomas

The British Council showcase starts this week so I’ve got a jam-packed final week before heading home.

Closer to home do check out the programme for the Christchurch Arts Festival which starts next week. Running for 19 days from Wednesday 30 August, the Festival features more than 50 events and artists hailing from across the globe and the best we have here in New Zealand.
From disco divas to crazy comedy, music, theatre, children’s shows and more, there’s plenty to discover.Find out more at artsfestival.co.nz

Catalyst Trust Queenstown are hosting an interesting talk by Professor Robert Patman on "Brexit, Trump and the Rise (and Fall?) of Post-Truth Populism". Sunday August 27th 7pm at The Rees Hotel, Queenstown. More information on their Facebook page.
And they are also hosting Dr Siouxsie Wiles to talk about how we will live in a world without antibiotics. This was a sell out talk at this years Festival of Colour so is bound to be of interest to many.
Queenstown Memorial Hall - Sunday September 3 at 3pm

Look out for local productions of Arts on Tour show 'Bill Massey's Tourists' written and performed by Jan Bolwell it has left audiences weeping and laughing up and down the country.

Bolwell plays her adolescent self, trying to get her grandfather Arthur to talk about his war. After much pestering, he succumbs. What follows is a gripping, painful and sometimes hilarious tale of a young Kiwi soldier from the Otago Mounted Rifles (one of Bill Massey’s Tourists) who with his mate Cyril, survives the terrible tragedy of Passchendaele.

Lake Hawea Community Centre Friday 15 September. Tickets $25 at Sailz Hawea or email bookingsLHCC@gmail.com

And tickets are on sale for Tuki Festival on 10 February 2018 at Glendu Station. Tuki is the reincarnation of Rippon Festival and has a great line up including Mel Parsons, LIPS, Arma Del Amor, Marlon Williams, Phoenix Foundation and Unknown Mortal Orchestra. Tickets on sale at Cardona Office or Cork wine bar or online at Cosmic.

Make a date now for 2 - 7 April 2019 and join us next year for Aspiring Conversations 6 - 8 April 2018.

ENDS

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