Australian Dance artist Emma Saunders, is the director of the western Sydney dance company We Are Here, and the director of a new contemporary dance work Radical Transparency, which has a short-season at Riverside Theatres in March as part of the MARCH DANCE Festival. The production poses the question of how to present new dance work that is sustainable and buoyant at time when it feels like everything is sinking. Emma explores with us the process and performance.

Verdi’s intense chamber-like piece, Otello, explores all the problems of the world in Opera Australia’s production directed by Harry Kupfer, who passed away in 2019. Revival Director Luke Joslin helped stage the production, which was to have been presented in the winter season last year. Luke provides an insight to the tight deadline in the lead-up to Otello, and speaks candidly on the impacts of COVID-19.

A tribute track to acknowledge the passing of cabaret performance artist and stripper, Elizabeth Burton (1947-2022), the Goddess. Following the sell-out of Goddess (2021), a cabaret production chronicling accounts from her life, produced by Performing Lines and starred Liz, a fundraising campaign to publish her memoir, Around the World in A G-String has been initiated.  Donations can be made: HERE  

Presented and produced by Angela Stretch

Arts Friday acknowledge the First Nations peoples on whose traditional lands we occupy, and in particular the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation in which we produce the program and broadcast from at Eastside Radio.

Playlist

Patti LaBelle :: On My Own Tribute song for the Goddess, Elizabeth Burton (1947-2022)
Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan :: Come On Over Sunday at Devil Dirt
Barney McAll ft Gary Bartz :: Wild Horses in the Morning Sky Precious Energy
Nick Walters :: Supernova Singularity
Mad Professor :: Fast Forward Into Dub
King Errisson :: Space Queen Luke Una Presents E Soul CulturaMr Bongo
Tapioca :: Move On Voyage
Brad Mehidau :: -maybe as his skies are wide Jacob’s Ladder
Jimetta Rose :: A4 Black Light The Gift – Around The Wa Queen

March Dance is Sydney’s premiere annual dance festival which happens next month.  Now in its fourth reiteration, the program showcases 130 artists, including six companies, 12 organisations and 17 venues across Sydney.  The program includes 19 residencies, five performances, five workshops, 13 dance classes and four talks.  Festival Director Lauren Vasallo and featured dancer Mitchell Christie talk us through the Festival program.

Green Door Theatre Company and Redline Productions present the award winning play, Chewing Gum Dreams, written by playwright Michaela Coel.  It’s a confronting coming of age story performed by Masego Pitros, who we will hear from.  Opera Australia present Puccini in a fantasy opera and myth that transports audiences to an exotic world where fear and love go hand in hand.  Turandot is on now, and we catch up with Assistant Director, Wawick Doddrell.

It’s Valentine’s Day weekend, and Poetry Sydney and Gleebooks present Vessels of Love.  Six poets tomorrow afternoon will be in Gleebooks tomorrow afternoon to share in their original poetry on love and all its forms.  We hear from one of the participating poets Mark Treddinick on love and poetry.

Presented and produced by Angela Stretch

Arts Friday acknowledge the First Nations peoples on whose traditional lands we occupy, and in particular the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation in which we produce the program and broadcast from at Eastside Radio.

Playlist

Astral Flex :: Southside I Can See My House
Textile Records :: Hydra Movietone Peel Sessions 1994 – 1997Textile Records
Dina ogon (Stockholm, Sweden) :: Sol Dina OgonSing a Song Fighter DIY Record Label
The Smile (Oxford, UK) :: The Smile The Smoke
Masego Potris, Performer :: Chewing Gum Dreams Old Fitz Hotel [- 19 February 2022]https://www.redlineproductions.com.au/chewing-gum-dreams
Kelis, Andre 3000 :: Millionaire TastyChewing Gum Dreams curated playlist
Unyoked Records :: Moodwax – Mermaid (You Are Always) (Rebirth) Unyoked presents Lazydaze.001Unyoked Records
Say She She :: Forget Me Not EP (New York
Bonobo :: Age of Phase Fragmentsbonobomusic.com
Lauren Vasallo, Festival Director and Dancer, Mitchell Christie :: March Dance Festival 3-31 March marchdance.com
Doinel :: Saldeira Doniel – Saidera (London, UK)Terrasolare
El Dragon Criollo :: La Numero Uno Pase lo que pase (Colombia)
Australian poet: Mark Tredinnick on love and poetry :: Vessels of Love at Gleebooks 12-3pm Saturday 12 February at Gleebooks | https://www.gleebooks.com.au/event/vessels-of-love-summer-streets-on-glebe-point-road-2022/6 poets read poems on love in all its forms to celebrate love on Valentine’s Day Weekend
Kerbside Collection :: Glaze Round The Corner(Brisbane, Australia)