2011 OzAsia Festival Program Spotlights Japan September 2-17

The Adelaide Festival Centre last night unveiled the annual OzAsia Festival program, which will run 2 - 17 September. The Festival presents the best of Asia's arts and culture while celebrating Australia's diverse multicultural society and its position within the Asian region. It is proudly supported by Major Festival Partner Santos.

Come join the celebrations in September, when the Adelaide Festival Centre will once again be transformed into a cultural melting pot. Experience this ground-breaking festival that promotes cultural understanding and tolerance through creative collaboration. Now in its fifth year, the Festival is the nation's pre-eminent platform for Australian/Asian dialogue and collaboration in the performing arts.

The 2011 program features 446 artists from Japan, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Tibet, Thailand, Vietnam, and the best from Australia. There will be 11 shows, 1 special event (the much loved Moon Lantern Festival), 1 banquet, 1 forum, 1 keynote lecture, 25 film screenings and 5 exhibitions. Additionally there are 6 world premieres, 9 Australian premieres, 7 South Australian premieres and 14 Adelaide exclusives, as well as a new area explored this year - fashion and design.

OzAsia Festival, Festival Director Jacinta Thompson says, "this year the Festival program will showcase Japan, allowing us to explore this culture deeply in a year where that country has been in the spotlight for tragic reasons. Additionally, this year's Festival once again promises to entertain, challenge, and invite cross cultural dialogue and I encourage you to come and enjoy the wonderful cultural offerings".

For the first time, OzAsia Festival collaborates with the Brisbane And Melbourne Festivals to present the Australian premiere performances of Rhinoceros in Love by The National Theatre of China. Recognised as a masterpiece of experimental theatre and directed by Meng Jinghui, the piece has reinvented modern Chinese theatre since it was first performed in 1999. It is a contemporary, energetic and popular production dusted with dark romance that unveils the extremes people go to for love.

15 - 17 September.

Music lovers can indulge in Four Winds, an extraordinary union of three virtuosic Australian musicians and a Master Otsuzumi (Japanese drum) performer. Talented Japan-based Australian musicians Andy Bevan and Steve Falk, who blend the raw earthy sounds of marimba and didgeridoo and the lyrical tone of flute and soprano saxophone, lead this special evening of rhythm, wind and strings. Joining them are master drummer Shonosuke Okura, one of Japan's Intangible Cultural Treasures, and Adelaide International Guitar Festival Artistic Director and world renowned classical guitarist Slava Grigoryan. 2 - 3 September.

On the opening weekend, lovers of contemporary dance will not be disappointed as Leigh Warren and Dancers present Dreamscape. A double bill combining two works, Dreamtime by revered choreographer Jiri Kylian is an exquisitely crafted chamber work by five dancers, whilst Escape by Leigh Warren contrasts action-packed movement with intense stillness. The works feature the mesmerising Japanese contemporary dancer Kaiji Moriyama and outstanding young pianist Simon Tedeschi. Music for both works by legendary Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu. 2 - 4 September.

Further on the music front, take a journey from Tibet to India with R?ga Shambhala: combining the classical folk music of India and Tibet, featuring Tenzin Choegyal on vocals and dranyen (Tibetan stringed instrument) and Indian sitar maestro Manju Mehta as part of her first Australian tour. Joining these two masters are the prodigious talents of Adelaide's own Jay Dabgar on tabla, and Manju's disciple Josh Bennett on sitar, guitar and dilruba (bowed sitar). 4 September.

Be delighted by the Edinburgh 2010 smash hit - Continent by Japanese mime company CAVA - a treat for lovers of cartoon physicality, slapstick and a Japanese sense of fun. The performance is a mime-based, fast-moving physical theatre experience inspired by the Coen Brothers' film Barton Fink. 15 - 17 September.

ASO Concertmaster and violinist Natsuko Yoshimoto teams with the virtuoso Shakuchi Master Akikazu Nakamura from Japan to present a magnificent marriage of traditional Japanese and Western classical instruments. KOAN is a world premiere and exclusive opportunity to be introduced to unique and revered contemporary Japanese composers, including a newly commissioned work by Australian composer James Cuddeford. 13 September.

Adelaide-based, Australian/Indonesian dancer Ade Suharto collaborates with composer David Kotlowy and Indonesian visual artist Mawarini to present in lieu, an evening of dance and contemporary gamelan music. 6 - 7 September.

Ben Walsh's incredible 10-piece Orkestra of the Underground performs Academy Award-winning writer and illustrator Shaun Tan's The Arrival. Tan's graphic novel will be brought to life on the big screen, having premiered at the Sydney Opera House's Graphic Festival in 2010. This is a remarkable collaboration of accomplished Australian artists including Bobby Singh.

11 September.

Highlighting contemporary music direct from Japan is the Australian premiere performance of Shugo Tokumaru, a gifted songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who has wowed critics and fans with a sound that draws as much from classic Beatles-esque melodies as his own unique spin on Japanese pop. Following on, ultra cool band from Tokyo Cool Wise Man team with guest vocalist Likkle Mai to present a night of ska, calypso, rock steady, dub, roots, and reggae with a Japanese edge. 9 - 10 September (cabaret-style seating, bar open in venue).

Once again OzAsia Festival collaborates with The Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre at UniSA to present the Keynote Lecture. This year Jason Yat Sen Li will speak on Australian Fusion: Imagining our Eurasian future. Jason represents the new breed of global business and interculturally savvy young Australian leaders. His credentials include: CEO of Yatsen Associates, Vice -Chair of the Australia-China Chamber of Commerce in Beijing, a Director of the George Institute for Global Health, and a Governing Member of the esteemed charitable organisation The Smith Family. 8 September. Free.

Register on-line: hawkecentre.unisa.edu.au or (08) 8302 0215.

Direct from China, this year's OzAsia Festival features the Shaolin Warriors who return to Australia in a showcase of the remarkable skill, stunning movement, and spectacular imagery of kung-fu on a national tour. Presented in association with Andrew Kay and Associations and Michael Coppell, the brilliant new production features rarely seen Buddhist meditation alongside deadly martial arts prowess. This breathtaking extravaganza starring 22 Kung Fu Masters is a must-see for family audiences and martial arts fans. 9 - 10 September.

Always a highlight of the program, the Moon Lantern Festival on 12 September will feature the Shandong Art Troupe sponsored by the People's Government of Shandong Province. This wonderful free family event, held on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, has become one of South Australia's favourite annual community gatherings. Bringing together communities and schools, there will be performances, workshops, food and market stalls, and cooking and martial arts demonstrations. The Lantern Parade at dusk will light up Elder Park and be followed by a spectacular fireworks display. ABC 891 Drive will broadcast live from Elder Park for the Moon Lantern Festival.

OzAsia On Screen, in association with the Media Resource Centre, returns with a wide variety of feature films and documentaries encompassing films from Australia, Thailand, South Korea, Hong Kong and Indonesia. The Festival's screen component continues to evolve with the inclusion of the Japanese Film Festival, featuring 10 smash hit titles straight from Japan, six of which will be Australian premieres. Japanese Film Festival Director Masafumi Konomi says, "the Film Festival will provide a great deal of insight to the Japanese spirit, culture, society and history". 1- 17 September. To complement the film program, Adelaide Festival Centre's GreenRoom program presents the Wasabi Short Film Competition, supporting young, emerging talent in a fun night of screening at the Mercury Cinema. 31 August.

Don't miss the 2011 Nuido World Embroidery Exhibition, presented in association with the Japanese Embroidery Center, Atlanta SA and Kurenai-Kai Japan. The exhibition will showcase over 100 magnificent works that embody the tradition, skill and discipline of this ancient art. The works in the exhibition have been created by people in 19 countries on five different continents. 31 August - 16 October, Adelaide Festival Centre.

OzAsia Festival's Visual Arts program features more exhibitions and great new partners: the Art Gallery of South Australia will present two new displays - Krishna and Visions of Sri Nathji: IndIan Temple Paintings (from the collection of Barrie and Judith Heaven) and Expression in Clay: 125 Years of Japanese Ceramics. Also included are free public programs including talks and film screenings. 2 - 17 September.

Another South Australian premiere is the Contemporary Art Centre of SA (CACSA)'s Post Logical Form: the exhibition features works from Akira Akira, Masato Takasaka and Koji Ryui, three Australian based artists with Japanese heritage.

7 September - 14 October.

In another visual feast, the Anne & Gordon Samstag Museum of Art will present a South Australian premiere exhibition: the White Rabbit Contemporary Chinese Art Collection, which comprises a selection of works from Sydney's amazing White Rabbit Contemporary Chinese Art Collection. The exhibition will showcase thirteen artists' works across different media - painting, sculpture, animation, new media, and installation. 15 July - 30 September.

Adelaide's annual anime and video games convention AVCON is making a special outing at this year's OzAsia Festival. Enter a world of ninjas, samurai, superheros and heroines, battle monsters, aliens and more Asian pop culture than you've ever experienced before. 11 September.

Throughout the Festival, there will be an opportunity to get up close and personal with the performing and visual artists in a number of workshops, forums and artist Q&As, as well as Adelaide Festival Centre's In Conversation With series hosted by Fenella Kernebone. Join the creative conversation about culture and hear panellists discuss Australian cultural engagement with Asia: Where is it going and what can we do? Panellists include: Carrillo Gantner, AO, Chairman, Asialink, and President of the Melbourne Festival Board; Douglas Gautier, CEO and Artistic Director, Adelaide Festival Centre; Kathy Keele, CEO, Australian Council for the Arts; Jacqueline Lo, Associate Professor, School of Cultural Inquiry at Australian National University; Aaron Seeto, Director and Curator, Centre of Contemporary Asian Art, Sydney. Free. Register on-line at www.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au/inconversationwith

And finally, for the first time, OzAsia Festival brings together top designers in food, furniture and fashion for a chic banquet with style. Food lovers will enjoy an delectable evening with FEAST by design, featuring acclaimed chef Simon Bryant together with 2010 Masterchef winner Adam Liaw. These two chefs have designed a sublime seasonal OzAsia-inspired three-course feast paired with wines by O'Leary Walker Winery. The banquet will also be a feast for the eyes, as you will be surrounded by an installation of contemporary furniture by Adelaide-based artist Khai Liew, and stunning fashion creations by the talk of this year's Australian Fashion Week, Sydney based fashion designer Alistair Trung. Charismatic host Annette Shun Wah (food writer and broadcaster) will lead a casual discussion about their personal, cultural, culinary, and design journeys. 3 September, Banquet Room.

Adelaide Festival Centre CEO & Artistic Director, Douglas Gautier says, "Adelaide Festival Centre has a strong tradition as a cultural leader and our OzAsia Festival continues the tradition as the pre-eminent event of its kind in the region. Now in its fifth year, the Festival has been embraced by local audiences and communities and has garnered significant attention nationally and overseas. Please join us for this annual celebration of our diverse multicultural society and the cultures of our region."

Full program details are available in the OzAsia Festival brochure. Get one free by calling (08) 8216 8707 or go to www.ozasiafestival.com.au Book at BASS 131 246 www.bass.net.au

Buy a festival subscription (four or more shows) to save and win... an extended OzAsia experience
Return flights for two to Sydney from Adelaide
2 nights' accommodation
Opening night tickets to Sydney's 2011 Japanese Film Festival
Degustation dinner for two at Luke Nguyen's Red Lantern Restaurant, Surry Hills
Total prize value $1500
Buy a Festival Subscription of four or more different shows in the one transaction to be eligible. Please note, you can include FEAST by design and films in your Festival Subscription event through no discount applies. For full terms and conditions please go to ozasiafestival.com.au

Buy 4 or more shows and pay the Festival Subscription price. Purchase your Festival Subscription from BASS by phone, in person or online.

The OzAsia Festival is supported by Arts SA through the Government of South Australia, special thanks to all of the Festival's supporters:
Major Festival Partner - SANTOS
Festival Partner - ANZ
Community Programs Sponsor - ADELAIDE CITY COUNCIL
Moon Lantern Festival Stage Sponsor - Ironfish
Moon Lantern Festival partners - Lebara Mobile, SCF Containers, The Government of South Australia and Mr Xu Chenghui of the TangCheng Group
Media Partners - 891 ABC Adelaide, The Advertiser, SBS, MIX 102.3, RipItUp Publishing
Wine Partner - O'Leary Walker Wines
Promotional Partner - APN Outdoor

Four winds, KOAN, Continent, Dreamscape, Shugo and Cool Wise Man is supported by The Commonwealth through the Australia-Japan Foundation, which is part of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

 

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