The 2017 programme of the Adelaide Festival heralds a new era for arts in South Australia.
Incoming Artistic Directors Rachel Healy and Neil Armfield have moved away from former director David Sefton’s focus on contemporary music with a programme that harks back to the baroque.
'Saul' - Image © Bill CooperBarrie Kosky’s lavish production of 'Saul' will be joined by the acclaimed Concerto Italiano’s performance of 'L’Orfeo', a 400 year old opera classic.
Rufus Wainwright will present his first opera, 'Prima Donna', along with his much-lauded tribute to Judy Garland while a chamber music mini-festival will be held over the Adelaide Cup long weekend. Inspired by the music of Schubert, it will be staged in the recently opened UKARIA Cultural Centre, which combines world-class acoustic design with stunning hillside views.
Rufus Wainwright - Image © David LeyesOther musical announcements include an all-star cast of indigenous musicians celebrating 50 years since the referendum that enfranchised our first peoples in '1967'. Also coming from the Sydney Festival is 'The Encounter', an immersive theatrical production that uses cutting-edge 3D audio technology to simulate the experience of a National Geographic reporter lost deep in the Amazon.
Chicago’s 'Manual Cinema' prefer sleight of hand to bring stories to life, combining silhouette acting with sophisticated puppetry and overhead projectors while simultaneously creating a live soundtrack.
Batsheva offshoot L-E-V will perform two shows combining contemporary dance from Israel with a techno soundtrack and 'Betroffenheit' is a poignant work that emerged from Canadian Jonathan Young’s devastating personal loss.
'The Encounter' - Image © Robbie JackThe dance program also includes the first look at Restless Dance Theatre’s 'Intimate Space', which follows performers through the public and private spaces of the Hilton Hotel.
Other world premieres are 'The Backstories', which invites three of Adelaide’s most high-profile Asian-Australians to share their stories with the audience, and 'Backbone' from local acrobatics ensemble Gravity & Other Myths.
'The Backstories'In 'MDLSX', the androgynous Silvia Calderoni challenges the idea of otherness and the limits of her own body while blending monologue, performance art and DJ Set.
Visual arts is represented by 'RED', a surreal short film featuring Cate Blanchett, and a collaboration with the South Australian museum. 'Yidaki' explores the history and importance of instrument better known as the didgeridoo.
Perhaps the most exciting part of the announcement is the return of the festival club. The Riverbank Palais is a floating ballroom that will be moored on the Torrens for the duration of the festival, with programming to be announced in January.
Check out the full programme here.
