Perth Festival: Sharing Perth’s Best Qualities

By the time Jonathan Holloway, artistic director for the Perth International Arts Festival, had finished his speech at the launch of the 2012 program you almost believed that Perth is on the cusp of becoming one of the world’s great cities, with the Festival helping to play its part in establishing this reputation.

Last night over two hundred people filed into the Perth Concert Hall to hear the new artistic director, Holloway, and his team launch the sixtieth Perth International Arts Festival. And despite the formal setting of lectern and olive green beams of light, reflecting the program colour of 2012, the introductions and speeches given by those invited were anything but stuffy and formal. They were entertaining and at times humorous.

The evening began with General Manager, Julian Donaldson, promising the Festival would continue in the vision of its founder Professor Fred Alexander and present a program that would stretch the boundaries in arts productions.

The program will start on Friday February 10 with a dawn opening on Cottesloe Beach and end with a dusk performance overlooking the city of Perth by Bon Iver at Red Hill Auditorium. Free events include Place Des Anges, described by Holloway as “a giant pillow fight staged between Council House and St George’s Cathedral,” and Redball Project. Redball sneaks into well-known places and half noticed spaces, transforming the City into an unexpected canvas of possibilities. Holloway hopes this event will encourage viewers to stop, engage and once again discover the art in Perth’s architecture.

One of Holloway’s favourites, and his first piece to book as the new artistic director, is Oraculos.  An individual walk through encounter that involves travelling through a series of experiences.

The program is full of theatre, dance, opera, music and movies.

Highlights include:

Theatre  Beautiful Burnout (National Theatre of Scotland) Raoul (performed by the grandson of Charlie Chaplin) Shakespeare’s Henry V and The Winter’s Tale (Propeller)
Dance Dance (Licinda Child’s Dance Company)Onqoto & Parabelo (Brazil dance group’s Grupo Corpo)
Opera A Magic Flute (CICT/Theatre des Bouffes du Nord) – picturedElektra (WA Opera/ Thincle/ PIAF / Opera Australia co production)
For the full program visit perthfestival.com.au

The queues to purchase tickets snaked out the door on launch night, signifying a promising start to the 60th Perth International Arts Festival. This Festival intends to highlight and remind Western Australian’s of the beauty, architecture and arts right at their front doors.
The night ended with drinks and food on the Concert Hall balcony. A perfect end to a balmy evening in Perth.

Perth International Arts Festival 201210 FEBRUARY – 3 MARCH 2012

Bookings now open for Friends of the FestivalYou can become a friend for $75.00  Includes access to best seats, temporary membership to the University Club of Western Australia during the Festival, newsletters and updates.

Bookings for General public open Monday 7 November 9:00am (WST)

For bookings & more information phone 08 6488 5555 or BOCS on 9484 1133 or visit  www.bocs.com.au
Tickets for some events may be available from other agencies.  08 6488 5555 for further information.