228 THE DIARY IQ. Courtesy of Zanele Muholi, Stevenson, Cape Town/Johannesburg, and Yancey Richardson

See Ntozakhe II, Parktown (2016) by Zanele Muholi at the NGV Triennial exhibition in IQ.

Holiday Homework Tokyo In Japan’s capital, serene Zen gardens coexist with the sensory overload of Shinjuku’s neon lights. Get ready for the city to both perplex and delight. By Hazel Flynn.

Read Listen Florent Chavouet’s 2009 book, Ryuichi Sakamoto has been Tokyo on Foot, is still of interest making music for more than today because the author is 40 years, first with pioneering an artist with an eye for quirky techno band Yellow Magic details who captures what Orchestra then as a solo artist he sees in charming drawings and collaborator. He is also the and whimsical notes. This Oscar-winning composer of isn’t a guidebook but a timeless film soundtracks, including “graphic memoir” of people and Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence neighbourhoods discovered (1983) and The Revenant (2015). over six months of exploring. The album Playing the Piano (Note the paperback is easier (2009) is a powerful solo acoustic to pore over than the e-book.) reworking of a dozen of his best- loved pieces. Also consider... ◖ The Devotion of Suspect X Also consider... (2005): Keigo Higashino’s ◖ Akogare (2016): You don’t have thriller about an awkward to know Japanese to enjoy this maths genius, his single-mother melodic, upbeat single from neighbour and the death of indie rock quartet Mitsume. her abusive ex-husband was ◖ Pick Me Up (2015): J-pop, a phenomenon in Japan, Japan’s homegrown cousin selling two million copies. to Korea’s K-pop, is powered Sparely written but intricately by young things who look plotted, it will keep you adorable while singing and guessing right to the end. dancing in perfect unison. Google the clip of this hit Watch from girl group Perfume. In the satirical drama Tokyo Sonata (2008), a middle-class (From top) Eateries line Shinjuku’s family splinters after the father alleyways; graphic memoir Tokyo loses his job but is too ashamed on Foot; a scene from Tokyo Sonata to tell his wife and sons. It’s the younger boy’s secret gift for piano that offers solace as this Cannes prize winner builds to its moving finale.

Also consider... ◖ Tampopo (1985): A joyful mix ◖ Godzilla (1954): The special of offbeat comedy, heartfelt effects look hokey now but romance, food obsession, Japan’s postwar trauma is violence and unabashed clear in the iconic radioactive- M-rated (albeit creative) monster movie. Seek out the eroticism, this cult favourite restored original and avoid was described by its director the Americanised 1956 version. as a “ramen western”.

travelinsider.qantas.com.au 215 IQ.

Books

← Page-turners HEATHER, THE TOTALITY Matthew Weiner | Allen & Unwin | $25 Hot new releases for long hauls, short trips From the creator of TV’s Mad Men comes a noir and layovers. Reviews by Paul Robinson. novella that hits all its marks. It starts innocently enough: Manhattan financier marries beautiful girl and they have a beautiful baby, Heather. Meanwhile, Bobby is born to a heroin-addicted mother, father unknown. Fast-forward a few years. Happy Manhattan family is now not so happy and Bobby is fresh out of jail with his sociopathic personality dialled all the way up to “danger”. While working on a construction site, Bobby spots Heather, who becomes the focus of his sadistic fantasies. Against this backdrop of obsession, Matthew Weiner’s tight writing serves to emphasise the intensity as two polar- opposite worlds lock on a collision course.

← UNCOMMON TYPE

Tom Hanks | Penguin Random House | $33 Who knew? Two-time Oscar-winning actor and director Tom Hanks is a better-than-average writer who’s obsessed with typewriters, which are a common theme in these 17 stories. Four friends build a backyard rocket for a moon mission; a billionaire inventor becomes addicted to time-travel holidays; an immigrant copes with his first days in New York. Despite their sheen of folksy Americana, they mostly entertain (Vanity Fair, The New Yorker and The New York Times have published several) and Hanks certainly gives good one-liners: “Being Anna’s boyfriend was like training to be a Navy SEAL while The Rub of Time working full-time in an Amazon fulfilment centre in the Oklahoma Panhandle in tornado season.” Martin Amis | Penguin Random House | $35 In the 1980s, with the publication of Money and London Fields, ← Martin Amis was the enfant terrible of British literature. Of course, CRICKET OUTLAWS he had an immaculate pedigree – his dad was Kingsley Amis (Lucky Jim) – but it was his fearless and witty writing that took him Austin Robertson | Pan Macmillan | $40 to the peak. Amis is also a talented journalist and his provocative World Series Cricket (1977 to 1979) was an pieces are guaranteed to raise chuckles and hackles in equal “outlaw” competition started by media boss measure. This collection of essays and reportage for publications Kerry Packer, who was annoyed at the cosy including Harper’s, Talk and The New Yorker covers three decades relationship between the ABC and the Australian and the author has edited many of them with the aim of “trying to Cricket Board. In Packer’s words, “It was the make myself clearer, less ambiguous”. Amis tackles the mystery of easiest sport in the world to take over – nobody Donald Trump, rampant murder in Colombia, the World Series bothered to pay the players what they were of Poker in Las Vegas, the LA porn industry, Princess Diana and a worth.” Four elite teams, which included star post-Pulp Fiction John Travolta. He coins words such as “jingobilly” players Dennis Lillee, Ian Chappell, Viv Richards (strident patriotic music played at a Republican rally) and describes and Tony Greig, competed in gladiatorial style at Diana’s appetite for revenge as “near-Sicilian” and himself on a book night with white balls, coloured clothing and crash tour as “robotically garrulous”. Of Trump’s self-obsession, he says: helmets. WSC changed cricket forever, sounding “Narcissus is auto-erotic; he [Donald] is self-aroused.” So much the death knell for amateurism. Austin Robertson cleverness, so much scathing observation and a fair bit of hilarity. was Packer’s inside man, signing up players on Choose your poison, read and relish. the quiet and helping to run the rebel series.

216 travelinsider.qantas.com.au 1 2

Technology Look sharp

3

Bigger screens, higher resolution and advanced facial recognition – the latest smartphones are more 6 than meets the eye, writes Nic Healey.

4

5

218 travelinsider.qantas.com.au IQ.

1. 4. LG G6 Sony Xperia XZ Premium $799 | lg.com LG’s G6 didn’t receive the kind $1099 | sony.com.au of fanfare that greets the arrival of The Premium model in Sony’s many new phones on the market Xperia XZ range earns its name but make no mistake, this is a in several ways but the 5.5-inch 4K premium product. The 5.7-inch screen with HDR, offering superb high-resolution screen has Dolby colour and contrast, is what first Vision and HDR10 – features catches your eye. The Premium you’d normally expect from a also boasts the world’s slowest top-of-the-line television – which slow-motion smartphone camera, gives a larger palette and sharper recording video at just 960 frames video on the small screen. The per second. The 19-megapixel Well Connected front-facing camera is wide-angle, rear camera also has Predictive letting you squeeze a few more Capture, buffering images as soon “selfs” into that selfie. as it detects movement, before The co-founder and executive producer you even press the shutter button. 2. of popular digital toy company Toca Boca knows how to capture a child’s imagination. Samsung 5. Galaxy Note8 Huawei P10 Emil Ovemar

$1499 | samsung.com $899 | huawei.com At a mammoth 6.3 inches, the Huawei has again partnered What are the key factors when creating apps for kids? Samsung Galaxy Note8 dwarfs with Leica, the maker of high-end When designing for adults, you can become a bit lazy the other phones here but that’s cameras, for the P10. Dual lenses because you can set up text tutorials to explain how always been the point of the Note on the rear provide a 12-megapixel an app works. But with kids, you need to design in series. The large screen not only colour sensor and a 20-megapixel a way that’s intuitive. They should be able to start accommodates two apps at once, monochrome one, meaning better tapping and poking until what we’ve created reveals it also lets you make the most low-light photos, optical image itself. You have to add surprises. And you need to test of the included S Pen so you can stabilisation and a depth-sensing your ideas with kids. scribble on the fly, even with the autofocus. If size counts, you can How do you monitor their feedback? screen locked. The dual-lens rear choose the P10 Plus – all the same With some kids, you have to watch their behaviour and camera features an optical zoom features but with a bigger battery reactions; to look into their eyes to see engagement or and has been designed for better and a higher-resolution 5.5-inch frustration. But others can be really frank. That honesty night photography, capturing sharp screen, up from 5.1 inches. can sometimes be brutal but we really do appreciate it. images even in low-light conditions. What are the biggest changes in children’s play? 6. For kids, a device is just another toy – all objects in the 3. Apple iPhone X world can be played with. So they treat technology Nokia 8 without respect, in a positive way. They aren’t afraid $1579 | apple.com of pressing the wrong button or deleting something. $899 | nokia.com The latest and greatest from In the future, there will be a big shift in nostalgia. Your eyes do not deceive you: the Apple does away with the home Childhood memories will mostly be digital. Much of much-lauded Nokia brand is back, button for a sleeker, edge-to-edge what children consume and play with won’t exist in this time as a well-priced Android screen. But how do you unlock your 20 years so they’ll have fewer artefacts in their lives. smartphone. The killer feature of phone? Just by looking at it, thanks How much time should kids should spend on-screen? the 5.3-inch Nokia 8 is called Dual to the switch from fingerprint to I don’t think one recommendation is optimal for Sight, which takes the front- and facial recognition. The iPhone X all families. There needs to be balance but it’s not rear-facing cameras (each clocks maps more than 30,000 points on whether you’re using a screen, it’s what you do with it. in at 13 megapixels) and allows your face in 3D to ensure it can’t What’s the secret to engaging a young audience? you to use both at once to create be fooled by photos or masks. The It’s not about being hi-fi or lo-fi because a stick or rock split-screen images. This feature new iPhone also has an upgraded can just as easily do it. It’s about the play value, which also works for live-streaming screen, with the famed Super is why you have to test with kids and create from video on services such as YouTube Retina display on an OLED panel. their perspective. We don’t design for boys or girls; and Facebook. Of course, all this cutting-edge everything can be for both. A really good toy works technology does come with a price for generations so we create for the timeless emotional

tag that might feel a little sharp. Interview: Kate Barracosa. Photography: Alison De Mars needs of kids instead of basing our ideas on trends.

travelinsider.qantas.com.au 219 IQ.

ENGINE 3.7-litre V6 petrol TRANSMISSION Seven- speed automatic POWER/TORQUE 253kW/371Nm FUEL ECONOMY (AV.) 10.4L/100km PRICE $63,990

Motoring Nissan 370Z Nismo

The latest model from the sporty sub-brand gets a performance boost to bring the feel of the track to the road, writes Toby Hagon.

There’sThere’s a bbitit ooff rracingacing ccarar iinn tthehe llatestatest ssportsports vvehicleehicle ffromrom Nissan. A brace between the rear wheels of the 370Z Nismo joins the left and right sides, designed to increase the stiffness of a car that’s more about taking corners than comfort. There’s another brace under the bonnet between the front wheels, again to tighten the structure. and a more mainstream price range, starting at $61,490. Tweaks to The race car theme continues throughout Nismo’s the standard 370Z’s 3.7-litre six-cylinder engine eke out an extra eight take on the 370Z, from the alloy pedals to the Alcantara- kilowatts and eight newton metres for a total of 253kW and 371Nm. wrapped steering wheel. The exterior is flashy, with red It’s unlikely you’ll notice the additional output with everyday brake calipers and unique bumpers adding aggression driving, though the zing of the exhaust above 5000rpm is welcome, and sparkle to the distinctive 370Z shape, which has been inspiring the occasional full-throttle blast. The seven-speed auto around since 2009. Red appears elsewhere, too, from (an extra $2500) is honest but uninspiring, requiring the occasional the start button and tachometer to the leather stitching override from the fixed shift paddles behind the steering wheel. and the stripes on the lower reaches of the bodywork. More obvious are the changes to the handling. Firmer suspension The racing look is no accident. Nismo – a mashup makes for a taut ride that treads a fine line between comfort and of “Nissan” and “motorsport” – is the fledging (at least control. Second-rate roads can have the body shuffling around but in ) sub-brand of the division that not only the trade-off is sharpened steering responses and a more secure feel. spearheads the Japanese brand’s track campaigns but The Nismo’s wheels are 15 millimetres further apart than in the also develops the faster, more exciting road cars. Key regular 370Z. Combined with slightly wider rear tyres and grippy to the Nismo promise is more pace, typically through Dunlop rubber, it makes for a seriously capable machine when chassis and engine updates. The first Nismo model to hustled hard into switchbacks. be sold in Australia, based on the GT-R, is the fastest Indeed, it’s not so much its modest power boost but the athletic car ever produced by Nissan. demeanour that’s the real appeal of the Nismo. The bold looks The 370Z Nismo doesn’t have the speed of the GT-R don’t hurt, either. But it’s an acquired taste – a car for those who Nismo. Instead, it sticks to the successful Z-car formula yearn for a spirited drive rather than laid-back cruising.

220 travelinsider.qantas.com.au IQ.

Crossword

Quick clues

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Across Down 1. Bivouacked (6) 2. Ponder painfully (7) 5. Walking trails (5) 3. After surgery (4-9) 11 12 8. USSR flag emblem, 4. Misunderstandings hammer and ... (6) (11) 11. Conceited (8) 5. More faded (5) 12. 6. 13 14 Hard to please (10) Writes with 13. Metric lengths (10) keyboard (5) 14. Sugar-refining 7. Stints (7) by-product (8) 8. Sporting trophies (7) 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 15. Relinquish (4) 9. Cudgels (5) 16. Thrills (7) 10. Depart (5) 19. Edged along (6) 17. Retail franchise (5) 22 23 24 25 26 27 22. Pattern of small 18. Goals (7) pieces (6) 20. Medical 24. Oxygen-dependent specialist (13) (7) 21. Internet message (5) 28 29 30 27. Crowd sound (4) 23. Due (5) 28. New Zealander (4) 25. Disney fawn (5) 29. Shaft of light (7) 26. Arrange dances (11) 31 32 33 34 35 30. Delphi seer (6) 32. Removed fleece 31. Concurs (6) from (7) 33. Leisure activity (7) 33. Entrances (7) 36 37 38 39 40 34. Depose (4) 35. Highest in 36. Mr in Paris (8) command (7) 39. U2, INXS and 3 7. Endorses (5) KISS (4,6) 38. Barge (5) 41 42 41. Birthing suite (6,4) 39. Airwaves medium (5) 42. Visualised (8) 40. Refrigerate (5) 43. Climb (6) 43 44 45 44. Overindulge (5) 45. Milliner (6)

Cryptic clues

Across 24. Be in Cairo wandering as 44. Go off to see ruin (5) 20. His clients’ problems are 1. Slept under the stars in California a kind of exercise (7) 45. Threat upset mad tea-party skin-deep (13) with politician and journalist (6) 27. Cry of pride? (4) host (6) 21. Letters that need to be 5. Pat has lost heart in some 28. Bird is key, we hear (4) screened? (5) ways (5) 29. Ray cooked same bun (7) Down 23. Crowing when councillor didn’t 8. Does it bode ill to return the 30. Carole is baffled by 2. Spend time worrying if silver appear to be in debt (5) Spanish blade? (6) fortune teller (6) one is inside (7) 25. Graduate doctor and I view 11. Tending to brag but loafs 31. Consents to production of 3. Station government agent classic movie (5) around (8) Grease (6) following theatre session (4-9) 26. To design steps is an unenjoyable 12. Pedantic detail (10) 33. Fill in the hours, apparently, 4. Disparities in arguments (11) task using original owner’s 13. Distance travelled to get Kismet with a hobby (7) 5. Cultured pearl is whiter (5) diagram (11) role organised (10) 34. Overthrow part of ludicrous 6. Varieties of fonts (5) 32. She has a flame-coloured cut (7) 14. More about disappearing with theory (4) 7. Economises by giving half the 33. Left in front of Gore’s girls to get syrup (8) 36. French title for adaptation of scraps to naughty kids (7) gateways (7) 15. Surrender to outspoken ranked Iron Emus (8) 8. Provides cover for detectives’ 35. Presume changes are player (4) 39. Heavy metal bands or geological badges (7) paramount (7) 16. Stirs up former partner with classifications (4,6) 9. Suit required in exclusive 3 7. Sanctions famous corral, say, quotes (7) 41. Where hospital deliveries are establishments (5) in error (5) 19. I’d hopped into toboggan and handled (6,4) 10. Make tracks in desert (5) 38. Force five into footwear (5) went sideways (6) 42. Dreamt I joined wise men and 17. Links to China broken (5) 39. From computer ad, I order 22. Tile art shown in a sitcom with Flanders (8) 18. Traitor comes back and FM receiver (5) last bit missing, unfortunately (6) 43. Rise as first competitors finish (6) achieves aims (7) 40. Child swaps 500 for 50? Cool! (5)

222 travelinsider.qantas.com.au crosswords and puzzles compiled by LOVATTS MIND GAMES

Sudoku Tough puzzle, simple rules: each row, column and 3x3 box must contain the numbers 1-9.

6 8 1 9 2 9 7 5 6 2 7 1 3 6 7 8 3 2 4 6 7 7 4 8 9 4 9 3 2 7 1 8 9 3 2 5 3 2 5 4 3 8 2 7 8 9 4 8 4 5 3 2 9 8 7 5 1 8 3 2 7 8 6 9 1 6 6 8 3 5 9 2 3 5 1 5 8 3 4 4 2 4 6

EASY MODERATE HARD

Wordplay What phrases do the word pictures represent?

1. 2. 3. 4.

Theft report: Be happy 1x sun Rugby player & Largo WOWOLFOL

ThatÕs outrageous! You are here KI L M

Wheel of words Create as many words of four letters or more using the given letters once only but always including the centre letter. Don’t use proper nouns or plurals I T ending with “s”. See if you can find the nine-letter word using up all letters. F R H O T N G

11 Good 15 Very good 18+ Excellent

More puzzles over the page; solutions on page 227 travelinsider.qantas.com.au 223 IQ.

Quiz Lateral thinking Compiled by Hazel Flynn Think outside the box to solve these mind-bending riddles.

1. 4. England’s houses of Lancaster 12. The ankh symbol is associated and York fought for the throne with which civilisation? in which 15th-century conflicts? 13. A passage in an Anne Rice book 5. Bill Skarsgård (pictured) plays inspired the name of which Pennywise the clown in which international chart-topping Ferdinand in a fix 2017 blockbuster film? 1990s Australian duo? When Archduke Ferdinand was 6. The weather event known 14. And which of their hits has the shot in 1914, his attendants as a hurricane in the Atlantic same title as a 1990 Alan Rickman were unable to undo his coat Ocean is called what in the romantic comedy? to stem the bleeding. Why? Lateral Thinking Puzzlers South Pacific? 15. What colour is Béchamel sauce?

and 7. To within five per cent, skin 16. Test cricket is played at grounds makes up how much of a in Fatullah and Chittagong in

hippopotamus’s body weight? which country? 2. 8. The flag of which European 17. What is added to water and country symbolises blue skies an aggregate such as gravel over golden wheatfields? to make concrete? Lawn litter? 1. What is the Māori word for 9. What plant starch creates the 18. Which Australian banknote Five pieces of coal, a carrot and a ceremonial posture dance? “pearls” in bubble tea? received a security-driven design a scarf are lying on the lawn. 2. What part of the body is 10. Which was not named after update in 2017? Nobody put them on the ground examined with an otoscope? a historical figure: a) silhouette, 19. Which country has an official but there’s a perfectly logical 3. The terms block, dig, set and b) cardigan or c) jodhpurs? Gross National Happiness Index? reason for them being there. Lethal Lateral Thinking Puzzles spike are associated with 11. The musical Miss Saigon is based 20. By what name is the astronomical What is it? From by Paul Sloane and Des MacHale (destination-innovation.com) which sport? on which Puccini opera? body Polaris commonly known? MIND GAMES IQ.

Solutions

If you’ve filled in the answers, please take the magazine with you so the cabin crew know to replace it with a new copy.

Crossword Enjoy bonus CAMPED PATHS S I CKLE G O I A Y C H L E BOASTFUL PART I CULAR content in N T F E E I E B V K I LOMETRES MOLASSES our free app S P R P D Sudoku CEDE EXC I TES S I DLED R N H A E M 9 5 4 1 3 2 7 8 6 MOS A I C AEROB I C ROAR 2 8 3 9 6 7 1 5 4 W T E I G A H M I K IWI SUNBEAM ORACL E 1 6 7 5 8 4 9 3 2 N V T B R T 5 4 9 3 2 8 6 1 7 AGREES PAST IME OUST 7 3 2 6 9 1 5 4 8 H O O L U 8 1 6 7 4 5 3 2 9 MONS I EUR ROCKGROUPS 3 2 5 4 7 9 8 6 1 K H A T A H R G R LABOURWARD I MAG I NED 6 9 8 2 1 3 4 7 5 Y V E L I L P S M 4 7 1 8 5 6 2 9 3 ASCEND SPO I L HATTER Easy

3 9 7 2 8 4 1 6 5 6 2 5 1 3 9 4 8 7 Wordplay 4 8 1 6 5 7 3 9 2 1. Daylight robbery 2. Under lock and key 2 7 6 4 1 5 8 3 9 3. Wolf in sheep’s clothing 5 3 4 8 9 2 6 7 1 4. Don’t cry over spilt milk 9 1 8 3 7 6 5 2 4 8 5 3 9 2 1 7 4 6 Looking for somewhere 1 4 9 7 6 3 2 5 8 to eat in Melbourne? Wheel of words 7 6 2 5 4 8 9 1 3 Goth, Hint, Hong, Horn, Nigh, Thin, Thro, Fight, Firth, Forth, Moderate Frith, Froth, Girth, Night, North, Rhino, Right, Thing, Thong, Thorn, Tight, Troth, Fright, Righto, Thrift, Throng, Hotting, Want to know where 9 8 3 6 2 7 1 5 4 Tonight, Frothing. Nine-letter word: Fortnight to stay in Sydney? 5 2 6 9 4 1 8 7 3 7 1 4 8 5 3 6 9 2 4 3 1 7 8 2 5 6 9 Find our detailed Quiz 2 7 8 5 9 6 4 3 1 City Guides, as well as 1. Haka 2. The ear 3. Volleyball 4. The Wars of the Roses past issues and QantasLink’s 6 9 5 1 3 4 2 8 7 5. It 6. Cyclone 7. 18 per cent 8. Ukraine 9. Tapioca 1 6 9 2 7 8 3 4 5 10. c) Jodhpurs 11. Madama Butterfly 12. Ancient Egypt Spirit magazine, in the 3 5 2 4 6 9 7 1 8 13. Savage Garden 14. Truly Madly Deeply 15. White award-winning 16. Bangladesh 17. Cement 18. The $10 note 19. Bhutan Qantas magazine app. 8 4 7 3 1 5 9 2 6 20. The North Star (or Pole Star) Hard

Lateral thinking 1. Archduke Ferdinand was sewn into his uniform so that it appeared immaculate. It could not be removed quickly. His desire to look perfect probably cost him his life. 2. They are the remains of a melted snowman. Hassan Hajjaj’s Donovan Stylin’ (2016), a highlight of Melbourne’s NGV Triennial exhibition

↓ PERFORMANCE La La Land VIC The Diary in Concert PERFORMANCE Noël! Noël! 7-9 December Sydney Opera This month’s top events, plus a sneak House sydneyoperahouse.com 9 December Melbourne Recital peek at what’s on in January. The musical rom-com starring Centre brandenburg.com.au Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling It’s a Christmas concert with all compiled by SAMANTHA O’BRIEN is projected onto the big screen the trimmings. Kick off the festive while the Sydney Symphony season with carols and other Orchestra plays music from the standards performed by the MUSIC ↓ film’s Oscar-winning score. Australian Brandenburg Orchestra and the Brandenburg Choir. 24 December Sidney Myer NSW MUSIC Paul McCartney Music Bowl, Melbourne ART NGV Triennial carols.visionaustralia.org OPERA Monteverdi’s 11-12 December Qudos Bank Our most-loved entertainers spread Coronation of Poppea Arena, Sydney Olympic Park 15 December-15 April the Christmas cheer, singing carols paulmccartney.com NGV International, Melbourne and fundraising for Vision Australia. Until 6 December City Recital Sir Paul returns to Australia for the ngv.vic.gov.au Hall, Sydney opera.org.au first time in 24 years. His One on This celebration of the world’s SPORT The Ashes Fourth Test Marking 450 years since the birth One tour includes old favourites best contemporary art and design of Italian composer Monteverdi, from The Quarrymen, The Beatles brings together works from 32 26-30 December Melbourne Pinchgut Opera presents his and Wings, plus his solo songs. countries, among them Iraq, Russia Cricket Ground cricket.com.au famous opera about the rise of and South Korea. Artists include Don’t miss this post-Christmas Nero’s lover from mistress to CELEBRATION New Year’s Eve Australian sculptor Ron Mueck, fixture between old rivals Australia empress. Australian mezzo-soprano at the Sydney Opera House Yayoi Kusama from Japan and and England. Current demand for Helen Sherman leads the cast. Chinese fashion designer Guo Pei. tickets is on track to set an MCG 31 December Sydney Opera crowd record. BALLET Alice’s Adventures House opera.org.au MUSIC Human Nature in Wonderland For an unforgettable New Year’s at A Day on the Green NEXT MONTH Australian Open Eve, spend the night under 5-22 December Capitol Theatre, Sydney’s famous sails, enjoying 16 December 15-28 January Melbourne Park Sydney australianballet.com.au Opera Australia’s The Merry Rochford Wines, Yarra Valley ausopen.com Join Alice, the Red Queen and Widow or the Opera Gala concert adayonthegreen.com.au The year’s first Grand Slam a tap-dancing Mad Hatter when of arias by Verdi, Puccini and The Las Vegas-based Australian tournament sees the biggest The Australian Ballet brings Lewis Rossini. You’ll also get to see the crooners are coming home for names in tennis slog it out over Carroll’s classic story to life with fireworks – both the 9pm and a one-off show supported by two weeks of fierce competition. extravagant costumes, lavish sets midnight shows – from the

Kate Ceberano. Advantage Melbourne. and puppetry. best vantage point in the city. Courtesy of Hassan Hajjaj/NGV

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NEXT MONTH Sydney Festival NEXT MONTH Green Day’s MUSIC Yusuf/Cat Stevens ↓ American Idiot 6-28 January Various venues 9-10 December TAS sydneyfestival.org.au 19-28 January Brisbane Entertainment Centre Golden Globe winner Maura Her Majesty’s Theatre, Adelaide catstevens.com SAILING Rolex Sydney Tierney treads the boards as americanidiotlive.com.au Marking the 50th anniversary of Hobart Yacht Race Germaine Greer in The Town ’s Phil Jamieson leads his debut album, Matthew & Son, Hall Affair, one of more than 130 the cast in this punk-rock musical the British singer-songwriter 26 December-1 January events on the festival’s program. featuring Green Day’s best songs. performs hits including Peace Train. Sydney Harbour to Derwent River, Hobart rolexsydneyhobart.com ↓ ↓ MUSICAL Mamma Mia! The 73rd Sydney-to-Hobart offshore yacht race sees an ACT WA 26 December-4 February international fleet take on Lyric Theatre, Brisbane treacherous Bass Strait in a sprint FESTIVAL The Commons MUSIC mammamiathemusical.com.au to Hobart’s Constitution Dock. Street Feast at A Day on the Green Brisbane gets its turn to thank ABBA for the music on the stage FESTIVAL The Taste Until 10 December 17 December Kings Park show’s national tour. of Tasmania Commonwealth Park, Canberra and Botanic Garden, Perth thecommonsstreetfeast.com.au adayonthegreen.com.au NEXT MONTH Woodford 28 December-3 January This year, Filipino diner Hoy Pinoy See The Voice perform all his hits, Folk Festival Princes Wharf No.1 Shed, Hobart and Sydney burger institution with special guests Mondo Rock thetasteoftasmania.com.au Down N’ Out join festival favourites and The Badloves. 27 December-1 January Taking over Hobart’s waterfront, Mary’s and Gelato Messina, plus Woodfordia, Woodford this hugely popular annual food a host of other vendors. SPORT Hopman Cup woodfordfolkfestival.com festival is packed with about 70 Musicians John Butler, Montaigne stalls selling fresh local seafood, ART Arthur Streeton: 30 December-6 January and Kate Miller-Heidke will be cheeses, cool-climate wines and The Art of War Perth Arena hopmancup.com joined by a line-up of speakers, boutique beers and ciders. Tennis icon Roger Federer returns including Karl Kruszelnicki, who’ll 15 December-29 April to Perth to represent team talk about the Great Barrier Reef. FESTIVAL Falls Festival National Gallery of Australia, Switzerland, while Daria Gavrilova Canberra nga.gov.au and Thanasi Kokkinakis fly the ↓ 29-31 December Marion Bay Key works by the official World Australian flag. fallsfestival.com War I artist have been gathered NT Angus & Julia Stone, Flume and from Australia and overseas NEXT MONTH The Gruffalo former Oasis frontman Liam for this significant exhibition. ART Tjungunutja: From Gallagher join thousands of eager 3-13 January State Theatre Centre Having Come Together campers when they descend on ↓ of WA, Perth tallstories.org.uk the tiny coastal town for three This new musical based on the Until 18 February Museum and days. In addition to the stellar SA bestselling children’s book comes Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, music program, there are comedy to Perth following a successful Darwin magnt.net.au shows, activities for kids, markets, SPORT Polo in the City season in London’s West End. Featuring the world’s largest yoga and the chance to take a dip collection of early Papunya in gorgeous Marion Bay. 15 December Park, ↓ paintings, this exhibition explores Adelaide polointhecity.com the beginnings of the contemporary NEXT MONTH Mofo Get ready to stomp the divots when QLD Aboriginal art movement. Australia’s best players compete in 12-22 January Various venues, the world’s largest polo series. EXHIBITION Mao’s Last Dancer PERFORMANCE DSO at the Movies Launceston and Berriedale The Exhibition: A Portrait mofo.net.au PERFORMANCE Christmas Proms of Li Cunxin 9 December Darwin Convention In 2019, the Mofo festival will move Centre dso.org.au to Launceston so organisers are 14-16 December 1 December-29 April The Darwin Symphony Orchestra giving Lonnie a taste of what’s to Her Majesty’s Theatre, Adelaide Museum of Brisbane performs music from popular come with events in the city from adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au museumofbrisbane.com.au films, including pieces by 23-time 12 to 14 January. Highlights include An Adelaide Christmas tradition, Go beyond the autobiography at Grammy Award winner John a free block party and Canadian this concert combines popular this exhibition dedicated to the Williams, who composed scores for experimental-music collective songs with traditional carols in former dancer and current artistic E. T. the Extra-Terrestrial and the Godspeed You! Black Emperor. The a beautiful century-old venue. director of Queensland Ballet. Harry Potter and Star Wars films. party then heads south to Mona.

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