AAPAF E-News Issue 5, 2007

Welcome

Welcome to the fifth issue of the quarterly AAPAF E-News! This publication provides current news, reports, updates and developments of AAPAF members. Through the AAPAF E-News, we hope to stir more channels of contact and dialogue among members as well as interested professionals outside of AAPAF. Your comments and feedback are most welcome and appreciated.

AAPAF Announcements

Upcoming Events Macao – 5 May to 2 June 2007 Singapore Arts Festival – 25 May to 24 June 2007 Cabaret Festival – 8 June to 23 June 2007 Bangkok’s International Festival of Dance & Music – 4 September to 7 October 2007 OzAsia Festival – 24 September to 7 October 2007 Seoul International Dance Festival – 4 October to 27 October 2007 Bali Nusa Dua Festival – 18 October to 21 October 2007 China Shanghai International Arts Festival – 18 October to 18 November 2007 World’s Cultures Festival – 19 October to 20 November 2007

Highlights of AAPAF Members’ Past Events

AAPAF 8th Executive Council Meeting 2006 The 8th AAPAF Executive Council (EC) Meeting was held in Hong Kong on 25 March 2007. Hosted by the Hong Kong Arts Festival, the meeting pledged their support for a collaborative dance project, and explored a possible AAPAF Festival and Jazz music collaboration. Please feel free to contact the AAPAF Secretariat directly if you would like more information for consideration. EC members also participated in a one-day symposium focusing on arts collaboration and funding.

Members’ News

2007 Hong Kong Arts Festival – Over 97.5% Of Tickets Sold

The Hong Kong Arts Festival, held between 27 February and 25 March 2007, hit an all time record by selling over 97.5% of tickets. Featuring 150 performances and events, the month-long annual festival presented 5 Asian premieres, and 9 world premieres. The Festival opened with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra under Yuri Simonov, featured Sylvie Guillem, Youssou N’Dour, the Gewandhaus Orchestra and Chorus with the Leipzig Ballet and included Cantonese , Kunqu, multi-media, circus and puppetry. For more info, visit http://www.hk.artsfestival.org

Macao Arts Festival – 5 May to 2 June 2007 This year the Macao Arts Festival (left ) celebrates the 100 th Anniversary of Chinese Modern Theatre, bringing more dramas to the stage than ever before.

It also welcomes Portuguese popular music from O’queStrada, multimedia shows like D.A.V.E. from Austria, and a Movie Live Concert featuring Sergei Eisentein’s legendary movie Battleship Potemkin for which Germany’s Trio Bravo+ composed a soundtrack to be performed live.

For more info, visit www.icm.gov.mo/fam.

AAPAF E-News Issue 5, 2007

Adelaide Festival Centre: Indigenous Responses to Colonialism 31 March to 29 April 2007; Artspace Marking the 40th year since the landmark Referendum allowing Indigenous Australians to be included in the Australian census, this exhibition delivers an historical survey and evaluation of Indigenous responses to issues arising from colonialism. Artistic responses, reactions and resistance are extremely important for the process towards de-colonisation and Indigenous independence. Significant Indigenous Australian artworks are displayed from the Festival Centre collection, public and private collections and new works for sale.

Adelaide Festival Centre: Rasayana – Purbayan Chatterjee 10 April 2007; Space Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre Purbayan Chatterjee is recognised as one of India’s best Sitar players. His performance is part of the Adelaide Festival Centre’s trans:mission music season. For Rasayana , a Sanskrit word meaning “chemistry”, Chatterjee appears with fellow musicians Shashank on flute and Tarlochan Singh on tabla. Besides successfully experimenting with forms including Classical, Western Jazz, Spanish Flamenco and Blues, Chatterjee has a God-gifted voice and has performed in many world festivals. Bookings are though BASS on 131 246 or at www.bass.net.au .

Adelaide Festival Centre: Krishnan’s Dairy by Indian Ink Theatre Company 24 to 28 April 2007; Dunstan Playhouse, Adelaide Festival Centre Krishnan’s Dairy (right ), part of the Adelaide Festival Centre’s CentreStage theatre season, takes two Indian clichés – the Taj Mahal and the corner store - and fuses them into a funny, touching love story. It interweaves the Taj Mahal’s epic story with the modern-day story of a young New Zealand couple struggling to keep their business – Krishnan’s Dairy – afloat. This extraordinary one-man show is written by and stars Jacob Rajan. Bookings are through BASS on 131 246 or at www.bass.net.au .

Adelaide Festival Centre: Sundays at the Adelaide Festival Centre Every Sunday 10am – 4pm; Adelaide Festival Centre Terrace The Festival Centre’s Sunday activities include a quality arts and crafts market, food and free children’s entertainment. Sunday Sessions : Free performances in the Piano Bar held from 3:30pm onwards, featuring original compositions and old favourites from Adelaide’s best bands. Sunday Spectrum : Music concerts featuring supreme Adelaide classical performers and complimenting the visual art exhibitions in the Artspace held from 2:30pm to 3:30pm. Tickets available at the door or from BASS on 131 246 or at www.bass.net.au .

The Necessary Stage Presents Off Centre – 9 to 20 May 2007 Off Centre , which will be staged by The Necessary Stage in Singapore’s Esplanade Theatre Studio, traces the friendship of Saloma and Vinod and the hurdles they have to overcome, including social stigmas, prejudices and personal conflicts. The play was first staged in 1993 to critical acclaim and has also been selected by the Ministry of Education as the first Singapore play to be offered as a GCE ‘O’ Level literature text. For more info on performance times and tickets, visit www.necessary.org .

Singapore Arts Festival 2007 – 25 May to 24 June 2007 The Singapore Arts Festival is one of the Asia’s largest cultural events, attracting over 500,000 people annually.

This year, the stellar line-up includes celebrated ballerina Sylvie Guillem who stars in ’s Sacred Monsters (France/UK); acclaimed Bill T Jones and Arnie Zane Dance Company (USA); legendary theatre master Lee Breuer’s Mabou Mines; the prestigious Beijing People’s Arts Theatre presenting their premiere tour of Cao Yu’s Beijing Ren ; and Oscar-winning composer Tan Dun with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. Singapore gems will also include Checkpoint Theatre, The Finger Players, Mark Chan and The ARTS FISSION Company, and the amazing T’ang Quartet collaborating with UK’s Theatre Cryptic.

For latest updates, visit www.singaporeartsfest.com .

AAPAF E-News Issue 5, 2007

European Festival Association The European Festival Association (EFA) announces the major networking event in Summer time 2007 taking place in Brussels on 7 and 8 June: Together with ISPA, the International Society for the Performing Arts, this gathering hosted by the Flanders Festival, the Festival de Wallonie and the Flemish Radio Orchestra will bring together some 400 delegates from all over the world, EFA, ISPA members and delegations from colleague networks across the world to discuss on a theme which concerns us all: “Cultural Networks at Work”. Inspiring keynote speeches, round tables, focused working groups combined with invaluable networking opportunities will make this conference a unique experience for all of us. For more info, visit www.efa-aef.eu .

Adelaide Cabaret Festival – 8 to 23 June 2007 Regarded as the world’s most prestigious cabaret event and featuring over 400 Australian and international artists, the Adelaide Cabaret Festival Centre is transformed into seven different cabaret venues, including the Kool Kat Festival Club, where the drinks flow, the music is engaging, the dance floor is packed and many artists can be glimpsed amongst the crowd. Cabaret performance is opinionated, political and essentially personal storytelling – the electric connection between artist and audience. For more info, visit www.adelaidecabaret.com .

Bangkok’s 9th International Festival of Dance & Music – 4 September to 7 October 2007 Now in its 9th year, the annual Bangkok’s International Festival of Dance & Music will once again bring to Thailand, leading international acts from around the world. Well-known companies from Europe, USA and Asia will participate in an extravaganza that will showcase the best in , classical ballets, symphony orchestras, contemporary dance, jazz performances and more. Organised by International Cultural Promotions Ltd, it promises to be a spectacular event. Some of the major companies performing this year are Zurich Ballet, National Ballet of Portugal, Ballet Nacional de España from Spain, Compagnia Aterballetto from Italy, Ekaterinburg Opera and Ballet Theatre, The Imperial Ice Stars, and Jazz Group from Netherlands.

OzAsia Festival – 24 September to 7 October 2007 This is the first Australian festival presenting a cross section of Asian cultures, both traditional and contemporary, and collaborative work between Australian and Asian artists involving theatre, dance, music, film, visual arts and literature, supported by a series of seminars exploring ways to further cultivate cultural links. The Festival Centre’s links with Asia will be increasingly important in future and it is well positioned to take the lead on this.

Seoul International Dance Festival – 4 to 27 October 2007 SIDance celebrates its 10 th jubilee edition this year throughout Seoul, including venues such as the Seoul Arts Center, Hoam Art Hall, and the National Theater of Korea. Internationally renowned as well as up-and-coming dance companies and artists from over a dozen countries will be featured. Asian dance collaboration, Korean contemporary choreographers, traditional ritual performance of “gut,” and outdoor side-festival “Dancing City OFF” will also spice up things for this biggest event. For more info, contact +82-2-3216-1185. The official website of SIDance2007 will soon be made available at www.sidance.org .

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To subscribe or unsubscribe to AAPAF E-News, please visit website www.aapaf.org, or notify us at [email protected] . Contributions from members are welcomed. This newsletter is edited by the AAPAF Secretariat, the Singapore Arts Festival.