Sydney Festival 23 - Preview Guide (double page)

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Sydney Festival acknowledges the 29 clans of the Eora Nation, the Traditional Owners of the land on which the Festival takes place.

We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and recognise the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities.

The vibrant and incomparable Sydney Festival is back to take over our city once again this January, delivering on the NSW Government’s ambition for more bold and exciting cultural activities that engage our community and reflect our rich diversity. Now in its 46th year, the 2023 program promises to be wonderfully unique, and encourage everyone to get out and make the most of this fantastic summer festival.

The City of Sydney is a proud partner of Sydney Festival.

The Festival is a bold, cultural celebration that enlivens and transforms Sydney with the highest quality art and big ideas. We look forward to welcoming Sydneysiders and visitors to enjoy more than a hundred shows in our beautiful city.

Welcome to Sydney Festival’s exhilarating summer of art.

The past few years have been unprecedented and challenging. An opportunity to heal, listen and gather has never been more important. Sydney Festival has a rich history of championing artists for 46 years while supporting the unique voices and diverse stories of so many. Our role is to enable outstanding work by a broad range of compelling artists from Australia and across the globe.

This year’s highlights include all-female composed opera-performance Sun & Sea (Lithuania) at Sydney Town Hall, plus Australian composer Mary Finsterer’s Antarctica There’s a stimulating interactive experience about iconic feminist Frida Kahlo, and a specially commissioned installation at South Eveleigh honouring local legend Jenny Kee.

In Parramatta, Sydney Symphony Under the Stars will perform a special Lunar New Year’s Eve celebration, while family-friendly blockbuster Afrique en Cirque (Canada/Guinea) will delight audiences at Riverside Theatres. Night revellers can enjoy Sydney Festival’s dedicated music club, The Weary Traveller, as we tip our whiskeys to Sydney’s most retro haunt.

I would like to acknowledge Jacob Nash, Sydney Festival’s creative artist in residence, for curating this year’s Blak Out program, which has four world premieres including Tracker by Australian Dance Theatre in association with ILBIJERRI Theatre Company and Vigil: Awaken, an epic collaboration of ceremony, light and song activating Me-Mel and Barangaroo on the 25th of January, with legendary director and choreographer Stephen Page.

My sincere thanks to Sydney Festival’s principal philanthropic supporter Peter Freedman AM and our principal government partners the State Government through Create NSW and Destination NSW and the City of Sydney. would also like to thank our community of artists, audiences, staff and supporters who make the festival possible.

We look forward to welcoming you in January on what always was and always will be Aboriginal Land.

Ben Franklin OUR GOVERNMENT PARTNERS Clover Moore Lord Mayor Olivia Ansell Festival Director Jenny Kee: The Aunties
3 2

ROOM

A sublimely surreal spectacle

Eleven exceptional musicians and dancers come together on stage to push the connection between the musical instrument and the body to fever pitch. Walls shift and howl with laughter and legs trot a tick-tock tempo within the vast and shifting ROOM James Thierrée returns to Sydney Festival with a surreal masterpiece that stirs chaos and imagination.

11 25 January Roslyn Packer Theatre THEATRE

★★★★★
THE ARTS DESK Richard Haughton
5 4
Richard Haughton Manon Bollery

Sun & Sea

Winner of the Golden Lion at the 2019 Venice Biennale, this English-language opera-performance in the round dives into themes of climate emergency with humour and power. Scattered across a sandy beach viewed from above, holidaymakers sunbake and sing gentle elegies for the natural world.

LIMELIGHT

Antarctica

SYDNEY CHAMBER OPERA & ASKO|SCHÖNBERG AUSTRALIA/THE NETHERLANDS AUSTRALIAN EXCLUSIVE

A mapmaker, a natural philosopher and a theologian set sail for the last great wilderness. Composer Mary Finsterer and librettist Tom Wright’s original blend of early and new music styles is mirrored by period characters in a futuristic digital set. This is epic opera on a chamber scale from an all-Australian cast and creative team partnered with one of the world’s finest contemporary ensembles, Asko|Schönberg .

5–8 January Carriageworks OPERA

OPERA
RUGILĖ BARZDŽIUKAITĖ, VAIVA GRAINYTĖ & LINA LAPELYTĖ | LITHUANIA AUSTRALIAN EXCLUSIVE 6–8 January Sydney Town Hall OPERA
An opera-performance in the round, also in the sand
-
"A masterpiece of culture in a changing climate"
THE NEW YORK TIMES ★★★★
Andrej Vasilenko Ada Nieuwendijk
7 6
An enchanting opera for the 21st century

Manifesto

An explosive tattoo to optimism, Manifesto is a precision-guided, joyously unpredictable dance extravaganza designed to unleash rebellion and inspire wonder. Featuring nine dancers and nine drummers on nine separate drum kits, this is a show you will feel in your bones, as the unbeatable symbiosis of body and drum is celebrated en masse.

12–15 January Carriageworks DANCE

Alma

EXCLUSIVE

Spain’s formidable queen of flamenco

Flamenco embraces bolero in this intoxicating new showcase from reigning queen and living legend of the form, Sara Baras. Lavishly costumed and performed with her dance ensemble and 7-piece live band, Alma wraps colour, shape and sensuality around technical mastery and those trademark hammering heels. An exhilarating encounter with the authentic soul of Spain.

Kairos

Three remarkable Australian talents – director Meryl Tankard AO, composer Elena Kats-Chernin AO and visual artist Régis Lansac OAM – reunite for a thrilling deep-dive into the human experience of here and now in a new work commissioned and produced by FORM Dance Projects.

19–21 January Carriageworks DANCE

Neighbours

Created in collaboration with legendary dance innovator William Forsythe, Neighbours unites two extraordinary and culturally distinct dancers. An abstract b-boy and a contemporary dancer, with Kurdish and Albanian roots respectively, explore what binds and separates us with stellar technique and surprising intimacy.

DANCE
MERYL TANKARD WORLD PREMIERE BRIGEL GJOKA, RAUF “RUBBERLEGZ” YASIT & RUŞAN FILIZTEK | UK | AUSTRALIAN EXCLUSIVE 12–15 January Sydney Opera House DANCE STEPHANIE LAKE COMPANY WORLD PREMIERE SEASON BALLET FLAMENCO SARA BARAS | SPAIN AUSTRALIAN 27–28 January Sydney Opera House DANCE
Ursula Kaufmann
Régis Lansac Sofia Wittert 9 8
★★★★★ ARTS HUB “Sheer star power” THE TIMES
Sam Roberts

BLAK OUT

Vigil: Awaken

On the evening of 25 of January we bring together the peoples of Eora, look out across the water from Barangaroo reserve and awaken Me-Mel. Through ceremony, we cleanse her spirit and look to the future: soon she will be returned to her original custodians.

Created by Jake Nash and Stephen Page alongside Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council, with composition and sound design by Steve Francis.

Olivia and I are excited to share with you some of the most important stories from across this land in our 2023 Blak Out program. A myriad of Blak voices will fill our city with stories about us, for us. This year we share stories that are Personal, Profound and Intimate alongside big stories about Legacy and Land. These stories need to be told now more than ever, and we are honoured to be bringing together an outstanding group of First Nations artists to Sydney to inspire, provoke and challenge you.

The future is Blak.

Janet’s Vagrant Love

Hard-hitting truths about raising young Blak men as a single mum, delivered in a beautiful blend of music, drama and wry wit. 30 years of original song, 42 years of heart beating, and a millennia of returning spirit.

AUSTRALIAN DANCE THEATRE

In the footsteps of ancestors

In a culturally rich interweaving of dance, ceremony and text, choreographer-director Daniel Riley takes inspiration from his great-great uncle, famed Wiradjuri tracker Alec Riley, to explore shared cultural resilience through time. Created in association with ILBIJERRI Theatre Company.

WORLD PREMIERE 10 14

Blue

Getting older is inevitable, but growing up takes courage. A tender, exquisite monologue written and performed by rising star Thomas Weatherall, Blue takes us deep into the beauty and sadness of a young life at a crossroads.

ELAINE CROMBIE
14–29
BELVOIR ST THEATRE | WORLD PREMIERE
January
Belvoir St Theatre THEATRE 25 January Barangaroo Headland MUSIC & CEREMONY Creative Artist in Residence
FREE 19–22 January
Belvoir St Theatre THEATRE Daniel Boud Daniel Boud
11 10
Jonathan VDK
Tracker
January Carriageworks DANCE

Hide the

Dyin Nura

(Women’s Place)

CITY OF PARRAMATTA 19–22 January

Brenda Croft’s commanding portrait photography is projected across Old Government House, illuminating the site’s enduring significance for First Nations women. Accompanied by two evenings of music and performance, gather on Dharug land for communal celebration and reflection.

Waru

– journey of the small turtle Join our young turtle heroine Migi on a journey of discovery and survival under the starry skies of the Torres Strait. Bangarra’s first dedicated work for kids, Waru is an interactive adventure about climate change, respect and reciprocity.

Set against the violence of the Trojan War, Holding Achilles by David Morton turns a contemporary eye on one of the ancient world’s most famous heroes, and his relationship with not so well-known lover, Patroclus. With daring aerial work, exquisite puppetry and a haunting live performance from Montaigne, this epic adaptation of Homer’s Iliad is a story of mythic proportions with queer heroes at its heart.

Old Government House INSTALLATION
The
THEATRE
BANGARRA DANCE THEATRE 28–29 January
Pavilion Performing Arts Centre Sutherland
& FAMILY
Dog Meet Tigs, the last Tasmanian Tiger. Discovered in the bushes by two best friends, Tigs and the kids dodge hunters to set sail for Aotearoa and safety, but first they must outwit the Māori gods and palawa spirits in this magical work from Performing Lines TAS.
THEATRE
NATHAN MAYNARD (PAKANA) & JAMIE MCCASKILL (MĀORI) SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE WORLD PREMIERE 6–8 January Sydney Opera
House THEATRE & FAMILY
Holding Achilles Love
19–22
LEGS ON THE WALL & DEAD PUPPET SOCIETY WORLD PREMIERE SEASON ★★★★ LIMELIGHT Daniel Boud Matt Sharah Brenda L Croft Photo Joel Devereux Artwork Jacob Brewer 13 12
in war and exile
January Carriageworks THEATRE

Paradise or the Impermanence of Ice Cream

Happy Meal

ROOTS & THEATRE ROYAL PLYMOUTH UK | AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE

Remember life in the days of dial-up? Then this might trigger the feels. Set in the awkward online worlds of your Millennial youth, Happy Meal by Tabby Lamb (they/ she) is a warm, witty and nostalgic story of two young people transitioning from teens to adults, from MSN to Tik Tok, from cis to trans – and falling in love along the way.

17–22 January Eternity Playhouse THEATRE “Bright and witty” THE GUARDIAN

Girls & Boys

STATE THEATRE COMPANY SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Othering

LITTLE BIG WOMAN PRODUCTIONS

WORLD PREMIERE

When the world says you’re no-one, how do you show you are someone? Inspired by performer Debra Keenahan’s lived experience comes a powerful new work reflecting on the blasé ill-treatment of people viewed as ‘outside the norm’.

Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre THEATRE

A Broadcast Coup

ENSEMBLE THEATRE | WORLD PREMIERE

Cut-throat journalist Jez Connell is out for her next sting, and she’s got Michael King, top-rated darling of mainstream radio, in her sights. This fiery new comedy by Melanie Tait will spark both debate and wild snorts of laughter.

13–15 January

From 26 January Ensemble Theatre THEATRE

Navigating the giddy highs and crushing lows of a love affair and marriage gone awry, actor Justine Clarke holds you breathless as she walks the emotional tightrope of this lauded new work by the Tony Award-winning® British writer Dennis Kelly (Matilda).

Life, death and melting moments

The wildly versatile Jacob Rajan (star of The Guru of Chai) transports you to the vibrant chaos of Mumbai for a multi-character one-man show that weaves puppetry, a dash of Bollywood and thoughts on the eternal into the real-life mystery of India’s vanishing vultures.

17–22 January Riverside Theatres THEATRE

INDIAN INK THEATRE COMPANY NEW ZEALAND | AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE
★★★★★
5–15 January Seymour Centre THEATRE When love turns around
LIMELIGHT A joyful trans rom-com for the MySpace generation
15 14
Garry Heery

Frida Kahlo: The Life of an Icon

An immersive biography

This absorbing interactive exhibition takes you beyond Frida Kahlo’s art and into the pivotal moments of her life and work, a unique way to experience a defiantly original feminist icon. Discover and engage with the incredible story behind the enduring muse, as The Cutaway is colourfully transformed with projection, holography, VR and music.

Silvia Poch
From
The Cutaway
IMMERSIVE & INTERACTIVE INSTALLATION LAYERS OF REALITY & FRIDA KAHLO CORPORATION SPAIN/MEXICO AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE
4 January
at Barangaroo
17 16
David Ruano

The Air Between Us

A mesmerising aerial duet between acclaimed dancer/ choreographer Chloe Loftus and award-winning Māori dance artist and wheelchair-user Rodney Bell. Suspended in counterbalance, two bodies fly and entwine in a dance of strength, harmony and equality.

Artist

Aotearoa/New Zealand-born, Helsinki-based clowning sensation Thom Monckton paints a hilarious portrait of the creative process and the mad pursuit of the elusive muse. It’s physical theatre meets absurd humour meets a fruit bowl.

Afrique en Cirque

KALABANTÉ PRODUCTIONS CANADA/GUINEA AUSTRALIAN EXCLUSIVE

A joyous blend of acrobatics, music and dance

Explosive drumming and the melodious twang of the Kora soundtrack the infectious energy of the Canadian/Guinean troupe Kalabanté, as West Africa’s hottest acrobatic and musical talents take contemporary circus to dizzying new levels of fun. Expect strength, agility and a whole lot of joy.

PHYSICAL & CIRCUS

Werk It

An acrobatic comedy romp with pumping 90s bangers

The self-professed Spice Girls of circus flip, dip and thrust to 90s bangers in an acrobatic romp so funny you might wee. A gym-tastic fusion of funtimes, Werk It is stacked with big tricks and big characters. From trapeze to strong-woman, this late-night lovechild of circus, comedy and cabaret is a certified riot.

THOM MONCKTON & SANNA SILVENNOINEN NEW ZEALAND/FINLAND 18–22 January Seymour Centre PHYSICAL THEATRE & FAMILY 6–15 January Riverside Theatres CIRCUS & MUSIC CIRCUS TRICK TEASE 12–22 January Seymour Centre PHYSICAL THEATRE & CIRCUS CHLOE LOFTUS & RODNEY BELL | NEW ZEALAND AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE 20–22 January Tallawoladah Lawn (opposite MCA) PHYSICAL THEATRE & FAMILY
The
FREE
Peter
Rebekah
19 18
Graham Oliver Crawford Antti Saukko
Ryan

Great live gigs, retro digs

Deep in the roots of Martin Place’s iconic Seidler mushroom building, there is a hidden gem of Sydney nightlife, a buried bastion of 1970s bar culture, and your new favourite haunt after dark this summer. Unpretentious and unrenovated, history lines the walls and so does the original red carpet at The Weary Traveller, Sydney Festival’s live music takeover in a rare retro find. Enjoy 16 nights of eclectic, cutting-edge music programming across January, from punk to pop, jazz to metal, indie, ambient and plenty of opportunities for a dance. Come for the music, stay for the characters.

THE WEARY TRAVELLER

5–29 January The Weary Traveller MUSIC

TOO BIRDS POTION

COLOURED STONE
21 20
Jacquie Manning

Asko|Schönberg in concert with Ensemble Offspring

Sydney Symphony Under the Stars

The perfect summer evening

FREE Andriessen and beyond

Join the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and conductor Benjamin Northey for a starlit evening of orchestral classics with a Lunar New Year twist. Featuring music from Tan Dun, Chinese folk favourites, the best of film music, and 18th and 19th century masterpieces, this will be an evening of good times, good company and great music.

Lisa Moore in Show Your Heart

“New York’s queen of avant-garde piano”, Australian-born musician Lisa Moore delivers visionary interpretations of Stravinsky, Janáček, Randy Newman, Philip Glass, Martin Bresnick and more. With violinist Jenny Khafagi and clarinetist Lloyd Van’t Hoff, this is contemporary classical at its best.

Emma Donovan and Paul Grabowsky: The Old Rugged Cross

The voice of Emma Donovan carries deep currents in this tribute to country gospel from a powerhouse of soul, enriched by pianist Paul Grabowsky and his inimitable arrangements.

One exclusive concert evening featuring the music of modernists masters. From the late Louis Andriessen’s Zilver, to Sweet Air by American composer David Lang, and Australian composers Mary Finsterer’s Silva and Kate Moore’s The Art of Levitation A Dutch/Australian collaboration celebrating the lineage of Andriessen’s influences.

The Neilson, ACO Pier 2/3 MUSIC 19 January City Recital Hall MUSIC

Paul Capsis in Dry My Tears

14–15 January

Hamed Sadeghi in Empty Voices

An intimate acoustic evening featuring the inimitable Paul Capsis is back by popular demand. With Francis Greep on piano, Capsis interprets cabaret, jazz and classics by Kurt Weill, Elton John and more, with influences from Marianne Faithfull to Nina Simone.

The Neilson, ACO Pier 2/3 MUSIC

13 & 15 January

Sink into a spell-binding ensemble performance led by tar (Iranian lute) virtuoso Hamed Sadeghi with jazz figure Sandy Evans and more. Known for his fusions of Middle Eastern and Western music, Sadeghi’s mystical new work explores the pursuit of holy love through ego-dissolution. 14 January The Neilson, ACO Pier 2/3 MUSIC

9 January Sydney Opera House MUSIC
THE NETHERLANDS/AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIAN EXCLUSIVE
SYDNEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA & GREATER SYDNEY PARKLANDS 21 January The Crescent, Parramatta Park MUSIC
MUSIC
Tom ten Seldam
23 22
Jill Steinberg Alex Apt Warren Lee

Smashed: The Brunch Party

Morning mimosas and a cabaret kick-starter

Shake off your festival hangover with morning mimosas and fabulous drag, circus and cabaret hosted by award-winning cabaret queen Victoria Falconer. Inspired by the drag brunch phenomenon in New York and London, this adults-only hi-glam daylight soiree welcomes early birds and all-nighters. It’s the brunch option Sydney needs.

Katie Noonan: Joni Mitchell’s Blue

Joni Mitchell once described her iconic album Blue as “the purest emotional record that I will ever make in my life.” For one spine-tingling evening, ARIA award-winning artist Katie Noonan brings her own touch to the unparalleled artistry of Blue, accompanied by a five-piece band.

Prinnie Stevens in Lady Sings the Blues

Heart wrenching ballads from the great women vocalists – Aretha Franklin, Billie Holiday, Beyoncé and more – in the capable hands of Australia’s Prinnie Stevens (The Voice; The Bodyguard; Thriller Live). An evening of soul, struggle and R&B classics. 13 January Wharf 1 CABARET

An Evening With Ursula Yovich

Sink into the soulful sounds of Ursula Yovich and a live band, in an electrifying evening of song from the multiaward winning performer with bassist Adam Ventura (Midnight Oil). A journey through the universal language of song, inspired by Ursula’s roots in Arnhem land. 13 January Wharf 1 CABARET

Christie Whelan-Browne: Show People

No punches pulled in this funny, loving and completely unvarnished tribute to the world of Australian musical theatre from Christie Whelan-Browne, the star who turned a timely spotlight on the less-than-stellar backstage culture of our entertainment industry.

DEAN BRYANT 12 January Wharf 1 CABARET
CABARET
HEY
BOSS 8 January Wharf 1 CABARET
Jacinta Oaten
Peter Tarasiuk
A
with your
50th Anniversary
date
all-time favourite album 11 January Wharf 1 CABARET
KIN MUSIC & SUM MANAGEMENT Cybele Malinowski
John McRae
25 24

Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith: Call to the Morning

USA

Tucked behind Milk Beach along the Hermitage Foreshore of Sydney Harbour, bathe yourself in ambient sounds. Welcome in a new year sunrise and reflect on the stillness of the city with this outdoor sonic ritual at dawn.

Bonobo (DJ set): Call to the Night

Throw down on a hidden dance floor of the Sydney CBD. Maestro of the downtempo, Bonobo dials it right up for a one-time party in the brutalist Masonic Centre. Expect cheeky high hats and thumping bass lines to rattle the passing suits.

January Sydney Masonic Centre

Maho Magic Bar

BROAD ENCOUNTERS

Direct from Japan, Maho Magic Bar speeds into Sydney like the Shinkansen, with superstar magicians and sleight-of-hand specialists ready to whisk you into a neon-lit Tokyo night of mischief, amazement, cocktails and laughter.

6–29 January Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour MAGIC

The Lucid: A Dream Portal to Awakening

Manipulate your consciousness and drift into lucid dreaming during an 8-hour sound work held overnight in the iconic Seidler hotel shaped like a giant mushroom. Singer, cellist and polymuse Kelsey Lu crafts an out-of-body and out-of-this-world experience.

In Chamber

RetroSplash!

Are you ready to get wet? Live your 1980s pool party fantasy, when immersive workout meets aqua aerobics extravaganza. Hosted by the Retrosweat All-stars, you’ll float, flex and flip as the sun sets behind the palm trees and a DJ plays 80s bangers.

See website for details WORKOUT PARTY

Lock yourself in solitude inside the safe of an Art Deco hotel. Alabaster has prepared a piece, in isolation, for you to experience, in your own isolation. Poetry and soundscapes that no one else will ever hear. Here, in chamber, where no one is looking, no one is listening, you’re just one.

10–28 January Kimpton Margot Sydney IMMERSIVE AUDIO

IMMERSIVE
5-29 January The CTA Business Club DREAM EXPERIENCE
6
MUSIC & PARTY ALABASTER DEPLUME | UK | WORLD PREMIERE KELSEY LU | USA | WORLD PREMIERE UK
RETROSWEAT Grant Spanier Peter Wallis Jacquie Manning
7 January Strickland Estate IMMERSIVE MUSIC 27 26

Sharks

ENESS 5–29 January Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour ART INSTALLATION

The Insect Circus

STRING THEATRE | UK | AUSTRALIAN EXCLUSIVE

London’s String Theatre enlivens the traditional artform of long-string puppetry in this delightful marionette show featuring some remarkably talented bugs. These tiny creatures are perfect entertainment for tiny audience members.

TERRAPIN

Guttered

Brickwrecks

Shipwreck Odyssey

AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM until 31 January

Australian Museum EXHIBITION

Head down to a real bowling alley for a family-friendly interactive dance work on glory, failure and the dignity of risk. Bowling bags breathe stories and bodies hurl themselves down the lanes in this vivid study of life beyond a safety net.

RESTLESS DANCE THEATRE WORLD PREMIERE SEASON 18–22 January Kicks Tenpin & Arcade

IMMERSIVE DANCE

STALKER THEATRE, BOX OF BIRDS & AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM

Voyage beneath the turquoise waves and coral cays of Queensland’s Wreck Reefs as the ghost ship Jenny Lind leads you on an adventure into our oceans through live storytelling, performance and a responsive projection playscape.

From 17 December Australian National Maritime Museum INTERACTIVE PLAY 17–22 January Seymour Centre PUPPETRY
Rebuild sunken ships, clean oil pollution from a penguin and discover if you’d survive the Titanic sinking. Astonishing shipwreck stories come alive through Ryan ‘The Brickman’ McNaught’s stunning LEGO models, hands-on activities and real shipwreck objects. THE BRICKMAN & AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM 18–22 January Various outdoor PUPPETRY Tip Duck
Behold bin chicken 2.0! Ibsen the giant ibis is specially trained to pick up litter and put it where it belongs – in the bin. After decades of development, Ibsen is ready to change the way garbage is collected in your city. I mean, we think he’s ready.
29
29
December–
January Australian National Maritime Museum INTERACTIVE PLAY
Meet a sea of sharks, including the long-extinct Helicoprion and the infamous Great White. Face off with an 8m–long Whale Shark, and view the world from a Hammerhead’s perspective. It’s a blockbuster shark exhibition with interactive displays and touchable specimens. FAMILY FREE FREE
A
Roy Vandervegt Sam Roberts Rose Leahy Rebecca Mansell Peter Mathew 29 28
Luminescent, immersive and more than a little splashy, Cupid’s Koi Garden by ENESS is the world’s first inflatable fountain. Enter a six-metre-high oasis of glowing fish and submerged sounds where movement triggers playful jets of water. From the creators of Airship Orchestra comes yet another magical world plucked straight from our imaginations.
wonderland of sound and splash Cupid’s Koi Garden

Brett Whiteley Studio Sessions

Chloe Kim at the MCA

Three unique performers front man Tim Freedman (The Whitlams), singer/songwriter Martha Marlow with Chris Abrahams, and rising jazz star Alma Zygier make a response to the work of one of Sydney’s most iconic visual artists at the Brett Whiteley Studio.

14, 21 & 28 January Brett Whiteley Studio MUSIC

Spanning jazz, experimental, minimalist and more, drummer Chloe Kim’s genre-bending sound is presented from within the Sydney International Art Series exhibition, Do Ho Suh in response to the South Korean artist’s large-scale installation Staircase-III (2010).

19 January Museum of Contemporary Art MUSIC

You’ve never seen Jenny Kee quite like this. Meet The Aunties, the enormous squiggly beings sprouting up in South Eveleigh this summer, dressed in their brightly knitted best. These charismatic creatures are a bold new interpretation of Jenny Kee’s iconic UniOz design, and a celebration of an artist who has helped to shape Sydney’s visual identity.

5–29 January South Eveleigh Locomotive Street, Eveleigh ART INSTALLATION

Sydney Festival AT

HOME

(working

title)

The Art Gallery of NSW is transformed by MONUMENTAL (working title), a weekend of performance, works and live activations curated by Brian Fuata and Latai Taumoepeau. Artists challenge the idea of the monument and what is chosen to be revered and memorialised. 28–29 January Art Gallery of NSW PERFORMANCE

The Huxleys: Bloodlines

A loving tribute to the many influential voices silenced by the HIV/AIDS epidemic of the 80s and 90s, The Huxleys evoke the colourful rebellious spirit of these queer saints through costume design, performance and photography.

From 5 January Carriageworks PERFORMANCE & PHOTOGRAPHY

Hey culture lover, we’ve got great news. Wherever you are and whenever you feel like it, Sydney Festival AT HOME brings the art of summer straight to you. Enjoy live streams of aerial performance The Air Between s, this year’s Vigil Awaken plus conversations with the makers of opera Sun & Sea. On demand, watch Achilles following its world premiere season, Paradise (a documentary on the life of fashion icons Jenny Kee and Linda Jackson), Latitudes which platforms Western Sydney’s brightest filmmakers, and go behind the scenes of Afrique en Cirque, in the inspirational documentary Circus Without Borders tracking Kalabanté Productions’ rise to fame from West Africa Guinea to the international stage.

All this and plenty more – available free, on demand.

FREE FREE FREE FREE MONUMENTAL
Jenny Kee: The Aunties Jenny Kee in great height LGOP COLLECTIVE WORLD PREMIERE
ART INTIMATE
BOOKNOW VIGIL: AWAKEN SEEFULLDETAILS 5JANUARY FREEBarangarooHeadlandParkWilsonRoad BarangarooNSW2000 The Huxleys, Leigh 2022, Giclèe archival print, 106 x 106cm Angela Goh, Body loss , part of ‘MONUMENTAL ( working title )’ presented at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, 9 and 10 April 2022. Curated by Brian Fuata and Latai Taumoepeau, produced with Intimate Spectacle. Photo © AGNSW, Mim Stirling Do Ho Suh, Staircase-III (detail), 2010. Installation view, Museum Voorlinden, Wassenaar, 2019, polyester fabric, stainless steel, Tate: Purchased with funds provided by the Asia Pacific Acquisitions Committee 2011. Image courtesy the artist, Museum Voorlinden, Wassenaar, Lehmann Maupin Gallery, New York, Hong Kong, Seoul and London, and Victoria Miro, London and Venice, © the artist. Photograph: Antoine van Kaam Brett Whiteley, Self portrait in the studio , 1976 (detail)
SPECTACLE & ART GALLERY OF NSW
31 30
BRETT WHITELEY FOUNDATION & ART GALLERY OF NSW

In celebration of the art of summer, Sydney Festival worked with three iconic Australian artists in the development of our 2023 branding: the inimitable Jenny Kee, whose UniOz design with its bold Sydney icons features on our front cover, the dreamy landscapes of First Nations painter Thea Anamara Perkins, and the sparkling queer wonderland of The Huxleys, whose fabulous faces feature on this very page. Find out more about these exciting creative collaborations on our website.

Celebratory and critical, Flight deconstructs air travel, aviation, aerodynamics and the freedoms and perils that flight promises following our unprecedented break from the skies. Flight CASULA POWERHOUSE ARTS CENTRE Stripped back and steadfast portraits of the First Nations women and girls who are contemporary sovereign warriors and avatar-sentinals of Cammeraygal woman Barangaroo. Thea Anamara Perkins’ ambitious work covers the walls of Carriageworks, questioning how First Nations peoples should be portrayed in Australia. Thea Anamara Perkins: Stockwoman CARRIAGEWORKS From 21 January Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre VISUAL ART Artists and scientific researchers draw on climate research, First Nations knowledge and creative digital spaces in a program of art, outdoor installations, performance and workshops. Siteworks 2022: From a deep valley Exploring religious ritual, queer identity and pop-culture, in this anarchically composed installation of makeshift structures, found objects, painting, video, sound and light. Paul Yore: WORD MADE FLESH CARRIAGEWORKS BUNDANON From 14 December Carriageworks VISUAL ART From 26 November Bundanon VISUAL ART From 14 January UNSW Galleries VISUAL ART From 5 January Carriageworks VISUAL ART 5–29 January Barangaroo  VISUAL ART A celebration of LGBTQIA+ nightlife culture in Sydney from 1973 to 2002. Ephemera from parties and venues plus work by artists and writers engaging with these histories. The Party UNSW GALLERIES & SYDNEY WORLDPRIDE SUMMER Brenda L Croft: Naabami: Barangaroo FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE
ART OF The Plane (dreamer), 2019. Detail. Ceramic engine and parts, aluminium, found objects. Image courtesy of the artist. Lille (Arrernte/Bundjalung/Kalkatungu), 2022 Jacquie Manning  Moore Hardy  Zan Wimberley Installation view, Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Melbourne. Commissioned by the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Melbourne, and supported by Carriageworks, Sydney. Courtesy the artist and Hugo Michell Gallery, Adelaide, and STATION, Melbourne and Sydney. Photo: Andrew Curtis 33 32

Access & Inclusion

We welcome all visitors to Sydney Festival events, and make every effort to ensure the program is accessible to our whole audience. Our events are held at wheelchair accessible venues, except for In Chamber and The Lucid: A Dream Portal to Awakening For these events, alternate venues with wheelchair access are available, please contact us for session availability.

Check the schedule in the back of this guide to find out which events are Auslan interpreted, captioned, offer relaxed performances, audio description or tactile tours.

For further details on the Festival’s access program, precincts, venues and built environments, and for up-todate information on shows including duration time, visit sydneyfestival.org/access

CONTACT US

For disability access information and assistance, email access@sydneyfestival.org.au or call us on 02 8248 6500.

Sydney Festival is happy to receive calls via the National Relay Service.

Festival
For all pricing details, info and to book, visit sydneyfestival.org.au Tickets available from 9am 19 October.
Book two or more events to save up to 20%. Remember – multipacks are here for a good time not a long time. Book early to avoid disappointment. Some exclusions apply, visit sydneyfestival.org.au/multipacks Getting there PUBLIC TRANSPORT We encourage you to use public transport when getting to and from Sydney Festival events. For transport information visit transportnsw.info or call 131 500. WILSON PARKING Receive 10% off Wilson Parking when you prebook your parking online using the promo code SYDFEST23. Only available at selected car parks in the Sydney CBD. Visit bookabay.com.au ALEX&Co. Parramatta Shop 2-4, 330 Church Street Parramatta 02 9194 4499 BrewDog South Eveleigh Bays 1 and 2 2 Locomotive Street Eveleigh Cafe Sydney 5th floor Customs House 31 Alfred Street, Circular Quay 02 9251 8683 Calle Rey 62-64 King Street Newtown 0475 587 074 Chef’s Gallery Town Hall Ground floor, shop 12 501 George Street, Sydney 0416 618 820 CHI by Lotus Shop 2/100 Barangaroo Avenue Barangaroo 02 7227 6290 Eat Fuh Shop 2, 1 Locomotive Street Eveleigh 02 8040 9379 Henry Deane at Hotel Palisade 35 Bettington Street Millers Point 02 9018 0123 Kittyhawk 16 Phillip Lane Sydney 0484 916 067 Londres 126 8 Loftus Street Sydney 02 7226 8804 Lotus The Galeries Level 1, The Galeries 500 George Street, Sydney 02 9247 6868 Lucky Kwong 2 Locomotive Street Eveleigh Misfits at the Redfern 106 George Street Redfern 02 93181497 Pepper Seeds Boutique Thai Bites Shop 4, 1 Locomotive Street Eveleigh 02 9310 3083 Re Shop 8, 2 Locomotive Street Eveleigh 02 8377 1877 The Dining Room, Park Hyatt Sydney 7 Hickson Road The Rocks 02 9256 1661 We’ve partnered with some of Sydney’s best restaurants to bring you exclusive $30, $55 and a la carte (ALC) menus near our venues, because a great art experience deserves a great meal for the debrief. Ask for Festival Feasts and head to sydneyfestival.org.au/ff to see what’s on offer. It’s a big program and you’ve got big plans for it. We salute you, art lover, and we’re here to help. Head to sydneyfestival.org.au/plan-your-festival for everything you need to know and do to get the absolute best from your fest. PLAN YOUR FESTIVAL $55 $55 ALC $30 $30 $55 $30 $55 $55 $55 $55 $55 $30 $30 $55 ALC
Feasts Tickets
Multipacks
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OUR SPONSORS

OUR SPONSORS

PHILANTHROPY “

I have long been an advocate for the Sydney Festival and strongly believe it is one of the world’s most important cultural events and most certainly Australia’s.

PETER FREEDMAN AM

WITH SINCERE THANKS OUR PRINCIPAL PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORTER

PETER FREEDMAN AM AND ALL OUR PRIVATE SUPPORTERS:

MAJOR DONORS

Andrew Cameron AM and Cathy Cameron

Hooper Shaw Foundation

Roslyn Packer AC

Jacqui Scheinberg

DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE

Antionette Albert

John Barrer

Fiona Martin-Weber and Tom Hayward

Mitchel Martin-Weber

Robyn Martin-Weber

Rebel Penfold-Russell Scully Fund

Zeke Solomon AM

The Tal Family

FESTIVAL HEROES

Robert Albert AO and Libby Albert

Larissa Behrendt AO and Michael Lavarch AO

Ashley Dawson-Damer

Stephen Fitzgerald

Lisa and Mark Jackson-Pulver

David Kirk MBE and Brigit Kirk

Anthony and Suzanne Maple-Brown

David Mathlin and Camilla Drover

Penelope Seidler AM

ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS

The Arcadia Syndicate

Canny Quine Foundation

Jonathan and Judith Casson

Anna Cleary

Carol Crawford

Jennifer Dowling and James Hill

Roslyn and Alex Hunyor

Phillip Keir

Amanda and Andrew Love

Carolyn Lowry OAM and Peter Lowry OAM

Julianne Maxwell

Mary Read

Victoria Taylor

Carolyn and Drew Townsend

Villa & Villa P/L

Ray Wilson OAM

FESTIVAL PATRON

John and Helen Barclay

Helen Bauer and Helen Lynch AM

Iolanda Capodanno and Juergen Krufczyk

Peter Cooper

George El-Khouri OAM

Dianne and Terry Finnegan

Kiong Lee and Richard Funston

Helena Harris

Karen Moses

Lyndall and Trevor McNally

Peter Wilson and James Emmett

FESTIVAL LOVERS

Olivia Ansell

Paddy Carney

Barry Fitzgibbon

Cheryl Lo

Catherine Maple-Brown

Jerry and Ali Meades

In memory of Jane Mathews AO

Ann McFarlane

Fiona Sinclair and Peter King

Christopher Tooher

Anthony Whealy QC

Head to sydneyfestival.org.au/philanthropy to find out more.

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Even the most dedicated Festival-goer needs to rest every now and then. Our accommodation partners are looking forward to keeping you cosy and content during your stay in Sydney. From chic rooms to spectacular five-star luxury, we have a range of options to meet your budget, all in close proximity to the 2023 Festival action.

MULTI FEEL SOMETHING THAT STAYS WITH YOU
your new
foodie destination Discover
WHERE TO STAY The more you see, the more you save with a Festival Multipack* Purchase in one transaction 2 events & save 10% 3–4 events & save 15% 5+ events & save 20% *Conditions apply, see sydneyfestival.org.au/multipacks for details To
PACKS
Sydney
Harbour EXPLORE PARRAMATTA It’s time to discover
favourite
more atparramatta.com
discover Sydney in summer visit sydneyfestival.org.au/discover-sydney-in-summer
We’re with you.
47 YEARS PROUD PARTNER
Important cultural events like the Sydney Festival could not happen without the support of the people of Sydney. Your participation makes all the difference. We’re pleased to join you in keeping creativity alive and well in our city. Find more events at whatson.sydney
supporting your stories
Hamed Sadeghi in Empty Voices Photo: Alex Apt
From the bold and playful, to the powerful and diverse, Create NSW is committed to supporting your stories. This year we celebrate our 47th year as Festival partner. We hope you all enjoy a dynamic, vibrant and happy Sydney Festival. create.nsw.gov.au
#sydfest
5–29 JAN
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