OzAsia Festival Moves Into The Second Week Of Celebrations

The Adelaide Festival Centre's OzAsia Festival's favourite annual community gathering The Moon Lantern Festival on 22 September saw over 18,000 people converging on Elder Park to enjoy the free performances, eat moon cakes and watch the parade of over 800 school children and community group members with home-made lanterns to celebrate and admire the beauty of the full moon.

OzAsia Festival, Festival Director Jacinta Thompson says, "It is fantastic to see the public engaging through the festival's diverse program of theatre, dance music, film, visual arts, and food and design culture. The community's response to the Moon Lantern Festival was outstanding and it is wonderful to see this spectacular event growing not only through its attendances but by the diversity of the participating schools and community groups."

Highlights from the first week of the Festival included the Korean Shaman Ritual which bestowed good luck on the Festival along with the sold out performances of the spirited Korean take on Hamlet by Yohangza Theatre Company, Keynote Lecture: Is It Necessary to Love Your Neighbours? Living with Radical Diversities and the Right to be Oneself by prominent International Sociologist and Political Scientist Dr Ashis Nandy with over 800 attendees, whilst Sadari Theatre Company created a poignant story of love and loss in When His Watch Stopped.

The food element of the Festival once again proved to be a sell out with two sold out dinners by acclaimed chefs Cheong Liew and Luke Nguyen as they provided patrons with a gastronomic evening with their Street Food Feast from the Far East presenting 18 individual dishes in an authentic-style banquet comprising fresh Malay and Vietnamese flavours and Nguyen's three intimate Cooking Demonstrations also sold out.

Indonesia's Nan Jombang Dance Company performances of SangHawa (Eve) & Rantau Berbisik (Whisperings of Exile) sold out however the public can still attend the FREE Architect Forum: Rebuilding Communities, being held prior to the performance at 5.30pm tonight in the Space Theatre. Architects Benno Ramadian, Director BRd-design, Marco Kusumawijaya, Director of RUJAK Center for Urban Studies and Australian Producer Kate Ben-Tovim will explore the reconstruction process in Sumatra and Aceh.

This weekend be sure to soak up the Festival's festivities including the Sand Mandala Dissolution by Tenzin Choegyal and the Tibetan monks on 25 September from 12:15 to 1:00pm in the Festival Theatre Foyer as well as Tenzin's extraordinary vocal ability in his Mystical Tibet Concert, 25 September, 6.30pm Artspace Gallery.

FREE Tea Ceremonies on 26 September, Festival Theatre Terrace from 11.30am - 1.30pm. Demonstrations from countries include: Japan, China, India and Korea and will be accompanied by music performances by local community groups with delicious Asian cuisine. This will be a great way to spend a Sunday.

Don't miss the World Premiere of AFTERNOON absurdiTEA with Camellia Cha featuring the blissful interplay of Indian melody and rhythm by the celebrated duo of Josh Bennet (sitar) and Jay Dabgar (tabla); the haunting sounds of shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute) performed by Anne Norman; the virtuosic dexteri-tea of the Australian Chinese Music Ensemble led by Wang Zheng Ting; and the soulful voice and mesmeric Tibetan instruments of Tenzin Choegyal, 26 September, Space Theatre 2pm.

In an intimate evening of exquisite Chinese Music, Wang Zheng Ting an expert in Chinese music and an internationally respected performer on the sheng (Chinese mouth organ) will perform traditional and contemporary Chinese music with the Australian Chinese Music Ensemble. The performance will focus on experimentation and the fusion of Eastern and Western musical styles. 24 September, Artspace Gallery 6pm

Next week the highlight of the Festival will undoubtedly be the Australian Premiere and Exclusive of Korea's YEGAM Theatre Company presenting irresistible martial arts comedy Jump. Performed by a sublime cast of gymnasts, acrobats and Tae Kwon Do masters with spot-on comic timing, expect an abundance of sight gags and pratfalls that will make the whole family laugh out loud. Proudly supported by ANZ program partner. 29 September - 1 October, Festival Theatre.

And the OnScreen program continues at the Mercury Cinema with multiple South Australian premieres in the next 9 days.

For full program details www.ozasiafestival.com.au Booking for ticketed performances may be made at all BASS outlets or through BASS Dial 'n' Charge on 131 246 or online at www.ozasiafestival.com.au

Visit the website www.ozasiafestival.com.au for regular updates or join the OzAsia Festival facebook group to become part of the community.

 

To post a comment, you must register and login.