Jojo Rabbit: a film review by James Berardinelli
December 25, 2019 by James Berardinelli - Reelviews
It’s not hard to understand how something like Jojo Rabbit might divide audiences. Comedies about Hitler, the Holocaust, and the Third Reich can be difficult to sell, even if there’s an underlying seriousness to the subject matter. Read more
A briefish Mahler fest: Music review by Fraser Beath McEwing
December 5, 2019 by Fraser Beath McEwing
If you love Mahler, this was a concert for you. Read more
Peerless playing from Paul Lewis: a music review by Fraser Beath McEwing
November 19, 2019 by Fraser Beath McEwing
British pianist, Paul Lewis, filled his Sydney Recital Hall program with just two works last night: Schubert’s Sonata in G D894 and Beethoven’s Diabelli Variations. No bonbons to be seen. Read more
Kaddish.com: book review by Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen
November 8, 2019 by Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen
The publisher introduces the novel by “Larry is the secular son in a family of Orthodox Brooklyn Jews. Read more
The Other Story: screening at the Jewish International Film Festival
October 30, 2019 by Toni Susskind
The Other Story is an Israeli movie from director and co-writer Avi Nesher. It is a fascinating movie that juxtaposes relationships in the religious orthodox community, against secular relationships in modern-day Israel. Read more
The beauty of sadness: a music review by Fraser Beath McEwing
October 24, 2019 by Fraser Beath McEwing
While concert programs are usually eclectic, so that everybody gets at least something they like, last night’s SSO offering in the Masters Series was unashamedly emotional from start to finish. And I, for one, loved it, not just for the program but the quality of the performance. Read more
Never Again-Austen Tayshus
Like so many I saw a number of Austen Tayshus shows in the 80’s in Pubs and clubs where you would leave drenched in sweat and feeling like you had just done nine rounds of cage wrestling with Andre the Giant and a Grizzly bear. The latest offering by Austen Tayshus at the Bondi Pavillion still leaves you battered and bruised but dying for more. Read more
Working Woman: a movie review by Toni Susskind
September 25, 2019 by Toni Susskind
Written by Michal Aviad, Working Women is a powerful movie that highlights gender exploitation, by turning the spotlight on sexual harassment in the office. Read more
A Hakoah hero passes away..
September 10, 2019 by Victor Grynberg
Former Hakoah player and coach Gerry Chaldi passed away this week in the Montefiore Home in Sydney’s Hunters Hill on the day his daughter Alex was married in Israel where she lives. Read more
Something completely different: a music review by Fraser Beath McEwing
September 3, 2019 by Fraser Beath McEwing
Although Geoffrey Lancaster is a world-renowned performer on the fortepiano, it was risky to devote one of the four piano series recitals to a period instrument. Read more
Music from beneath the Bolshevik boot: a music review by Fraser Beath McEwing
August 29, 2019 by Fraser Beath McEwing
Last night’s Masters Series concert was not for faint-hearted orchestral players, conductors or an audience that wanted orderly, familiar music. Read more
Lux: a book review by Aviva Kipen
August 22, 2019 by Aviva Kipen
For millennia unembroidered biblical and post-biblical stories were elaborated and embellished in the oral tradition that was finally committed to writing following the destruction of the Second Temple. Read more
Bright young stars shine In West Side Story: a review by Victor Grynberg
August 22, 2019 by Victor Grynberg
If PORGY and BESS is the pre-eminent American Folk Opera, then certainly WEST SIDE STORY is the outstanding American Musical. Read more
Birth of the Cool
August 16, 2019 by Arts Editor
MILES DAVIS: BIRTH OF THE COOL – a documentary featuring the life and career of musical giant and cultural icon Miles Davis, a true visionary, innovator and originator who defied categorization and embodied the word, will be screened in a short season. Read more
Kirill Gerstein’s journey through genres: a music review by Fraser Beath McEwing
August 6, 2019 by Fraser Beath McEwing
Visiting 40-year-old Russian-American pianist, Kirill Gerstein, is at the top of his game. Read more
Whiteley: a stunning triumph for Opera Australia
July 17, 2019 by Victor Grynberg
Victor Grynberg reviews the premiere of a new Australian opera recounting the life of the iconic artist Brett Whiteley… Read more
“The Collaborator” by Diane Armstrong: a book review by Geoffrey Zygier
July 11, 2019 by Geoffrey Zygier
In The Collaborator, her first book in almost a decade, noted Australian writer Diane Armstrong weaves together two interconnected tales. One is her interpretation of a true story, a reworking of an extremely controversial and still unresolved episode from the Holocaust. Read more
“God Versus Gods: Judaism In The Age Of Idolatry”: a book review by Rabbi Raymond Apple
July 11, 2019 by Rabbi Raymond Apple
The Bible is punctuated by the tussle between the Almighty and the false gods. Read more
Da-da-da-darr plus rarities: a music review by Fraser Beath McEwing
July 4, 2019 by Fraser Beath McEwing
Beethoven’s fifth symphony, a Verdi overture and a Prokofiev violin concerto made a perfectly balanced program for the Masters Series SSO concert last night. And that was before the bonus attractions of a female Chinese conductor and a celebrated Russian/Israeli violinist. Read more
La Traviata on the harbour
July 3, 2019 by Arts Editor
Opera Australia has announced that Verdi’s much loved work La Traviata will return to the Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour stage in 2020. Read more
Diplomacy: a theatre review by Hila Tsor
July 3, 2019 by Hila Tsor
After its first sold-out session the political thriller, ’Diplomacy’, is back for an encore at Sydney’s Ensemble Theatre. Read more
An Unexpected Love – a movie review by Roz Tarszisz
July 2, 2019 by Roz Tarszisz
It seems that folks in Argentina have a fairly relaxed outlook on life. It certainly appears so in this charming romantic comedy from director/writer Juan Vera.
Move over Franz, Lang Lang is in the building: a music review by Fraser Beath McEwing
June 30, 2019 by Fraser Beath McEwing
You know it’s a Sydney Opera House gala celebrity event when the concerto is played last. Read more
Madama Butterfly reaches new heights: an opera review by Victor Grynberg
June 30, 2019 by Victor Grynberg
When Opera Australia premiered their new era digital sets last year with the production of AIDA not everybody was as enthusiastic as this critic. Read more
Australian World Orchestra back together
June 28, 2019 by Arts Editor
Following last year’s sensational response to the concerts led by Maestro Riccardo Muti, the AUSTRALIAN WORLD ORCHESTRA (AWO) is returning with an eclectic and bravura program for this July, and to present the newly formed AWO SIX, an elite ensemble of AWO all-stars. Read more
PUFFS or: Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic & Magic
June 26, 2019 by Hila Tsor
A theatre review by Hila Tsor. Read more
My Sack Full of Memories: a book review by Geoffrey Zygier
June 18, 2019 by Geoffrey Zygier
People are motivated to bare their lives in public for different reasons. Read more
Tolkien – a movie review by Roz Tarszisz
June 13, 2019 by Roz Tarszisz
It is not necessary to have read The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien to view this offering from director Dome Karukoski (Tom of Finland). However, for aficionados of the books or movies, clues to the author’s ideas are strewn throughout the production and it is fun to take note of them.
An evening with The Scott Van Gemert’s Big Band: a music review by Ron Jontof-Hutter
June 7, 2019 by Ron Jontof-Hutter
I attended a concert given at Melbourne’s Paris Cat Jazz Club given by Scott van Gemert and his 17-piece jazz big band this week. Read more
Red Joan – a movie review by Roz Tarszisz
May 28, 2019 by Roz Tarszisz
Even though she has played everything from a spymaster to a queen, it’s hard to believe that Judi Dench can so expertly portray an ordinary elderly woman. But her character proves to be far more complex than she at first appears.
