Five Feet Apart – a movie review by Roz Tarszisz
March 21, 2019 by Roz Tarszisz
It’s hard being a teenager and even more so for one has a serious illness. There have been a few American films in recent years on this theme – Me and Earl and The Dying Girl, which was sweet and funny and The Fault in Our Stars, also charming and both just a little schmaltzy.
Salome: an opera review by Victor Grynberg
March 12, 2019 by Victor Grynberg
Once banned. Still shocking. But Salome is bloody and fantastic. Read more
Sometimes Always Never – a film review by Roz Tarszisz
March 6, 2019 by Roz Tarszisz
It’s always good to learn something new, however obscure, and it’s not giving anything away to say that the film’s title refers to which buttons a man should do up on a three-piece suit – starting from the top.
Werther: an opera review by Victor Grynberg
March 1, 2019 by Victor Grynberg
Suicide is painless when Massenet pulls the strings. Read more
Peter Pan Goes Wrong: a theatre review by Hila Tsor
The title of the play ‘Peter Pan Goes Wrong’ is quite self-explanatory, revealing the main premise of the play. ‘Gone Wrong’ theatre productions are not uncommon but are always full of mischief and mayhem, this being no exception. Read more
A riddle in the middle: a music review by Fraser Beath McEwing
February 14, 2019 by Fraser McEwing
The first concert in the SSO Masters Series for 2019 (now sponsored by upmarket travel company Abercrombie & Kent) presented significant works by Janacek and Bartok, book-ending the Australian premiere of a piece by Steve Reich that had been co-commissioned by several orchestras, including the SSO. Read more
Eavesdropping on heaven: a music review by Fraser Beath McEwing
February 6, 2019 by Fraser Beath McEwing
When a concert series combining the Australian Chamber Orchestra and the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir was announced, I had to be there – and so did a lot of other music lovers, judging by its sell-out. Read more
On the Basis of Sex – a movie review by Roz Tarszisz
February 5, 2019 by Roz Tarszisz
One could be forgiven for thinking that the use of sex in a title meant a movie was about sex.
Wozzeck: an opera review by Victor Grynberg
February 3, 2019 by Victor Grynberg
After the glorious melodies of LA BOHEME and TURANDOT Opera Australia’s latest production is Alban Berg’s atonal opera, considered today a modern opera but written almost 100 years ago in 1925. Read more
L-E-V: an experience in dance
January 28, 2019 by J-Wire
L-E-V Dance Company, renowned as an innovative leader in the thriving Israeli contemporary dance scene, will appear at Sydney’s Opera House between Jan-31 and Feb-03. Read more
Turandot: re-working lifts opera to new heights
January 20, 2019 by Victor Grynberg
Giacomo Puccini is rightly acclaimed for so many brilliant operas, and for many of the arias and duets in his less successful works. Read more
Green Book – a movie review by Roz Tarszisz
January 20, 2019 by Roz Tarszisz
There’s invariably a good soundtrack to an American road trip movie and this one – inspired by a true story – is no exception.
The Kid Who Would Be King – a movie review by Roz Tarszisz
January 15, 2019 by Roz Tarszisz
As a child, I loved T.H. White’s The Once and Future King even though I was confused by the concept of Merlin the Wizard travelling backwards through time and getting younger as he went forward. Read more
New stars create another success for the world’s favourite opera
January 6, 2019 by Victor Grynberg
There will always be carping critics complaining about Opera Australia repeating once more the world’s most played 0pera, Giacomo Puccini’s masterpiece “La Boheme”…writes Victor Grynberg. Read more
Sydney Festival: One Infinity
December 31, 2018 by Arts Editor
One Infinity is a hypnotic, cross-cultural music and dance collaboration, in which the audience is also performers. Read more
CAPHARNAÜM: a movie review by Hila Tsor
December 12, 2018 by Hila Tsor
CAPHARNAÜM was a genuine masterpiece, a story that will stick with you months later. Read more
The New RCA Siddur [Ashkenazi tradition]: a siddur review by Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen
November 23, 2018 by Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen
Traditionally J-Wire does not review obvious religious publications such as prayer books and bibles. Read more
Sobibor: a movie review by Toni Susskind
November 22, 2018 by Toni Susskind
A highlight of the 2018 Jewish International Film Festival, Sobibor was a box office hit in Russia, taking in over $2 million in ticket sales. Read more
Instant Families: a movie review by Toni Susskind
November 22, 2018 by Toni Susskind
When I first heard about Instant Families staring Mark Wahlberg as Pete and Australian Rose Byrne as Ellie, I thought, here we go again, another formulaic Rom-Com about a gorgeous couple adopting three very cute children. I was pleasantly surprised to see how wrong I was. Read more
Tognetti and the ACO+ blew us away: a music review by Fraser Beath McEwing
November 19, 2018 by Fraser Beath McEwing
As if the announcement that local hero Richard Tognetti was going to perform Beethoven’s violin concerto was not enough to stir the interest of Sydney music lovers, the announcement that he’d beef up the Australian Chamber Orchestra’s 19 regular players with another 30 borrowed from various other orchestras, set their pulses racing. And to top it off, when Tongetti revealed that his hybrid team would throw in Beethoven’s 5th Symphony they came scampering to the box offices. Read more
Widows – a movie review by Roz Tarszisz
November 16, 2018 by Roz Tarszisz
There are certain conventions we can expect from a heist movie. The assembling of disparate characters, the difficulties of setting up the robbery, the preparations and a twist at the end. A touch of humour to leaven the tension goes down well too.
Beethoven didn’t have it all his own way: a music review by Fraser Beath McEwing
November 8, 2018 by Fraser Beath McEwing
As well as playing some fine music, the SSO played a noteworthy tactical game this week and next by staging three different concerts with somewhat challenging musical cakes, but each laced with the delicious icing of Beethoven’s 7thSymphony. Moreover, Beethoven appeared in the second half of each concert to prevent the unconvinced from scuttling away after interval. Read more
Spitfire: a movie review by Elana Bowman
November 7, 2018 by Elana Bowman
Spitfire the documentary is simply beautiful. Read more
Madiba the Musical: a theatre review by Elana Bowman
November 2, 2018 by Elana Bowman
Madiba the Musical celebrates the life of the former South African president’s struggle towards freedom; is interwoven with stories and songs of the Black Africans during the apartheid era. Read more
Beautiful Boy – a movie review by Roz Tarszisz
October 25, 2018 by Roz Tarszisz
That this film is based on a true story inspired by two memoirs only serves to make it all the more compelling. Read more
Einstein and the Rabbi: Searching for the Soul – a book review by Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen
October 24, 2018 by Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen
Having read and used Naomi Levy’s writings before I was fascinated to find out the connection between Einstein and Rabbi Levy. Read more
Shir Madness: Song of Songs
October 21, 2018 by Henry Greener-The Shtick
Song of Songs is the Shir Madness Finale, after a full day of music, it is a ritual to put together a line-up of top performers who perform their chosen song written, performed or recorded by a Jewish person. Read more
Three favourites that couldn’t miss: a music review by Fraser Beath McEwing
October 18, 2018 by Fraser Beath McEwing
I’d love to be a fly on the wall when he SSO programmers meet. Read more
A Star is Born – a movie review by Roz Tarszisz
October 15, 2018 by Roz Tarszisz
My rock concert going days may be long over but that didn’t stop shivers down my backbone as the first of many riffs came over the speakers.
Monash University publishes three new books of Jewish interest
October 5, 2018 by Geoffrey Zygier
Australian universities have become prolific publishers of a wide range of academic and other works…writes Geoffrey Zygier. Read more
