Kosky’s genius brings hilarity to an opera farce: The Nose – an opera review by Victor Grynberg
February 25, 2018 by Victor Grynberg
Based on a novel by Gogol, Shostakovich’s opera The Nose is as ridiculous a story as ever seen in opera. Read more
The Librarian of Auschwitz – a book review by Elena Bowman
February 23, 2018 by Elana Bowman
“Dita caressed the books. They were broken and scratched, worn with reddish-brown patches of mildew; some were mutilated. But without them, the wisdom of centuries of civilisation might be lost – geography, literature, mathematics, history, language. They were precious. She would protect them with her life.” Read more
Game Night: a movie review by Tayla Rosen
February 21, 2018 by Tayla Rosen
Having obvious similarities to films such as ‘Mr and Mrs Smith’ (2005), ‘Killers’ (2010) and ‘Date Night’ (2010), moviegoers can see a common theme evidently growing in popularity in Hollywood. Read more
A contemporary take in music on old Yiddish
February 18, 2018 by Tayla Rosen
Taking old Yiddish drinking songs, collaborating them with 60’s jazz, 70’s funk and good old big band sounds to create a dance mash up, is what YID! is all about. This unique recipe for success takes you through a whirlwind of cheerful, edgy, wild and vibrantly upbeat tunes that’s sure to get you on your feet. Read more
Rinat and company star in dazzling Carmen – an opera review by Victor Grynberg
February 13, 2018 by Victor Grynberg
It was a lot more than Israeli Carmen superstar Rinat Shaham and the glorious music of Georges Bizet that prompted the audience to rise as one for a rapturous standing ovation at the premiere last Saturday night. Read more
La Traviata returns to the Opera House
February 7, 2018 by Arts Editor
Award-winning Australian soprano, Nicole Car, will make a triumphant return to the Sydney Opera House this summer to make her debut in the title role of Violetta Valéry in Verdi’s iconic La Traviata. Read more
Students selected to exhibit at the Art Gallery of Western Australia
February 6, 2018 by Susana Wills-Johnson
Perth’s Carmel School students Tal Levin and Riley Twyman have been selected to exhibit in the coveted Year 12 Perspectives exhibition at the Art Gallery of Western Australia. Read more
Top Israeli artist to exhibit at the Perth Festival
February 6, 2018 by J-Wire Newsdesk
The Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery will present the exhibition Human Nature by prominent Yemen-born, London-based Israeli artist Zadok Ben-David as part of the 2018 Perth Festival. Read more
Mozart is a Manny splendoured thing: a music review by Fraser Beath McEwing
February 6, 2018 by Fraser Beath McEwing
If you want to put bums on seats you schedule all-Mozart programs. And if you want to add a bit of high-wire thrill you bring in Emanuel Ax to play two piano concertos per concert. That’s what spawned sell-out houses to the SSO’s opening series for 2018. Read more
A good nose job is hard to find: Kosky’s The Nose premieres in Australia
January 26, 2018 by J-Wire Newsdesk
The Australian premiere of Barrie Kosky’s new production of the rarely performed Shostakovich classic The Nose has become the most highly anticipated production of Opera Australia’s Sydney Summer Season following its critically acclaimed debut in London in 2017. Read more
An Israeli Carmen
January 23, 2018 by J-Wire Newsdesk
After a sell-out season in 2016, John Bell’s vibrant production of Bizet’s Carmen, featuring gypsy girls and bull-fighting boys in eye-popping colours, returns to the Sydney Opera House next month. Read more
The Shape of Water – a movie review by Roz Tarszisz
January 17, 2018 by Roz Tarszisz
The story of an amphibious man-like creature is not new. While film making has come a long way since Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) there is still a strong sense of deja vu in this latest offering from Guillermo Del Toro who wrote the story, directed and co-wrote the script.
Swinging Safari – a movie review by Roz Tarszisz
January 12, 2018 by Roz Tarszisz
Blasts from the past can be fun. This latest offering from writer/director Stephan Elliott with lava lamps, high waisted bellbottoms, parents behaving badly and a bunch of feral children looked to be just the ticket for the summer holiday season.
The Post – a movie review by Glen Falkenstein
January 10, 2018 by Glen Falkenstein
You could easily think this Pentagon Papers retrospective is a lock for Best Picture. It isn’t. Read more
Breathe – a movie review by Roz Tarszisz
December 19, 2017 by Roz Tarszisz
True stories about people living with great physical difficulties are generally uplifting and this directorial debut from actor Andy Serkis (War for the Planet of the Apes) is no exception.
Ferdinand – a movie review by Roz Tarszisz
December 12, 2017 by Roz Tarszisz
If you are looking for some respite from the heat during the l-o-n-g school and kindy holidays, then by all means, take your little ones to this latest animated outing. Just don’t expect anything new.
Lucky: a movie review by Glen Falkenstein
December 4, 2017 by J-Wire
The last film yet released starring the late, prolific Harry Dean Stanton, this is one for the fans, and fans alone. Read more
A big night with the three Bees…a music review by Fraser Beath McEwing
November 30, 2017 by Fraser Beath McEwing
I have a feeling that the SSO wanted its APT Master Series to finish the year on a high when it nudged its budget with a big orchestra, solo singers, a male chorus (on loan from the Australian Opera) and powered up the organ. Read more
Winners of Chamber Music to perform at The Great
November 28, 2017 by J-Wire Staff
After sell out performances at East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation, Affinity Collective celebrates Jewish and Czech music at Sydney’s The Great Synagogue. Read more
Voices adds Sydney to its thrilled list
November 23, 2017 by J-Wire Staff
The Voices spectacular thrilled two sell-out audiences in Sydney last week, following two equally successful earlier performances in Perth and Melbourne. All were greeted by standing ovations by an enthusiastic, cheering audience… Read more
Goodbye Christopher Robin – a movie review by Roz Tarszisz
November 22, 2017 by Roz Tarszisz
To those brought up in the English-speaking world, there was no question that Winnie-the-Pooh was English, but I know two who were shocked to discover on arrival in Australia that he was not actually Hungarian.
Gavrylyuk stunned his audience – literally: a music review by Fraser Beath McEwing
November 21, 2017 by Fraser Beath McEwing
I’ve never been to a piano recital quite like this one. Ukrainian pianist, Alexander Gavrylyuk, took his audience on such an emotionally demanding journey that, in the end, they felt as exhausted listening as he probably did playing and demanded only one encore before escaping into the balmy Sydney night. Read more
A night for Shostakovich fans – a music review by Fraser Beath McEwing
November 14, 2017 by Fraser Beath McEwing
A whole program of Shostakovich was something of a gamble for the SSO concert last night, because not everybody likes his music. Luckily, I’m one who does, although my love blossomed only after many hearings. Read more
Loving Vincent – a movie review by Roz Tarszisz
November 1, 2017 by Roz Tarszisz
Loving Vincent is a cinematic ode to the paintings of Vincent van Gogh and cannot be compared to anything else.
Two big fish and one tiddler: a music review by Fraser Beath McEwing
October 28, 2017 by Fraser Beath McEwing
The SSO concert in the APT Master Series presented two major works: the Sibelius Violin Concerto in D minor, Op 47 and Mahler’s Symphony No.1 in D major. Read more
Three Summers – a movie review by Roz Tarszisz
October 27, 2017 by Roz Tarszisz
Writer and director Ben Elton said recently that despite living in Australia for 30 years he is still regarded as a Pom. While he’s not exactly a new chum, he does bring his British sense of irony and an ability to pinpoint the ridiculous in this very Australian film.
Suburbicon: a movie review by Glen Falkenstein
October 27, 2017 by Glen Falkenstein
Suburbicon wants you to think it’s another Coen Brothers classic. Written by the redoubtable pair, Grant Heslov, George Clooney and directed by the latter, it may look and feel like their golden era but lands far off the mark. Read more
Madama Butterfly: an opera review by Victor Grynberg
October 25, 2017 by Victor Grynberg
Last July Victoria’s Minister for Creative Arts, (in)famously accused Opera Australia of being happy to have an audience that will “die in their seats”. Read more
Four out of six were made in Australia…a music review by Fraser Beath McEwing
October 19, 2017 by Fraser Beath McEwing
The SSO’s Emirates Metro Series chose the theme of fire for its Opera House concert last night. And fiery it was – mostly. Australian composer Brett Dean conducted his own Fire Music while Australian pianist, Piers Lane, had to fire up to get into the ring with Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No.3 in D minor leaving Sibelius to represent Finland with six minutes of Scene with Cranes Op 44 No2. Read more
The Only Living Boy in New York – a movie review by Roz Tarszisz
October 4, 2017 by Roz Tarszisz
Young man falls in love with older woman, something bound to end in tears especially as the beautiful woman is his father’s mistress. Read more
