Flying in my gondola

  Left – Lana Jones. Photo – Lynette Wills. Cover – Eloise Fryer and Ben Davis. Photo – Jeff Busby Australian Ballet’s  Cinderella  has been beautifully revamped by choreographer  Alexei Ratmansky . Formerly artistic director of the renown Bolshoi Ballet, and currently the artist-in-residence with the American Ballet Theatre in New York,  Ratmansky  is white hot in the ballet world and very much in demand, because of his skill in merging classical technique with a contemporary sensibility. The beloved fairytale is moulded into a different type of happily-ever-after, which although does feature a fairy godmother ( Lynette Wills ) – albeit slightly resembling Mary Poppins with an elongated nose – it does not incorporate a carriage which is fashioned from a pumpkin, nor do any mice show off their sartorial talents, or morph into hoses. What  Ratmansky’s  Cinderella  does have, are two silly step sisters and a ruthless but equally comical step ...

Left – Teddy Tahu Rhodes and Emma Matthews. Cover – Teddy Tahu Rhodes, Taryn Fiebig, Richard Anderson & Shane Lowrencev. Photos – Jeff Busby. Mozart’s  infamous  Don Giovanni  and considered by many to be the greatest opera ever written, is based on the legendary fictional lover  Don Juan , not easily resisted by any woman, no matter her social status or nationality, and whom they loved and despised in the same breath. Opera Australia’s  highly anticipated  Don Giovanni , directed by  David McVicar , focuses on the dark side of the sex addicted nobleman, who cannot control his appetite for conquering every and any woman who crosses his path, regardless of her age or shape. Much like some present day players,  Don Giovanni , keeps a tally of his trophies, with numbers in the thousands, from all over Europe and Asia Minor, and with numbers so impressive, he could easily be dubbed the Wilt Chamberlain of the 18th century. Teddy Tahu Rhodes ...

Renown South African singer  Belinda Davids , opened her Australian tribute tour,  The Greatest Love of All – The Whitney Houston Show , at the Athenaeum Theatre this weekend with a passion and talent which channeled the late great Whitney Houston so well that, if you were to close your eyes, you’d swear that the diva herself was belting out her award winning songs for her Melbourne fans in attendance. At the beginning of the concert, as the lights dimmed and images of Houston flashed onto a screen, the energy in the theatre was simply electric. The audience was extremely pumped and enthusiastic… maybe, too much even. I overheard someone say: “They do realise that the  real  Whitney Houston is not going to come out on stage, don’t they?” But, within minutes of the concert, the same person was as enchanted by  Davids ’ performance as the rest of us, and by the end she had moved many to tears.  Self-taught and blessed with a four octave vocal range,  Dav...

Opera Australia  has opened its Melbourne season with one of the company’s best-loved productions,  Giacomo Puccini’s  Madama Butterfly –  in this case the revival of Moffatt Oxenbould’s 1997 production of the famed tragic story of  Cio-Cio-San  (cio translates to butterfly) and her American husband. Soprano  Hiromi Omura  dominated the night, and was superb in her role of  Butterfly . Besides possessing a beautiful and silken voice,  Omura  also successfully projects a naiveté and demureness of a young girl in love, as well as that of a woman consumed by total despair at the understanding that her husband intends not to return to her. Tenor  James Egglestone  portrays her husband,  Pinkerton , as lustful, selfish and even arrogant, but he also conveys a somewhat regretful concern for  Butterfly  as well. Just when you thought you could hate him, you almost feel sorry for him. Mezzo-soprano,  Sian...

Grammy-nominated  Meghan Trainor  is performing her first big tour, trotting around the globe, with Melbourne being one of her stops in Australia. Even if you don’t recognize  Meghan  by name, unless you’ve been stranded on a deserted island during the last eight months, it is impossible to say the same of her pop phenomenon,  All About That Bass , which ruled the airwaves for so long that, even her own mother expressed disbelief over the song’s mass appeal. It’s not surprising that  Bass  was, and still is, on everyone’s lips and minds; with positive self-love lyrics, catchy 1950s doo-wop inspired music, one can’t help but tap to it and nod in approval, if you’re a parent, and even if you’re not. At the risk of sounding like a fuddy-duddy,  Meghan ’s music successfully appeals to the young and the old, without the all too familiar in-your-face raunchiness present in both lyrics as well as in fashion choices displayed by some other pop stars (he...

Who is  Khaled Khalafalla , and why is he happy exactly? Born in Saudi Arabia to Egyptian parents, Khaled  may discuss identity exploration, and his own fitting-in challenges in everyday Australian culture, but he possesses that special something which Aussies are renown around the globe for, the ability to take a jab at oneself, and everyone else around them. Khaled  successfully pokes fun at his culture, and everyone else’s, carefully walking that dreaded ‘gone too far’ line, and never crossing it. But one thing is for sure, no one is spared in the process. Front row or back row audience members; if  Khaled  makes eye contact with you, you’re becoming part of the show. Fear not though, Khaled  is charismatic and funny, not irritating and offensive. On the night I attended, the award-winning  Khaled , actually started out a little lukewarm, and laughed a bit too hard at his own jokes, and just when it seemed as though perhaps we were going...

Gitanos music ambassadors to the world,  The Gipsy Kings , kicked off their 2015 world tour in Australia, with a stop at The Palais Theatre in St. Kilda, which is where I, along with the most culturally diverse audience ever, got to enjoy their amazing music (to the left of me, Chileans, in front, French, to the right, Greek, in the back, Japanese). The Gipsy Kings , composed of two families, the Reyes from Arles and the Baliardos from Montpellier, France, have been performing since the 1960s, in theatres such as Carnegie Hall in New York, and for the likes of Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí and Brigitte Bardot, among others. Their first album,  Gipsy Kings , was released more than twenty years later in 1987, featuring familiar flamenco-like music and vocals with a twist, with which they literally took the world by storm. The Gipsy Kings ’ roots are from Catalonia, Spain, so it’s no surprise that their music should have the same source of inspiration, but it’s been reinvented a...

Watching a stand-up comedian perform, always makes me envious of his/her talent to get people laughing, but when a comedian is successfully delivering his material to an audience in a foreign language, and is still able to generate laughs, that’s pretty damn incredible. Such is the case with Venezuelan-born  Ivan   Aristeguieta . Aristeguieta , a successful Brew Master (this explains his passion for beer) turned full-time comedian, migrated to Adelaide three years ago, and became an Australian Permanent Resident this past September. Since arriving down under,  Aristeguieta  has taken on the challenge of becoming part of the comedy tapestry of Australia, performing solely in English. Anyone else would be discouraged to do so, but  Aristeguieta  has risen to the challenge. Comparing any foreign country to Australia can be fun, but seeing that Venezuela is such a polar opposite of Aristeguieta ’s new home, it makes for some hilarious story telling, and a new ...

Photos – Belinda Strodder www.dancephotography.net.au After its huge success as a Disney animated film,  The Lion King  was reintroduced to audiences in 1997 as a musical, with music by  Elton John  and lyrics by  Tim Rice , along with  Hans Zimmer’s  musical score and choral arrangements by  Lebo M . Today,  The Lion King  musical is Broadway’s fourth longest-running show in history, and by grossing more than $1 billion, it is also the highest grossing Broadway production of all time. The Lion King  musical is similar to the original animated feature but it is not a verbatim interpretation, although this does not in any way hinder the storyline. Instead, the live performance is embellished by shadow south-east Asian puppetry, African-inspired intricate masks and costumes, nature details donned by actors, and elaborate mobile scenery. It all comes together so seamlessly, and might even look simple at times, but it is a display of ...

As if they stepped out of a fashion catalogue, the quartet who compose  Band of Magicians  – Justin Flom, Justin Willman, Nate Staniforth  and  James Galea  – look, talk and act completely different than any other visual illusionists out there. With the exception of the intro, the show was devoid of stereotypical laser, smoke and half naked magician’s assistants, it was obvious that  Band of Magicians  was going to take an alternate route to entertaining an eagerly awaiting Melbourne audience at the Crown’s Palms theatre. Sharing some magic secrets and showcasing an array of familiar tricks, gave the audience the illusion (yes, pun intended) of a somewhat predictable show – this of course was intentional so that the performance could experience a crescendo of sorts, and gradually increase its ooh-ah factor to a full-on awe level, causing the attendees to burst out in cheer. Besides performing as a team, each one of the magicians also dazzled with...

Left – Lilikoi Kaos and Circus-Oz band. Cover – Spenser Inwood. Photos – Rob Blackburn Locally grown and internationally recognised  Circus Oz are not known for their intimate shows, but since the recent move into their new permanent home in Collingwood, they have pitched a gorgeous old Spiegeltent and launched their latest show,  Close to the Bone .  With  Close to the Bone , the  Circus Oz  crew have deconstructed their large-scale production, squeezed it into The Melba Spiegeltent and are now performing something which is very much ‘in-your-face’ both in space as well as in style. With performers leaping off the minute stage nearly into the laps of audience members, and occasionally flashing body parts which would normally be neatly tucked away,  Close to the Bone  is a joy to experience. It’s like a condensed and intensified  Circus Oz  in one neat little morsel-like serving. Although the whole production was whipped up in just a few...

Left – Claudio Sgura and Martina Serafin. Cover – Claudio Sgura and Diego Torre. Photos –  Jeff Busby Giacomo Puccini’s  Tosca , based on the 1887 French-language dramatic play by Victorien Sardou, was originally set in the summer of 1800, in Rome, when the Kingdom of Naples was threatened by Napoleon’s invasion of Italy; a very turbulent and violent time. Opera Australia’s  latest rendition of  Tosca , is directed by one of Australia’s  most acclaimed theatre personalities, John Bell , who has set the opera, which some critics have referred to as ‘over-familiar’ even ‘old’, in an equally dangerous and brutal period in Italy, the German occupations of Rome of 1943. Martina Serafin  embodying  Tosca , and  Diego Torre  as her artist lover,  Cavaradossi , radiate a special chemistry, which is laden by jealousy as well as great affection. Their performance was thoroughly moving. “Vissi d’arte, vissi d’amore,” (I lived for art; I live...

Photos – Aaron Walker After years of learning, practicing and refining their craft, the National Institute of Circus Arts’ (NICA) final year circus students are able to exhibit their dynamic and captivating acts in front of the public in a special showcase held at the custom built NICA in Prahran. This year’s show, featuring 20 final year students, is titled ROUGE et BLANC , and it’s actually two very distinct performances... one being ROUGE, and the second BLANC, running from July 2nd to the 5th, and each show performed three times throughout the six show season. Hosted by MC  Aurora Kurth , donning a top hat, rhinestones, corset, fishnet stockings, ruby slippers, matching sparkling lipstick and speaking with a French accent,  Kurth  was the “glue” between performances, and a perfect fit for the cabaret-style show, where she delivered her humour laden lines with cheeky zing, and a singing voice to be reckoned with. NICA is Australia’s only Bachelor of Circus Arts. Duri...

Written by Gordana Andjelic-Davila    Tuesday, 20 May 2014 09:06 Left – Bert LaBonte and Jude Perl April 1st, 1984, on the eve of his 45th birthday, Motown Records’ superstar Marvin Gay, renown for chart topping hits such as “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You),” “I heard It Through the Grapevine” and “Sexual Healing,” was shot and killed by his own father. Ironically, when the news of the unfortunate incident broke out, many thought it was an April Fool’s joke, so they didn’t pay much attention to it. When Gaye’s passing was confirmed, the world was overwhelmed by a combination of shock and a devastated sense of loss. Upon learning of the incident, Rev. Al Sharpton said that Gaye’s death came “like a sick, sad joke.” Years later Marvin Senior was asked in an interview if he ever loved his son. He replied, “Let’s just say I didn’t dislike him.” 30 years after Gaye’s death, the show, Let’s Get it On at Melbourne’s Athaeneum Theatre, s...

Written by Gordana Andjelic-Davila    Tuesday, 06 May 2014 09:02 Left – Luke Ryan, Mark Constable, Naomi Rukavina and Daniela Farinacci. Photo – Jeff Busby It's Friday night, and 17-year old stag Lee is bored. Lee is thinking of ways of making easy money, and when he sees his school mate Leila at the same all-night superstore, leafing through celebrity gossip magazines, he invites her to hang out at the cemetery. ‘Silent Leila’ as she is known amongst her peers, is a good girl and a top student, but Leila secretly feels inferior to others. In her mind, Leila is stupid, ugly and does not feel ‘real.’ When Lee insists: “Silent Leila! Are you coming, or are you coming?” Leila suddenly experiences a sort of rush; one she’s only felt twice before in her life, and during her secret self harming sessions. Much against her better judgement, Leila can’t decline the offer and takes off with Lee . After a sudden life-changing event at the cemet...

Written by  Gordana Andjelic-Davila    Thursday, 10 April 2014 09:15 Ever hear of ‘The Axis of Evil?’ The term was initially coined by former U.S. president George W. Bush in a State of the Union Address back in 2002, when he identified Iran, Iraq and North Korea as governments assisting terrorism and seeking weapons of mass destruction. What about ‘The Axis of Awesome?’ Contrary to what might come to mind,  The Axis of Awesome  does not describe countries which inspire an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, or induces awe, instead it is the name three very talented musicians/comedians have gone by for nearly eight years. Rocking their unique brand of musical comedy and gaining fans from around the globe, including some A-list fans like Ashton Kutcher and Journey,  The Axis of Awesome  are back for their sixth Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF) season, to elate audiences with their brilliant quirkiness. The Awesome  tr...

Written by  Gordana Andjelic-Davila    Friday, 11 April 2014 20:48 Singer composer,  Colin Hay  is touring the globe again. Once lead singer of Grammy Award winner Australian band, Men at Work, responsible for such hits as,  Who Can it Be Now ,  Overkill  and the unofficial Australian anthem, renown worldwide  Down Under . Hay  is in town performing at the Arts Centre as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MCIF). At first this may seem unusual, as he is not know for comedy, but,  Colin Hay  is no run-of-of-the-mill kind of artist; he is an accomplished guitarist, and a master story weaver.  Hay  must have been born under a lucky star which has enabled him with the gift of elaborate and extremely witty story telling.  Concert goers are well aware of the gaps and/or breathers which singers fill with some light chit chat and background information of the origins of a particular...