Opera in the Reservoir | Spring Hill, Brisbane | August 1st to 30th, 2014

Opera in the Reservoir. The Spring Hill Reservoir, Wickham Terrace, Brisbane. Friday 1 August 2014, 7:30pm – Saturday 30 August 2014, 10:30pm

Brisbane’s Heritage-listed Spring Hill Reservoirs are set to become the new home for a leading Australian private opera company after being locked up and unused for decades.

Devoted to creating performance events in unusual, breathtaking spaces the Underground Opera Company (UOC) has provided a platform for professional singers and the audiences that love them for seven years.

Following negotiations over two years with the Brisbane City Council, UOC has the approval (and the keys!) to enter, clean and establish a purpose-built, high-quality performance space inside the Reservoirs. The interior is a stately, Victorian-esque space with pseudo-gothic arches and partitioned quarters conducive to comfortable, intimate seating.

A season of thirty (30) performances will be held throughout August 2014 to launch the new venue, with a maximum of 120 audience numbers per show.

“The Reservoirs are the ultimate space for our company – they are underground, rustic, earthy, conducive to good acoustics and have a special place in the historical heart of Brisbane people”, said company Director Bruce Edwards.

Built in 1871, the Reservoirs were once the main store house for drinking water extracted from hollows within Spring Hills, drawn up by the recently restored Spring Hill Windmill (Brisbane’s oldest surviving building, also Heritage-listed).

A quite achiever until recently, UOC has hosted events throughout Australia in natural, breathtaking spaces including the Jenolan Caves (Jenolan), Capricorn Caves (Rockhampton), Bli Bli Castle (Bli Bli), the Workshops Railway Museum (Ipswich), the Central Deborah Gold Mine (Bendigo) and in just a few weeks, the Hard Times Mine (Mt Isa).

“We are incredibly proud and grateful to be provided this significant opportunity by Brisbane City Council and are ecstatic to bring world-class concerts and events to the backyard of all Brisbane people”, said Mr Edwards.

Tickets for the launch season will be available for purchase from TODAY 6 May 2014 via Ticketmaster. www.ticketmaster.com.au

Our audience have said-

"I laughed, cried and cheered. Do not miss these incredible concerts!"  D. Morgan

"I never thought I would enjoy Opera so much.  Underground Opera has just converted me!"  M. Boyd

"I have seen Opera concerts all around the world and Australia and this one certainly ranks as one of the best." R. Williamson

Get a group together for a great night out or make a perfectly romantic evening for just you and your partner.  

Get Tickets HERE

See you at the show!

Opera in the Reservoir | Spring Hill, Brisbane | August 1st to 30th, 2014

Opera in the Reservoir. The Spring Hill Reservoir, Wickham Terrace, Brisbane. Friday 1 August 2014, 7:30pm – Saturday 30 August 2014, 10:30pm

Brisbane’s Heritage-listed Spring Hill Reservoirs are set to become the new home for a leading Australian private opera company after being locked up and unused for decades.

Devoted to creating performance events in unusual, breathtaking spaces the Underground Opera Company (UOC) has provided a platform for professional singers and the audiences that love them for seven years.

Following negotiations over two years with the Brisbane City Council, UOC has the approval (and the keys!) to enter, clean and establish a purpose-built, high-quality performance space inside the Reservoirs. The interior is a stately, Victorian-esque space with pseudo-gothic arches and partitioned quarters conducive to comfortable, intimate seating.

A season of thirty (30) performances will be held throughout August 2014 to launch the new venue, with a maximum of 120 audience numbers per show.

“The Reservoirs are the ultimate space for our company – they are underground, rustic, earthy, conducive to good acoustics and have a special place in the historical heart of Brisbane people”, said company Director Bruce Edwards.

Built in 1871, the Reservoirs were once the main store house for drinking water extracted from hollows within Spring Hills, drawn up by the recently restored Spring Hill Windmill (Brisbane’s oldest surviving building, also Heritage-listed).

A quite achiever until recently, UOC has hosted events throughout Australia in natural, breathtaking spaces including the Jenolan Caves (Jenolan), Capricorn Caves (Rockhampton), Bli Bli Castle (Bli Bli), the Workshops Railway Museum (Ipswich), the Central Deborah Gold Mine (Bendigo) and in just a few weeks, the Hard Times Mine (Mt Isa).

“We are incredibly proud and grateful to be provided this significant opportunity by Brisbane City Council and are ecstatic to bring world-class concerts and events to the backyard of all Brisbane people”, said Mr Edwards.

Tickets for the launch season will be available for purchase from TODAY 6 May 2014 via Ticketmaster. www.ticketmaster.com.au

Our audience have said-

"I laughed, cried and cheered. Do not miss these incredible concerts!"  D. Morgan

"I never thought I would enjoy Opera so much.  Underground Opera has just converted me!"  M. Boyd

"I have seen Opera concerts all around the world and Australia and this one certainly ranks as one of the best." R. Williamson

Get a group together for a great night out or make a perfectly romantic evening for just you and your partner.  

Get Tickets HERE

See you at the show!

'Game Of Thrones: The Exhibition' confirms Sydney dates

Now that the fourth blood-soaked season of HBO’s Game Of Thrones has come to a close, fans are no doubt left wondering what to do with themselves until season five. As previously announced, however, those based in Sydney have an extra helping hand in the form of Game Of Thrones: The Exhibition, which has now confirmed its running dates of July 1 to July 5.

Being hosted at the Museum of Contemporary Art, the joint HBO-Google Play production will be open to the public, free of charge, between 10am and 8pm on its operating days. Launch day – Tuesday, July 1 – will have slightly later hours, running from 11am to 10pm.

The exhibition will feature a range of authentic costumes, props, armour and weapons seen on the show, and an Oculus Rift-powered immersive experience that puts users in the boots of some poor sap guarding the frozen, gargantuan Wall, and give attendees the opportunity to get their face snapped while lounging about on the world’s most uncomfortable-looking chair – the Iron Throne.

The announcement comes in conjunction with the release of Game Of Thrones’ fourth season on Google Play today, which includes a slew of exclusive content for Aussie buyers including the featurette A Slave To Grammar: Creating The Valyrian Language, which is a must-watch for anyone who wants to craft insults only other giant nerds will understand. A collected edition of the first three seasons is also available.

Source: http://themusic.com.au/news/all/2014/06/17/game-of-thrones-the-exhibition-confirms-sydney-dates/

Cool Yule: Darling Harbour's 'Icemen' ready to sculpt away

Edward Fraze and Don Harrison Jr, aka the "Icemen", have readied their tools - now all they need is a big ice block. Photo: Brendan Esposito

Darling Harbour has a pair of pocket aces up its sleeve in its attempt to draw families and tourists to the precinct as the mercury dips: two "extreme ice sculptors" from Colorado. 

Armed with chisels and chain saws, "Icemen" Edward Fraze and Don Harrison jnr will give three live sculpting performances from Tuesday night until Friday. 

The pair will have just 30 minutes to transform large slabs of ice, weighing up to 150 kilograms, into winter-theme pieces, and Fraze says audiences can expect a "very high energy, very intense performance".

"As the performance starts, one of us will take one part of the sculpture and the other will take the other part, and we just go to town. We almost race each other," Fraze said. 

The duo "like to improvise along the way", and Fraze hinted that a menagerie of icy polar bears, penguins and other snow-loving creatures would grace the Harbourside Amphitheatre before melting down to a puddle – eventually. 

While Sydney's winter is substantially milder than the Americans are used to, a supply of dry ice and water will slow the melting process. 

The free Extreme Ice Show is part of Darling Harbour's Cool Yule festival, which runs for four weeks until July 13. Other activities include a snow pit, an open-air ice-skating rink, a 25-metre inflatable snow slide, firework displays and a frozen forest installation. 

Strictly Ballroom the Musical to blitz Melbourne

PREPARE to bask in the glow of one of the world’s biggest disco balls.

Strictly Ballroom the Musical is coming to Melbourne and will open at Her Majesty’s Theatre in January.

The glitzy stage version of Baz Luhrmann’s feel-good film will transfer from Sydney’s Lyric Theatre, where the world premiere in April evoked an instant standing ovation.

The date for Melbourne’s opening night is yet to be confirmed, but it will likely be mid-January before the show runs for a limited season.

Producer Carmen Pavlovic, of Global Creatures, said she hoped the show would follow the well-worn musical path of a national tour and then a stint in Asia.

Opening night of “Strictly Ballroom the Musical” in Sydney. Picture: James Morgan Source: Supplied

“There’s no doubt audiences are loving the show. It feels like a rock concert most nights I go in,” Pavlovic said. “I think the comment we’re most hearing is that it makes you feel good and just really puts a smile on your face.”

The stage show unites Strictly Ballroom’s original creative team, with Luhrmann as director and his Academy Award-winning wife Catherine Martin the creative brains behind the dazzling sets and costumes.

Two previously little-known performers, Thomas Lacey and Phoebe Panaretos, lead of cast of 43 which includes Bob Baines, Drew Forsythe, Natalie Gamsu and Robert Grubb.

The musical’s Sydney opening received mixed reviews from critics, some of whom praised the visual spectacle but were less impressed with the show’s emotional engagement.

Pavlovic — whose company also brought us King Kong and How to Train Your Dragon: Live Spectacular — said Strictly Ballroom got off to a solid start.

“I thought the reviews overall were good. They were mixed in some ways; some of that’s fair, some of it we’re working on as we go along,” she said.

“But that’s all part and parcel of creating a new show. It’s a very dynamic process. You have to remember that we’re creating new work here, unlike a lot of shows that come from the West End or Broadway, have been mounted several times and have all their kinks ironed out.”

Strictly Ballroom combines Broadway dazzle and kitch Aussie fun to tell the inspiring story of a champion dancer who breaks the rules to follow his heart.

There is no doubting the show’s eye-popping design, which extends to bright, sparkly covers on all the chairs in the theatre.
“The idea of Catherine’s design is that it really draws the audience into the performance and that ethos will be carried over into Melbourne,” Pavlovic said.

“Something the show does very well is invite the audience in and permit them to really feel part of it. I think that invitation is extended to audiences from the minute they step into the auditorium, right through to the end of show when the last people to take a bow at the end of the night are the audience.”

Tickets for the Melbourne season will go on sale on July 21 from Ticketek.

Source: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/arts/strictly-ballroom-the-musical-to-blitz-melbourne/story-fni0fcgk-1226955888143


Coming to Melbourne for Strictly Ballroom the Musical?

Book your next stay at Metro Apartments on Bank Place: www.metrohotels.com.au/hotels/victoria/metro-apartments-on-bank-place

These serviced boutique apartments in the Mebourne CBD are located within easy reach to public transport.

It is just a walk out the front door to a large variety of restaurants, bars and coffee shops and is in walking distance to Melbourne's famous Bourke Street Mall, the Southgate complex, Crown Casino and Southbank Promenade. Major Sporting venues including Etihad Stadium, the MCG and the Rod Laver Arena are just a short tram ride away.

Stop by reception and our friendly staff will be glad to give you tram and shuttle information to get you to the South Melbourne Market, Bridge Road Richmond, Chapel Street South Yarra, Melbourne Zoo, Melbourne Aquarium, Imax Theatre and Melbourne Museum, The Arts Centre, Old Melbourne Goal, Immigration Museum and many more cultural and entertainment attractions in the city.

Australian Children's Music Foundation (ACMF) - International Music Day - Saturday June 21

The Australian Children's Music Foundation is a North Sydney based charity devoted to bringing the magic of music in the lives of disadvantaged children. 

The ACMF is proud to be appointed as the organisers for the Sydney music activities for the global event 'Fete de la Musique'.  

This event occurs annually on June 21 in over 450 cities worldwide and this is the first time Sydney has participated on such a scale.  We have received fantastic support from a number of organisations to bring this event to life, including the NSW Premiers Dept.  The purpose of the event is to celebrate all genres of music, both amateur and professional, with free performance in a variety of locations.  Any donations collected on the day at the stage areas will go towards providing ACMF music programs to disadvantaged children around Australia.

I've enclosed a media release and poster about the event.

We have over 150 artists performing in the following locations:

7.30am-9.30am:          Weekend Sunrise will be doing their weather broadcast crosses from the Rocks area where we have musicians

9am-4pm:                                Stage in the Rocks

9am-4pm:                                Stage at Darling Harbourside Ampitheatre

10am-12noon:             Musicians in Pitt Street Mall

10am-12noon:             String Quartet at Qantas Lounge at Sydney Airport

10am-3pm:                              Musicians on the Manly Ferry

11am-1pm:                              Street performers on QVB forecourt (cnr George & Park St entrance)

11am-1pm:                              Musicians at Central Train Station

11am-1pm:                              Musicians at Bondi Pavilion

View the official Web page http://acmf.com.au/

One Direction is coming to Brisbane in February 2015

SUNCORP Stadium is heading for another sell out event next year with One Direction announcing a concert in Brisbane on February 11, 2015.

Minister for Recreation and Sport Steve Dickson said the world's biggest pop boy band will hit Brisbane on February 11, as part of the "On the Road Again Tour 2015".

Mr Dickson said the concert was expected to inject at least $5 million into the Queensland economy.

"With all 190,000 tickets sold for the 18 shows held in Australia and New Zealand during their 'Take Me Home Tour' last year, I'm sure this will be a sell-out," Mr Dickson said.

"Major sporting and entertainment events have a vital role in contributing to the Queensland Government's tourism target of $30 billion a year in overnight visitor expenditure by 2020.

"Our ongoing investment in maintaining and developing Suncorp Stadium infrastructure ensures it is an ideal outdoor concert venue, and the entire community benefits from the economic flow-on.

"One Direction will be the 14th international act in eight years to perform at the Stadium, and with more than 485,000 patrons having attended concerts there so far, it seems appropriate for One Direction to smash through the half million barrier."

Liam Payne from One Direction said, "We can't wait to come back to Australia and play for all our fans again on the On the Road Again 2015 Tour. Our Australian fans have been there for us since day one, and we always have such a great time there. We'll see you all in February next year!"

Mr Dickson announced residents living in the Stadium precinct would be offered the opportunity to pre-purchase tickets to the concert before they went on sale to the general public on May 31.

"Details of this special pre-sale will be shared with the local community via a letterbox drop next week," he said.

Mr Dickson said a 10.30pm curfew and noise control measures applied.

"The Stadium will engage specialist acoustic consultants to assist in the management of noise control," he said.

"As part of that process, sound engineers will be at the control panel during the concerts and will be in communication with technicians monitoring noise levels at various locations outside the Stadium to ensure they remain compliant with guidelines."

Public transport to and from the venue is provided free for all ticketholders.

Source: http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/one-direction-coming-brisbane-february-2015/2262147/