Celebrate International Dance Day and the start of Australian Dance Week by joining in with Big Dance outside the National Portrait Gallery on Sunday. Photo: Amanda James.
This weekend promises to be filled with culture and spectacle. The Canberra International Music Festival opens on Friday night with a Gala concert at the Fitters’ Workshop in Kingston, and the Spielegent Tent is back for another season with the cabaret show, Blanc de Blanc headlining the program. It is the final opportunity to see the Twitter Art Exhibit at the Strathnairn Arts Centre and Another Day in Paradise, an exhibition of the art of Myuran Sukumaran, at the Tuggeranong Arts Centre. Then on Sunday join in, or watch others in the Big Dance – the largest free dance celebration in the world -at the National Portrait Gallery.
All weekend
Canberra International Music Festival
Where: Various venues
When: 27 April – 6 May
The Canberra International Music Festival starts this weekend – ten days of curated classical music concerts featuring internationally celebrated artists. This weekend the program includes:
Friday
- Talk of the Town – The Violinists featuring Tim Fain, Cecilia Bernardini and Roland Peelman, 2 – 3 pm at Gorman House. Tickets $10.
- Opening Gala featuring the Back Akademie Australia, Tim Fain, Kate Howden, Tobias Cole, William Barton on the didgeridoo, Ned McGowan, Susanna Borsch and Keiko Shichijio, 7:30 – 9:30 pm at Fitters’ Workshop, Kingston. Tickets from $25, $69 for adult.
Saturday
- Dapper’s Delight featuring Susanna Borsch on the recorder and Adrian Brown, 11 am – 12:15 pm at Fitters’ Workshop, Kingston. Tickets from $25, $59 for adult.
- Renowned pianist Roger Woodward plays Chopin’s complete Etudes and Debussy’s Estampes and Images I & II, 3 – 4:40 pm at Fitters’ Workshop, Kingston. Tickets from $25, $59 for adult.
- Four Seasons featuring young charismatic violinist, Tim Fain, 8 – 9:50 pm at Fitters’ Workshop, Kingston. Tickets from $25, $69 for adult
Sunday
- Bach on Sunday featuring the Back Akademie Australia, Neal Peres Da Costa, Daniel Yeadon, Susannah Lawergren, Tobias Cole, Richard Butler, Andrew O’Connor and Andrew Fysh, 11 am – 12:20 pm at Fitters’ Workshop, Kingston. Tickets from $25, $59 for adult.
- Enoch Arden featuring Simon Tedeschi on piano and John Bell as narrator performing Richard Strauss’s musical melodrama based on Tennyson’s poem, 3 – 4:15 pm at Fairfax Theatre, National Gallery of Australia. Tickets from $25, $59 for adult.
- Classic Souvenir featuring Keiko Shichiio on fortepiano, Cecilia Bernardini and the Orava Quartet, 6:30 – 8:10 pm at Fitters’ Workshop, Kingston. Tickets from $25, $69 for adult.
Check out the full program for the Festival and book tickets here.
Twitter Art Exhibition
Where: Strathnairn Arts Centre, Holt
When: Friday, Saturday & Sunday 10 am – 4 pm
This weekend is the final opportunity to see the Twitter Art Exhibit showing at the Strathnain Arts Centre in Holt. Started eight years ago by Norwegian artist David Sandum to help his local library buy much-needed children’s books, the Twitter Art Exhibit is an annual event that features original postcard-sized art created and donated by artists from all around the world. All the art pieces in the Exhibit are for sale with the proceeds of their sale going towards a local charity. The Exhibit has previously been staged in Norway, USA and UK, and it is in Australia for the first time to support of local charity Pegasus Riding for the Disabled.
Spiegeltent Canberra
Where: Civic Square (outside the Canberra Theatre)
When: 26 April – 20 May
The Spiegeltent is returning to Canberra this week for a three and a half week visit, and headlining the program this season is Blanc de Blanc, a fast-paced, high energy cabaret and acrobatic show. Produced by Strut & Fret this show is a homage to French champagne and features vintage glamour and high-end spectacle. Also appearing in the tent this weekend is comedian Sam Simmons on Friday night and musician Dan Sultan on Saturday night. Tickets for Sam an Dan are $45, tickets for Blanc de Banc start from $69 for an adult on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday nights and $75 on Friday and Saturday nights. Book here.
Saturday
Meeting Mozart
Where: Canberra Theatre
When: 10 & 11:30 am
Introduce your kids to Mozart through the talent of pianist Simon Tedeschi, actor Michelle Doake – who will play the role of Mrs Mozart – and a string quartet. Together this crew will teach kids about classical instruments and play some of Mozart’s greatest hits including variations on Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Turkish March (Rondo alla Turca) and music from The Magic Flute. Maybe a good event to involve the grandparents. Tickets from $30 or $25 for a group of four or more. Book here. The show is followed by an informal and relaxed meet and greet in the foyer where your kids can get up-close with the string instruments.
Sunday
International Dance Day
Where: National Portrait Gallery
When: 2:30 – 3:30 pm
Celebrate International Dance Day and the start of Australian Dance Week by joining in with Big Dance outside the National Portrait Gallery on Sunday. Big Dance is the largest free dance celebration in the world, anyone can join in regardless of age, ability or experience – just learn the dance and join the flash mob. This year the dance has been choreographed by acclaimed Indigenous choreographer Frances Rings in collaboration with Craig Bary. Learn the choreography here and register for the event here. After the Big Dance performance, Gordan Ramsay MLA, ACT Minister for the Arts and Community Events will formally launch Dance Week at the Portrait Gallery and there will be performances by Maheyrin Chowdhury, Liz Lea and Katie Senior.
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