Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CHORAL MUSIC
DANCE
everything from dance, mime
and circus work to Butoh and
performance art are likely to
appear here.
Bangarra Dance Theatre
uses traditional Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander
dance and music as its
inspiration, infused with
contemporary elements. It
makes outback interstate
and international tours, but
is based in Sydney.
The startling and original
Legs on the Wall
are a
physical theatre group who
work all over the world,
combining circus and aerial
techniques with dance and
narrative to form a heady
mix. Their spectacular
performances take place in
intimate theatres or use
dramatic settings such as
skyscrapers from which the
performers are suspended.
The smaller experimental
companies rely on year-to-
year funding or community-
based work. These include
Reel Dance
, established
in 2008 after eight years
as a side project of the
now defunct One Extra
Dance Company.
Comprised of four choirs: the
300-member Festival Chorus,
the 100-member Symphony
Chorus, the 32-member
Chamber Singers and the
25-member Vox, the
Sydney
Philharmonia Choirs
are the
city's finest. They perform at
the Opera House. December
is the focal point of Sydney's
choral scene, with regular
massed choir performances
of Handel's
Messiah
.
The
Australian Youth Choir
is booked for many private
functions, but if lucky, you
may catch one of their major
annual performances.
One of Sydney's most
impressive vocal groups is the
Café of the Gate of Salvation
,
described as an “Aussie blend
of
a capella
and
gospel
.”
The choir of St James' Church
is an excellent choral group.
The orchestral masses
performed in January, such as
those by Mozart, Haydn and
Schubert, usually fill the church
to capacity so arrive early.
Former choir members who
are now professional soloists
also occasionally perform.
There is an eclectic variety of
dance on offer in Sydney.
The
Australian Ballet
has two
seven-week Sydney seasons
at the Opera House: one in
March/April, the other in
November/December. The
company's repertoire spans
traditional through to modern,
although it is perhaps most
noted for classical ballets such
as
Swan Lake
and
Giselle
.
Sydney Dance Company
is
the city's leading modern
dance group, often combining
its vigorous productions with
innovative musical scores.
The company has performed
in Italy, New York, London
and China. Productions are
mostly staged at the Sydney
Opera House, but are, on
occasion, held at The Wharf
or the new Sydney Theatre
(see pp210-11)
. Rafaela
Bonachela was appointed
artistic director in 2009.
The
Performance Space
,
which is now located at
the CarriageWorks, is very
popular for its experimental
dance and movement theatre.
Artists with backgrounds in
DIRECTORY
OPERA
Opera Australia
Tel
9318 8200.
www
.
opera-australia.org.au
Fourplay
www
.fourplay.com.au
Musica Viva
www
.mva.org.au
Synergy
www
.synergypercussion
.com
Sydney
Philharmonia Choirs
Tel
9251 2024.
www
.sydneyphilharmonia
.com.au
CONCERT AND
DANCE VENUES
City Recital Hall
Angel Place.
Map
1 B4.
Tel
8256 2222.
www
.cityrecitalhall.com
Performance Space
245 Wilson St, Everleigh.
Tel
8571 9111.
www
.
performancespace.com.au
St James' Church
173 King St.
Map
1 B5.
Tel
9232 3022.
www
.sjks.org.au
Sydney Opera House
Bennelong Point.
Map
1 C2.
Tel
9250 7111.
www
.sydneyoperahouse
.com
Sydney Town Hall
483 George Street.
Map
4 E2.
Tel
9265 9333.
ORCHESTRAL
MUSIC
Australian
Brandenburg
Orchestra
Tel
9328 7581.
www
.
brandenburg.com.au
Sydney Symphony
Orchestra
Tel
8215 4600.
www
.
sydneysymphony.com
Sydney Youth
Orchestra
Tel
9251 2422.
www
.syo.com.au
DANCE COMPANIES
Australian Ballet
Tel
9252 5500.
www
.australianballet.
com.au
Bangarra Dance
Theatre
Tel
9251 5333.
www
.bangarra.com.au
Legs on the Wall
Tel
9560 9479.
www
.legsonthewall.
com.au
Reel Dance
www
.reeldance.org.au
Sydney Dance
Company
www
.
sydneydancecompany.com
CHAMBER MUSIC
Australian Chamber
Orchestra
www
.aco.com.au
Australia Ensemble
Tel
9385 4872.
www
.ae.unsw.edu.au
CHORAL MUSIC
Australian Youth
Choir
www
.niypaa.com.au
Café of the Gate of
Salvation
www
.cafeofthegateof
salvation.com.au
CONTEMPORARY
MUSIC
Eastside Arts
395 Oxford St, Paddington.
Tel
9331 2646.
www
.paddingtonuca.
org.au/ea
