Lynne's Theatre Notes

 https://www.sydneyartsguide.com.au/art-is-life-by-jerry-saltz/ ART IS LIFE : THE REFLECTIONS OF MAJOR AMERICAN ART CRITIC JERRY SALTZ 21 DECEMBER 2022   LYNNE LANCASTER   LEAVE A COMMENT Jerry Saltz  is a major American art critic. Since 2006, he has been senior art critic and columnist for  New York  magazine, and he received the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism in 2018. Concentrating on American art. Australia barely gets a mention if at all, although there are discussions of various Biennales etc. Jerry Saltz’s new book  ART IS LIFE  is a collection of roughly eighty essays by him, arranged chronologically from 1999 to 2021. The book is divided into four parts, with an introduction and essay about how  Saltz  turned to art criticism as a ‘failed artist’. Acknowledgements and a handy index are at the back. It is eloquently, phenomenally well written. Be careful when turning the pages though – the paper is quite delicate and fragile. What ...

  loved  this !!  https://www.sydneyartsguide.com.au/framed-by-john-m-green/ FRAMED : THE SIXTH NOVEL BY JOHN M GREEN 19 DECEMBER 2022   LYNNE LANCASTER   LEAVE A COMMENT This is an engrossing, electrifying book, a fascinating novel about the world of High Art conservation and restoration, fakes (or not), shady financial deals worth millions and the criminal underworld. This is John M Green’s sixth novel. Using the real-life Garner Museum Heist as inspiration, it  jumps between Sydney and Europe (with the main villains based in Belfast, but also, for instance, there are mentions of London, Paris and Monaco). Marvellously written, the characters are finely nuanced and multi-faceted. The first person voice is used to delineate our heroine JJ here in Sydney while the third person voice is used to describe the cold, ruthless, evil Farrellys. The book is relatively thick, divided into ninety short chapters. The art restoration/conservation world is comprehensive...

  https://www.sydneyartsguide.com.au/the-song-company-fullness-of-joy/#more-98398 THE SONG COMPANY – FULLNESS OF JOY 18 DECEMBER 2022   LYNNE LANCASTER   LEAVE A COMMENT Filmed at St Mary’s Cathedral Crypt on  Saturday 19 November, the Nielson, ACO Pier 2/3  on Sunday 20 November and streamed by the Australian Digital Concert Hall on 15 December as part of the 2022 Higher Ground season, the latest Song Company concert celebrated  Antony Pitts  in his last concert as Director of the Song Company after seven years. The complex, multi layered and precisely structured music was given a lustrous performance by the artists of The Song Company along with The SongCo Apprentices and The SongCo Chorale, passionately and eloquently presented. Pitts conducted most enthusiastically and dynamically. The concert was bookended with music by  Thomas Tallis  as well as other early choral works and also includes three works by living composers. At times, the Co...

 https://www.sydneyartsguide.com.au/the-australian-ballet-school-butterfly/ THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET SCHOOL : BUTTERFLY 17 DECEMBER 2022   LYNNE LANCASTER   LEAVE A COMMENT Carlton Tough and Amy Ronnfeldt Hugo Dumapit This was a terrific chance to see students of the Australian Ballet School, currently directed by  Lisa   Pavane . Filmed at Arts Centre Melbourne, Friday 9 December, 7.30pm and streamed by the Australian Digital Concert Hall it is a wonderful showcase for the students of the School . The first section before the first interval consisted of several pieces for the various year levels.  EL Tango   choreographed by  Stephen Baynes  for Level 8 to the music of  Astor Piazzolla , with red outfits for the women and black outfits for the men. It was ‘hot’ as they say and slinky, the women in pointe shoes, the men at times doing cartwheels with chairs. It included some difficult lifts, inward turns with long arms and some huge leaps. ...

  https://www.sydneyartsguide.com.au/the-marais-project-a-pilgrimes-solace/ THE MARAIS PROJECT – A PILGRIME’S SOLACE 15 DECEMBER 2022   LYNNE LANCASTER   LEAVE A COMMENT Jenny Eriksson and Tommie Anderson The Marais Project, directed by  Jennifer Eriksson  on her viola da gamba,  presented a rare concert of some of the finest Elizabethan-era songs.IIt was first streamed by the Australian Digital Concert Hall and then a live performance the following day at the  Choirs Rehearsal Studio, Walsh Bay Arts Precinct.  We   heard an edited assortment of works by renowned composer/lutenist  John Dowland , who died almost 400 years ago, in particular his  ‘A Pilgrime’s Solace’ . His music explores melancholy and love. Also included was  John Danyel’s  (1564 – 1626) ‘Funeral Tears’. It was presented by a top trio –  Jennifer Eriksson ,  Tommie Anderson  and tenor  Koen van Stade.  The quality of performa...

  https://www.sydneyartsguide.com.au/the-australian-ballet-romeo-and-juliet/ THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET : ROMEO AND JULIET 6 DECEMBER 2022   LYNNE LANCASTER   LEAVE A COMMENT Rina Nemoto in the Australian Ballet’s ‘Romeo and Juliet. Pic Daniel Boud  (4 / 5) Full of youthful vibrancy, this production is as fresh as if it has never been seen before ( it has been in the Australian Ballet repertoire since 1974, and not performed for twenty years ). Technically the dancing was superb, and the Orchestra under the baton of  Jonathan Lo  played Prokofiev’s stirring, passionate music excellently. Jurgen Rose’s  atmospheric sets, sometimes with very quick locale changes, caught late Renaissance Verona delightfully, ably assisted with the lighting design by  Jon Buswell . The detailed, multi textured costumes, establishing House and rank were glorious – and the incredibly intricate beading for some of them was marvellous. Weighty grandeur for the older generation...

https://www.sydneyartsguide.com.au/ensemble-offspring-listen-up/#more-98087 ENSEMBLE OFFSPRING LISTEN UP! 4 DECEMBER 2022   LYNNE LANCASTER   LEAVE A COMMENT   The latest, most exciting offering from Ensemble Offspring directed by  Claire Edwards  is a two part concert entitled  LISTEN UP!  The first half is called  Whirling and Turning ,   the second  Songline Inventions.  It was filmed at the Cell Block Theatre , National Art School and streamed by the Australian Digital Concert Hall . Whirling and Turning  is in five sections and included two world premieres by Australian composer  Kate Neal  and New Zealand rising star  Karlo Margetić .  T ristan Coelho’s  crisp, sharp and spiky  read/write error,  was complex and assured including some concomitant technological sounds.  Margetić’s  jumpy  Bricks and Mor tar for violin, cello and percussion, flowed and crackled. Kate Neal’s ...

 https://www.sydneyartsguide.com.au/bruno-leti-series-a-life-of-images/ This book about  Leti’s  work is a large coffee table book extensively, beautifully illustrated . It includes a forward, a bibliography and index, a list of the group and solo exhibitions  Leti  has shown in and biographies of the various contributors. Curated and written by both  Leti  and editor  Thomas Middlemost  ,with contributions by other writers , the book traces many of Leti’s works from the 1960’s to now , and details the inspirations and media used for different series  . Leti’s  portrait series are discussed as well as his various work processes and how he cuts across various media (paintings, drawings , etchings , watercolours , photography…). Leti  is heavily influenced by the Australian landscape but also his Italian background. Leti  lives and works in Melbourne. He is represented in national, state and regional galleries, as well as un...