The Famous Spiegeltent
The world's fanciest tent is about to be erected in front of the Opera House and a bunch of musicians, comedians and burlesque artists are set to move in. Andrew P Street corners Famous Spiegeltent honcho Virginia Hyam for the goss
The Opera House forecourt will become home to a new venue from
mid-October to mid-November: the Famous Spiegeltent, the moveable
Belgian ‘mirror tent' built in 1920, and a regular fixture at arts
festivals around the country. It will play host to a range of
performers from across the creative spectrum, from cabaret to music to
comedy and more.
What don't-miss acts will be performing over the month? Well,
if you are into a laugh and some post-burlesque action then you
shouldn't miss the return of The Burlesque Hour. Or if you missed
Camille last year, here's your chance to see this amazing Irish vixen.
I am pretty excited about Root, the ex-TISM guys with a very amusing
country edge, Rowland S Howard [ex-Boys Next Door/Birthday Party], Don
Walker [Cold Chisel pianist and iconic Australian singer-songwriter]
and the final night goes without saying: Tex Perkins, Don Walker and
Charlie Owen. It's a series of very special opportunities to see these
artists in an intimate environment and in many cases with shows
especially created for this season. Frankly, I am pretty excited about
all of the nights; I think I will be camping here!
The program's impressively diverse: what were the selection criteria? The
program sets out to open its doors to a broad audience base and to
capture the combined flavours of the Studio program, the broader
musical offerings across Sydney Opera House and the Spiegeltent
environment. The core of the music program celebrates Australian
singer-songwriters, comprising popular young independent artists
through to high-profile iconic performers; this in itself offers an
eclectic selection to purposefully encapsulate the breadth of amazing
performers out there. I have of course only presented the tip of the
iceberg! The jazz and alternative sounds by international artists
reflect the amazing musical selection we are used to seeing here and it
just wouldn't be a reflection of a Studio experience without queer and
burlesque cabaret and comedy.
Are there any unique challenges in scheduling a program that covers so many different disciplines? The biggest challenge is knowing where to stop and who to leave off the
list, as there are an extraordinary amount of talented artists out
there who deserve to be seen. But I have set out to offer a balance of
choices, within a festival-style schedule, so if you miss out on one
performance you want to see because it's only on one night, then look
again: there will be something else on offer which you are into.
The
Famous Spiegeltent program is launched on Wed 3 Sep. The gala opening
party is on Thu 16 Oct. For more details, contact the Sydney Opera
House (02 9250 7777 www.sydneyoperahouse.com).