New Australian contemporary performance art and music at Hue Festival 2010

Hanoi – Hue Festival 2010 will showcase new Australian contemporary performance art and music to Hue locals and international visitors. Featured acts include fire/glow and dance performances from The Carnival of the Divine Imagination, innovative electronic music/video from well-known composer Darrin Verhagen, and a unique experimental stage performance “Fire Moves Away” by a group of young artists from Sydney. The Australian Embassy is pleased to work with Australian-Vietnamese Director Le Quy Duong to bring Darrin Verhagen and “Fire Moves Away” to Vietnam.

Australian Ambassador, HE Allaster Cox said, “I am proud to introduce these young and talented Australian artists to Vietnamese audiences. Hue Festival has established a reputation already as Vietnam’s leading cultural event and we are pleased that this year’s festival will feature a large Australian presence, furthering strengthening links between Hue and Australia.”

During the Festival, Australia will also showcase another aspect of its culture via the South Australia Wine and Food Show, promoting links between the two festival cities of Hue and Adelaide.

The Carnival of the Divine Imagination has performed successfully in major Australian cities and internationally in Singapore, China and India for the past 8 years. The troupe’s performances combine circus, fire performance and body movement reflected in UV light. At Hue Festival 2010, the troupe will introduce their newest work titled “Elixia”. The performance is a fable that tells the tale of two companions’ depravation, separation, escape and reunion. “Elixia” is suitable for audiences of all ages.

Darrin Verhagen is a well-known electronic music composer, freelance writer and lecturer at RMIT University, and who is currently living in Australia. An artist of versatile talent, he is also famous for exhibition and installation art. He has released several albums and toured widely internationally. Darrin Verhagen’s performances on this trip will also feature video art. This type of performance is relatively new in Vietnam, promising to bring amazement to Hue audiences.

A group of young performers from Sydney will bring their new experimental stage and modern dance experience to Hue Festival in the production “Fire Moves Away”. Similar to The Carnival of the Divine Imagination, this group will bring art closer to the public by reflecting real life events.

Australia is proud to have left a distinct impression at each Hue Festival. In 2008, the Australian artistic group Wellspring worked with Hue artists to create “Dragon and Phoenix”, a large-scale sculptural work depicting two symbolic animals important to Vietnamese spiritual life. At the 2006 Festival, featured Australian contributions included sculptures by artist Clare Martin, a ground-breaking play “A story of a Kangaroo at Huong River” by Australian-Vietnamese Director Le Quy Duong and the Wellspring production “Two Dragons Playing with Lotus” in the Huong River.