What’s on November: Cromwell edition

As the editor of a fledgling section on Arts & Culture it was always my hope that people would reach out and let me know what’s going on in their part of the community so that we can spread the word far and wide. It seems as though wishes do still come true and we’ve had some fabulous information in from the Cromwell Arts Centre. We’re lucky to have institutions like this, if no-one took the time and effort to bring shows and events to town then there would inevitably be a dearth of culture. So if you’re a Cromwell local , or fancy a visit, make sure to take note of these events happening in the next month. Our thanks to the Cromwell Arts Centre for their release with details about the below events.

If you have something happening in your community that you'd like us to help spread the word on then please email me, I'd love to hear from you. 


ART & THEATRE

Event: Messy Magic Adventure
Best for: Kids aged 4-9
When: Monday, 5 November at 4.00pm (1 hour show)
Where: Coronation Hall, 37 Hall Road, Bannockburn.
Tickets: $5 are now on sale at the Cromwell and all other iSites in Central Otago.

Lizzie/Spray and David/Wipe are a smooth team with plenty of kids’-level jokes and double-entendres to amuse children and grown-ups alike. Smelly bottoms, stinky grown-ups and good old chestnuts, loud farting et al have had full house audiences laughing all over the country.
 
Everybody will have fun. Acrobatic stunts will be made to look easy, juggling with brooms likewise.  Absolutely ghastly puns and misquotes of advertisements currently on the box are bound to be a delight and the old custard pie in the face gag will send everyone into raptures
.  
The sleight of hand, slick timing with recorded sounds: fabulous. This show has sold out everywhere it’s been and with the Coronation Hall at Bannockburn only holding 100 why will it not sell out there?

Event: Seven Deadly Stunts
Best for: The whole family
When: Monday 5 November at 7.30pm  [75 minutes - no interval]
Where: Coronation Hall, 37 Hall Road, Bannockburn
Tickets: Adults $25; SuperGold $20; Student/Child 14+ $5 are now on sale at the Cromwell and all other iSites in Central Otago.  Door sales – Maybe !          

Step right up as Rollicking Entertainment celebrates seven of the most notorious stunts in carnie history. A nail biting experience inspired by the life and times of Harry Houdini.

Escapology, chainsaw juggling, walking on broken glass and other famous feats are performed along with the stories of how and why they exist. This show is literally seven stunts – each an exercise in danger, trust and skill. But it’s also seven stories of the sideshow, the freak show, the music hall, vaudeville and the big top.

It’s one real married couple. It’s a celebration of what is possible. And it’s for you, if you ever fell in love with the world of Houdini, Carnivale or The Night Circus.

Exciting, terrifying and genuinely funny, roll up and join the dastardly duo of Rollicking Entertainment – Lizzie Tollemache and David Ladderman. Come laugh, gasp and cheer – the carnival is in town.

Event: Edinburgh Central Art Awards
Where:  Lake Dunstan Boat Club, Partridge Rd, McNulty Inlet Cromwell Exhibition open hours:

• Friday 9 November: 10am - 6pm
• Saturday 10 November: 10am - 5pm
• Sunday 11 November: 10am - 4pm

Following 12 successful years of the Edinburgh Realty Premier Art Awards in Dunedin, Edinburgh Realty is very excited to be hosting the first Edinburgh Central Art Awards in conjunction with the Central Otago Art Society. All artwork will be available to purchase, so make sure you head along and see what our local talent has to offer!

MUSIC
 
What: Central Otago Regional Choir
Best for: Cultured afternoon music
When: Sunday 11 November 2.30pm
Where:  Dunstan High School Hall, Enterprise St. Alexandra
Tickets: Adults $20 on sale at Cromwell Paper Plus.  Door sales subject to availability.

The Central Otago Regional Choir and its founder John Buchanan, present “Viva Vivaldi,” a joyous celebration of exquisite music, culminating in the performance of one of Vivaldi’s most popular works: the exuberant and inspirational Gloria in D.  The choir and soloists Caroline Burchell and Lucy Clough will be accompanied by a string quartet from Dunedin’s Symphony Orchestra with additional colour being provided by Kemp English (harpsichord).

Kemp English and the string quartet will perform Haydn’s delightfully elegant and delicate Concerto in D for Harpsichord while a selection of favourite works chosen by the choir, accompanied by Sharon McLennan (piano),.will be included as a special tribute to John Buchanan, who is leaving Central Otago.

Join them for our Regional Choir in this memorable celebration of music at its best!

What: ALCHEMY - Guitar Duets from Around the World
Best for: Guitar aficionados
When: Tuesday 20 November, 7.30pm
Where: Coronation Hall, 37 Hall Road, Bannockburn
Tickets:  Adults $25; SuperGold $20; Student/Child $5 are now on sale at the Cromwell and all other iSites in Central Otago.  Some door sales are likely to be available. 
  
You probably have not heard of Andrew Blanch and Ariel Nurhadi - a guitar duo based in Sydney! But they are well known in Oz and are coming to NZ to judge the NZ Classical Guitar Competition in the capital in early December.  Before doing so they are making an 8 stop tour of New Zealand.   Fortunately for us they have decided to fly into Queenstown and wend their way north stopping first to play for us.
 
We are delighted to have the chance to present them. We have few opportunities to offer guitar music other than the NZ Guitar Quartet who have played here in 2013, 2014 and 2017. So it’s time for a slice of variety. Andrew and Ariel are known for their exciting ensemble work and innovative directions.
 
The programme they will play is Alchemy that will take us on a musical tour of the world featuring some of the finest music written and arranged for guitar duet, with masterpieces from France, Germany, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, USA and Australia. Very little “classical” included but more latin with a little pop thrown in.

You will realise after hearing them why they were described in the Sydney Arts Guide as “two stunning young guitarists”

What: Opera on screen
Best for: Music fans
When: Sunday 25 November at 4.00pm.
Where: Arthur’s Cinema, 52 Erris Street, Cromwell
Tickets: Members $29; Non-members $32  
              BOOKINGS: 03 445-8175 or 027 554-5538

Would you love to go to the Metropolitan Opera House at the Lincoln Center in New York? Of course you would, but maybe the constraints of time and expenses are holding you back. Well, Arthur’s Cinema can help. Toward the end of the month they start showing the new season of performances at the Met Op starting with Verdi’s masterpiece Aida.

In what should be a highlight of the new season, soprano Anna Netrebko sings her first MET Aida, going toe-to-toe with mezzo-soprano Anita Rachvelishvili as Amneris.