John Gollings
Opening Night
Celebration
On Opening Night we celebrate artists, audiences and
Melbourne itself
Rain or shine, it all kicks off at 6pm and gracing the stage at Federation
Square are various bands, musicians and singers whose cultural backgrounds
and musical influences make for a remarkable global tour and celebration:
ska, reggae, jazz, Latin-fusion, brass, percussion, choral, hip hop, traditional
and contemporary music by musicians whose contribution to Australia’s music
scene is ever-expanding and not to be missed.
Gather friends and family, bring an umbrella and some sunscreen (that’s
Melbourne!), pack a picnic basket and put on your dancing shoes because
this concert event not only celebrates the whole of Melbourne, but also the
strength and vitality of its growing and diverse arts community. From Eritrean,
Maltese, Indigenous Australian, Nigerian, Polynesian, Coromos Islander,
Ethiopian, Chilean, Turkish and Greek backgrounds, the Australian artists
in this concert exemplify the depth and richness of Melbourne’s identity. And
they’ll have you dancing!
To mark the significance of the event, artist Margie Mackay presents Longing
Belonging Land, a ceremony of reconciliation that enables the audience to
express commitment to healing and change that in this post-apology
era has particular relevance.
At the conclusion of the Opening Night concert, the musicians onstage
lead the audience in procession to Birrarung Marr for a fire ritual of dance,
light and music, which culminates in lighting a Ngarra Jarra tree, to mark a
moment of joyful ceremony and collective generosity.
The Festival’s Opening Night is also an evening of world premieres
from some of Aust Ʌ