Lighting up Melbourne for Christmas

Monday 28 November 2011, 3:23 PM
By The Team | Posted in Events and Places and Style

The elves have been hard at work decorating the City of Melbourne this Christmas. But the mastermind behind the city’s dazzling Christmas light projections, AGB Events’ Anthony Bastic, managed to find time to tell readers about the projections for 2011 Christmas Festival.

How do you design the projections? It starts with a story. The creative team work out the overall narrative and message.

Next, the design team work out how best to portray the story through images, while enhancing the building’s architectural features.

How long does it take to create the work? The design process takes around eight weeks.

What is the story underpinning the Christmas projections? We have created two very different stories, one for the State Library and one for St Paul’s Cathedral, which are told via large-scale digital projections.

The Nutcracker story on the State Library is designed especially for children. Melbourne has a fantastic tradition of presenting highly decorated shop windows expressing a Christmas theme and we’ve tried to capture this idea in the design for the State Library, while presenting the story in a modern way.

The story on St Paul’s was created for grown-ups. The images on the cathedral reflect our life in Melbourne. We are reminded of the wonderful pink skies of the summer months, the beauty of country Victoria and the pulsating sun that supplies the life force. The fireflies can be interpreted as humankind as we make our way towards being with friends and family at Christmas.

What other similar projects have you worked on? My background is in creating and producing large-scale public celebrations. I love thinking up ideas that can experienced by many people, especially when they are offered free to the public – thanks, City of Melbourne.

If you could design a projection for any building in the world, what would it be? To be honest, Melbourne has so many wonderful Victorian buildings that take light projections beautifully. I have my eye on a few of them and am thinking up ideas all the time. If I had my pick of international buildings, I think the Taj Mahal, and Grand Central Station in New York, would be wonderful.

The Christmas projections on the facade of St Paul’s Cathedral facing Federation Square and on the front of the State Libary, starting Friday 2 December at 9.45pm.

Book a place for dinner or drinks nearby and be the first to witness these projections as part of the Christmas Festival.

Curtain up

Wednesday 12 October 2011, 1:46 PM
By The Team | Posted in Events and Style

By Sonia Harford

A ‘parade’ of huge shiny babies along Swanston Street and St Kilda Road heralded the arrival of this year’s Melbourne Festival. Born in Russia, the Angels-Demons will be mothered by Melbourne in the playground of the CBD until 22 October.

The 2011 festival program is kaleidoscopic, with performers and art from countries across Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe. An early favourite is China’s Rhinoceros in Love with its goofy gags and overwrought romantic lead. Rajasthani musicians are enrapturing audiences at The Manganiyar Seduction, and there is much more to come in venues around Melbourne.

Gary Foley presents stories of his activist life in Australia in Foley, while Melbourne playwright Barry Dickins glimpses an artist’s life in Whiteley’s Incredible Blue. At the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Mavis Staples and Rickie Lee Jones headline an evening of protest songs ignited by great moments in history in notes from the hard road and beyond.

The arts overload will test even the most fanatical festival-goer so get out the calendar and make a plan. Meanwhile, the festival pop-up performance lounge at the Arts Centre shimmers with sequinned performers, slick drinks and crunchy nibbles. Entry is free so drop by for a post-show debrief with some arts pals. The festival plays on our stages until 22 October.

For more information, see Melbourne Festival.

Sailors march on Melbourne

Wednesday 21 September 2011, 2:46 PM
By The Team | Posted in Style

Traffic was brought to a stop and crowds gathered as the company of HMAS Cerberus exercised their Freedom of Entry to Melbourne, granted in honour of the Royal Australian Navy’s centenary.

The event began with Victoria Police horses barring entry to the City of Melbourne.

The scroll party advances forward with their proof of entry.

The Royal Australian Navy exercise their Freedom of Entry.

In full ceremonial uniform.

With swords drawn, band playing and Colours flying.

Sailors were saluted by the Lord Mayor and the Chief of Navy as they marched past the Royal Australian Navy White Ensign.

Read more about the origins and meaning behind the Freedom of Entry march in Sailors ahoy! It’s been 100 years.