MELBOURNE WILL BE RISING THIS WINTER
Melbourne’s creativity bubbles to the surface during the chilly season and this year is no exception, with its newest annual festival, RISING, in town from May 26 to June 6.
Familiar landmarks including the Sidney Myer Music Bowl and Chinatown will be transformed into the unfamiliar as visitors celebrate 12 nights of immersive experiences.
And with 133 events and projects by more than 750 Victorian artists, RISING will play an important role as Australians emerge from their homes and reboot the visitor economy.
RISING co-artistic director Gideon Obarzanek says the festival will be a new cultural experience for Australia, as the festival showcases “a surge of music, art, performance and ceremony in the heart of Melbourne that captures, celebrates and responds unambiguously to Melbourne now”.
The first day of the festival will coincide with a lunar eclipse. Here are some of the festival’s top experiences and where to find them.
GO WILD
From roaring fires to an icy rink lit by a giant moon, The Wilds offers elemental experiences to visitors at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Wander through the amphitheatre — transformed into a supernatural forest beaming with art and music — to the Rinky Dink on the bowl’s stage. Get your skates on and glide beneath artist Luke Jerram’s giant Museum of the Moon before visiting the atrium for a treat at chef David Moyle’s pop-up restaurant The Lighthouse. Entry price is $15 or $35 including entry, skating and booking fee. The Lighthouse is 3-courses for $90 including entry to The Wilds. Open 5.30pm-late.
BE INSPIRED
Along the Birrarung’s (Yarra River) banks you’ll find a 200-metre long glowing eel skeleton and hundreds of lanterns floating on the river’s tide at the Wandering Stars event. The installation showcases the eel’s journey from local inland waterways to the deepest depths of the Coral Sea and features an enigmatic soundscape. Floating lanterns made by the community (under the supervision of The Lantern Company) will also be exhibited. Be inspired while feasting on fire-roasted snacks along Birrarung Marr. Entry is free. Open 5.15pm-late.
HEAR SWEET MELODY
At sunrise or sunset, make your way to the Birrarung and Maribyrnong river banks and hear the harmonious voices of singers composed by acclaimed opera singer Deborah Cheetham AO, with artists Thomas Supple and Byron J. Scullin. The Rivers Sing is a large-scale sonic artwork powered by speakers and can be heard kilometres away. Afterwards, enjoy a chardonnay or mocktail at Tipo 00 located in the intimate laneway, Lt Bourke Street. Entry is free. Starts at sunrise (7.25am) and sunset (5.15pm).
IMMERSE YOURSELF
Enter a concrete temple of contemporary art, pop-up bars and live performances on the Golden Square car park roof in Chinatown. Grab a cocktail from a group of internationally lauded ex-Black Pearl bartenders, now operating under the name Fancy Free. Explore murals and melting ice sculptures before heading down to the car park’s lower levels to view works from international and Australian artists such as Patty Chang and Monira Al Qadiri. Curated by Grace Herbert, Golden Square will have you looking at the world differently by the time you reach street level. Entry price is $23-$32 plus booking fee. Open 6pm-late.
EXPLORE THE UNKNOWN
Uncover new life forms in the ballroom above Flinders Street Station — which is usually off-limits to the public — and witness a major installation by visual artist Patricia Piccinini. Entitled A Miracle Constantly Repeated, the event will fill the room with an ecosystem of hyper-real silicone sculptures, enormous dioramas and life-sustaining foliage. Entry price is $32-$36 plus booking fee, persons under 12 enter free. Open 1pm-11pm.
STACK PLATES
A visit to Melbourne Town Hall’s bustling food hub will leave you waddling home with your belt undone. The Dinner Party is a theatrical dining experience illuminated by a giant glowing moon and boasts delicious food by Melbourne’s best chefs. Feast on bamboo baskets at Late Night Yum Cha, a bowl of broth at Stock Exchange or sample Veraising’s organic wines. Later, stay a night at the luxurious W Melbourne located on trendy Flinders Lane. Tickets from $85 per person. Open 6pm-9pm on June 2-3.
“A SURGE OF MUSIC, ART, PERFORMANCE AND CEREMONY IN THE HEART OF MELBOURNE.”