News, Arts Events and Workshops for the Shire of Ravensthorpe

Culture with a capital F came to Ravensthorpe last week with a splendid performance of Mozart's famous opera The Marriage of Figaro, in the cavernous Ravensthorpe Exhibition Centre. Over 300 locals took advantage of free entry to the performance that featured the superb South Australian company Co-Opera.

The performance, financed by the Ravensthorpe Shire Council (using monies from drought relief funding) exceeded all expectations, causing the large audience to gasp with delight at the sheer professionalism and expertise of this small but highly accomplished opera company.

Performances all round were of the highest possible standard ensuring that the local audience accessed opera as it is seen and heard in the world's great opera theatres.

Using an impressive stage setting complete with gilded cherubs and under-lit platforms, the cast appeared to thoroughly enjoy itself, shamlessly flaunting its skills in intimate proximity to the spellbound audience, which included a gaggle of delighted children.

The Marriage of Figaro, features a convoluted but comic plot that provides many opportunities for laughter. A highlight of the performance was the musical accompaniment provided by Co-Opera's own professional chamber orchestra under the direction of Brian Chatterton.

Costuming was exotic featuring outrageous rubber wigs and clear plastic inserts as part of the sumptuous period dress.

Ravensthorpe Regional Arts (RRAC) was commissioned by the Shire to oversee the running of the event which was generously catered by the Ravensthorpe Hockey Association, with the Ravensthorpe Basketball Association providing a well-stocked bar.

At the conclusion of the event Mr. Chatterton praised the many children gathered around the stage for their concentration over four acts. Jenny Chambers, President of RRAC, also thanked the students of the Ravensthorpe District High School for laying and removing the carpet squares, which made for excellent orchestral acoustics. This raised funds for the school's Canberra excursion in 2012.

Anne Norman, author, musician and tea enthusiast presented a morning of absurditea at the Toun Beach café on 30th August. Wearing a Japanese-style headdress (were teabags among the dangling decorations?), Anne entertained her audience with a delicious blend of poetry, anecdote and music from India, China and Japan.

The haunting sound of the shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute) opened the show and further pieces were interspersed among the stories, poems and songs. Particularly evocative was "Rain Now and Then", a piece Anne composed on a wet day in her home in Victoria.

Audience members were treated to an entertaining history of tea from its first use in ancient China and India to its present-day importance throughout the world. Who knew that the story of tea was closely interlinked with the production of Dutch porcelain and English bone china, or the timing of the transportation of British convicts to New South Wales?

In other anecdotes, Anne told of her travels in the tea-growing mountains of China and India, where local people pick their leaves from thousand-year-old jungle trees. She explained the processes that bring us the various teas with their different levels of oxidation and medicinal benefits. Serious tea drinkers took up her invitation to taste-test a selection of these with the traditional English accompaniment of scones.

 

Read more: Morning Absurditea

RRAC committee members, Jen Chambers and Fay Obrien attended the September Shire meeting with consultant Carol Whish-Wilson to update the council on RRAC's developing Strategic Plan. RRAC received funding from Lotterywest to develop the plan and Carol was undertaking her second visit to Ravensthorpe to discuss the draft plan with our member groups and community people.

Timely with the development of our strategic plan has been on invitation for RRAC to step up its Country Arts WA funding to a higher level. This is quite an honour and recognizes the success and achievements of such a small community.

The implications of accepting this higher level of funding are that we will require additional Shire of Ravensthorpe support with the Shire committing to match the Country Arts funding of $15,000 pa in cash or kind. RRAC will also be required to employ a part time coordinator. One of the risks to our organisation is volunteer burnout. If we were to secure this additional funding then the employment of a coordinator would lead to increased arts activities in the shire and enable RRAC to plan and undertake longer tern projects and leverage additional income from other sources.

If you would like to receive a copy of the strategic plan or have any questions please contact the RRAC committee.