The theme and aspiration for the Festival this year is "Be Open", to encourage our community to be open to ideas and experiences that delight, challenge and entertain. The programme is deliberately diverse with stories being told using many different mediums, with multiple layers that reflect our society, art, culture and humanity, referencing the world around us. The Festival will offer a celebration of theatre, music, dance, comedy, circus and literary delights from 16-31st October 2021.
This year, Nuit Blanche – Art After Dark, will kick off the 2021 Hawke's Bay Arts Festival and the Napier arts quarter will come alive with a fantastic line-up of free visual and performing arts. The programme starts at the Napier Municipal Theatre with a free performance with Ōkareka Dance Company's Mana Wahine, a not to be missed contemporary dance experience. Other highlights include Laughton Kora and works by internationally acclaimed visual Artist Hye Rim Lee alongside a celebration of local visual artists.
The theatre line up is fabulous and includes Indian Ink's Mrs Krishnan's Party that picks up 7 years after that original tale, Krishnan's Dairy left off. Enter the back room of Mrs Krishnan's store where garlands decorate the ceiling and music flows at a party that has the critics raving and audiences leaping to their feet. A one of a kind theatre experience.
Ka Shue (Letters Home) is an epic story of love, laughter and loss over a hundred years, seen through the eyes of a Chinese family struggling to resettle in Aotearoa written and performed by Lynda Chanwai-Earle, with live music performed by Nikau Wi Neera.
Hello Darkness by Peter Wells adapted by award winning playwright Victor Rodger, is the story of the intensely private writer who while receiving treatment for prostate cancer, reached out to the world via Facebook, where he examined his life as he also contemplated the end of it. Peter's posts were collated and published under the title Hello Darkness and will be performed by Roy Ward under the direction of Shane Bosher.
Whare Korero: Stories within Stories a special commission for the Festival, is an intimate theatre experience directed and co-created by Puti Lancaster (The Contours of Heaven, As the Day Draws In) featuring Kristyl Neho and Eru Heke with their own personal stories.
This year marks the centenary of the birth of Bruce Mason one of the most significant playwrights in Aotearoa's theatrical history. Come and see a double shot of Bruce Mason's best plays. The End of the Golden Weather is the story of an adolescent boy who tries to find his place in an adult-dominated world. Not Christmas, but Guy Fawkes is a richly autobiographical search for self-expression.
There is music for all tastes from contemporary classical and Taonga Pūoro, World Music, Hip Hop, RnB, Reggae, Folk and Flamenco.
Bridget Douglas, principal flute in the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra joins with Alistair Fraser, renowned taonga pūoro researcher and artist, to weave their two musical worlds across one magical night against the striking backdrop of a specially commissioned video work by visual artist Bridget Reweti (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi). Strauss, Part and Mendelssohn will be performed by Hawke's Bay's premier orchestral ensemble, joined by professional musician 'friends' from around the country to present three landmark compositions for larger chamber ensembles – Strauss' Capriccio for string sextet, Pärt's Tabula Rasa for strings and prepared piano, and Mendelssohn Octet.
With the most top ten songs of any individual in New Zealand music history, Che Fu is one of the country's most successful and beloved recording artists. Che Fu and his band the Kratez will be playing all the tracks off his Navigator Album in its entirety in celebration of it being 20 years since its release. Hawke's Bay group Ish will play evocative sounds and relentless rhythms from around the world as they transport you to fire-lit camps, crowded taverns and fiesta dance floors playing fiddle, flute, bouzouki, banjo, bass, cajon and drums.
Paul Bosauder who recently returned from Seville after 14years of performing and studying Flamenco music in Spain, presents Tierra Y Mar Flamenco Project, an authentic journey to the South of Spain to discover the essence of flamenco guitar and dance.
Teremoana Rapley who won the Taite Prize twice, brings her whole self to the table, unapologetically expressing her thoughts delivered in a natural curation process interplayed between aural and visual treats from 808's bass to sweet acoustic tunes, from seasonal backdrops to artistic graphic design interpretations of each of the songs. Reb Fountain and her outstanding band will be premiering material from her highly anticipated new album IRIS along with songs from her Taite Prize winning self-titled album. The powerful combination of Troy Kingi and Delaney Davidson, come together for this year's Festival to perform music from Troy's latest Album Black Sea Golden Ladder.
Laughter is guaranteed with multi-award-winning South African-New Zealander, Urzila Carlson presenting new show - It's Personal. This is guaranteed to be a fantastic night at the Opera House.
Comedy and circus sensation Thom Monckton, returning from his home in Finland, will astound you in The Artist: an incredible feat of physical strength, skilled theatrics, and comedic storytelling.
With a packed visual arts programme, fun family events and a readers and writers weekend, there is really something for all tastes, pockets and interests. For further information and tickets, please visit www.hbaf.co.nz. Please note: any tickets purchased to shows that may be cancelled or postponed due to Covid-19 changes will be fully refunded.