Artistic directors reveal the Rising festival events visitors won’t want to miss
From flying saucer hats to dinner theatre with a twist, and an exhilarating show where sport and music collide – these are the standout events at Melbourne’s winter arts festival.
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From singing rivers to flying saucer hats, dinner theatre with a twist to an exhilarating show that marries sport and music – Melbourne’s winter arts festival, Rising, offers a “broad spectrum” of experiences.
The program comprises 105 events featuring more than 480 artists from June 1-16, including a mix of free and ticketed options.
The events span visual art, installations, performance, live music, parties and more.
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“Rising takes place all around the city of Melbourne,” co-artistic director Hannah Fox said.
“We really use the city as a stage – working with the river, through car parks, churches, as well as our great venues, concert halls and theatres.
“Last year, we had 750,000 people attend over those three weeks and we expect that to be even bigger again.”
Her advice for tackling Rising is: “There’s such a broad spectrum of work there. I would encourage people to dive in.”
But for anyone unsure where to start with the diverse program, Fox and her co-artistic director and chief executive, Gideon Obarzanek, have picked their must-experience events of the festival.
Gideon
Deborah Cheetham Fraillon AO, Byron J Scullin, Thomas Supple
June 1-16 at sunset, Melbourne riverfront
Free
“The perfect way to start Rising, every evening, is at the river. Come down between Princes Bridge and Evan Walker Bridge and you will literally hear sound coming from everywhere – it’s as though the sky is singing and the Earth is talking.
“This is one of my favourite works. It’s by Debra Cheetham, who is a composer and soprano singer. She works with a couple of sound artists, Byron J Scullin and Thomas Supple.
“It’s really an extraordinary piece of public music that really ushers in the sunset. It goes for literally kilometres, but it’s best heard in the city.
“For me, it really conjures up this sense of ancient past. Everyone gathered together gives a real sense of coming together for a future that is united.”
Tony Albert, Richard Bell, Michael Cook, Kait James, Tarryn Love, Ellen Van Neerven, Josh Muir, ENOKi
June 1-16, Federation Square
Free
“This is a collection of different contemporary Aboriginal artworks, it’s a look at these artworks through a sense of future, sci-fi but also First Nations’ perspective.
“Some of it’s quite playful. There are bits that can be quite challenging as well. Together, it’s an extraordinary experience.
“There are a whole heap of workshops for children – kids can make their own flying saucer hats with contemporary artist Tony Albert. Then there are things for adults as well, really interesting talks and discussions, a bunch of great artists, including Richard Bell and Kait James.”
Geoff Sobelle
May 31-June 8, The Lawler, Southbank Theatre
Tickets: $80-$89
“There’s a strange fascination by performance makers about dinner theatre, and Melbourne is not accustomed to dinner theatre. We were thinking about Witches In Britches, Dracula and so forth, and we thought that Rising could have its own take on dinner theatre.
“This is an extraordinary performance by Geoff Sobelle, who’s from New York and is an extraordinary musician, trickster, clown.
“Geoff takes you into a really intimate setting – you literally are around a dinner table. He is a waiter at this dinner party (and he) takes you through the ideas of food and eating and coming together. Through this, there’s an extraordinary twist.
“Just a warning though, you’re not going to get much food. There’s a lot of talk about food, you’ll see a lot of food, but it’s probably best to book a restaurant to go to after the show.”
One Song Histoire(s) du Théâtre IV
Miet Warlop
June 13-15, Melbourne Town Hall
Tickets: $44-$49
“I can best describe this as a squad of musicians playing a song, repeatedly, in different tempos, while being challenged on sporting equipment.
“It made me really think of our love of sport and art in Melbourne. It couldn’t be a more fitting work for Melbourne Town Hall. It brings those two elements together so well.
“(The performers) are an incredible triple threat – their singing, their musicianship, their dancing. But what’s really great about this show is that you begin to transform from being an appreciative audience at a concert to essentially a sport audience as they’re struggling to make it to the finish line with these challenges.
“Like everybody else, I found myself standing up and cheering for this band to make it to the end.”
Hannah
Jeremy Deller
June 1-16, Melbourne Town Hall, State Library Station and Town Hall Station
Free
“Music is quite a big theme throughout the whole program this time. Another free thing that’s happening on the streets is Acid Brass, which is brass bands playing early rave music.
“When you’re coming out of River Sing and you’re walking down Swanston St, you might encounter a big brass band playing rave music, which is a very unique and fun sound.
“Jeremy Deller worked with brass bands from all over Melbourne and regional Victoria (to bring this to life).”
June 1-15, Capitol Arcade
Free
“Night Trade is underneath the Capitol Theatre, right across the road from the Town Hall. There’s quite a labyrinth of laneways and shops.
“It’s free, it’s designed to be our festival hub, the social heart of the festival.
“You can drop in, find out what else is happening. You can find amazing food and drink offerings. As well as that, there’s this whole layer of design and performance.
“If you want, you can take part in a private karaoke room, or there are psychic readings available, there’s a paint and sip class with a whole heap of different artists, DJs, a whole club program. And just lots of fun.”
SHOUSE
June 15, St Paul’s Cathedral
Free
“This is our big participation project this year. Last year, we had 11,000 kazoos in Fed Square. This year, we’re working with Melbourne musicians SHOUSE – they had a global dance hit called Love Tonight in 2021 – and they’re bringing some of that success home to create a big music-making event in St Paul’s Cathedral.
“It will be about a thousand people. Every single one of those people is in the band, children and adults. It will be this very eutrophic concert.
“There are different ways you can get involved. There are rehearsals every weekend leading up, or you can just come along on the day and grab a maraca or something and get involved.
“It’s going to be a super fun moment right at the end of the festival.”
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