First United Arab Emirates visit by a major Australian performing arts company
First Australian orchestra performance at prestigious Beijing Music Festival
$250,000 from Liberal National Government for first international tour in more than a decade
Tour film to be broadcast to audience of 40 million in China and Australia
In international firsts for an Australian orchestra, the West Australian Symphony Orchestra (WASO) has been invited to perform at the prestigious Beijing Music Festival and the Abu Dhabi Classics Season.
Premier Colin Barnett said the Liberal National Government was proud to support this exciting WASO tour, its first international foray in more than a decade.
"These invitations speak volumes for the excellence of our local arts sector and the vital role Western Australian arts companies play in promoting the State to the rest of the world," Mr Barnett said.
"This promotion will be further extended through a film on WASO, titled Harmony, and the tour to be broadcast to an audience of 40 million across China and Australia next year.
"WASO has also been invited to perform an all-Wagner program for the opening concert of the Abu Dhabi Classics Season, in the first visit by a major Australian performing arts company to the United Arab Emirates."
The Premier said WASO's international engagement strategy had resulted in a cross cultural partnership with the China Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO) during the past three years.
"WASO is the first Australian orchestra to attend the Beijing Music Festival, where it will play works by Austrian composer Gustav Mahler and French composer Charles-Camille Saint-Saens, at the Beijing Forbidden City Concert Hall," he said.
"The orchestra's performance at the Shanghai Symphony Concert Hall will include Peter Sculthorpe's Kakadu, showcasing the seminal work of the legendary Australian composer."
Acting Culture and the Arts Minister Mike Nahan said the theme of cultural collaboration would be extended to education.
"In another first, WA's reputation for music excellence will directly benefit Chinese students, with WASO's Education Chamber Orchestra and Brass Quintet performing at two leading Beijing schools," Dr Nahan said.
Fact File
WASO performs in Abu Dhabi, Beijing and Shanghai from October 3-14, 2016
Renowned film producer Alan Lindsay will document the WASO/CPO partnership
Premier's office - 6552 5000
Culture and the Arts Minister's office - 6552 6200
