Adelaide Festival has announced its eclectic 2013 program, and alongside a slew of free and ticketed events featuring national and international artists, comes the news that the festival will now be an annual event.
Artistic director David Sefton said the 2013 program and the festival’s new annual status represents a landmark moment for a festival that has occurred every other year for the past 52 years.
The festival will kick off with a bang when Neil Finn and Paul Kelly perform at a free outdoor concert in Elder Park on opening night next March.
Collaborative efforts connect many of the concerts - Van Dyke Parks performing with the Adelaide Art Orchestra and Young Modern collaborator Daniel Johns, New York's Brassland community playing with friends like Deerhoof, and Kronos Quartet and JG Thirlwell’s Manorexia performing a show with special guest Bryce Dessner from The National.
Other highlights on the diverse lineup include Tolstoy thatre adaptation The Kreuzer Sonata, Laurie Anderson's lush, psychedelic music/art/theatre performance Dirtday!, an exhibition of Turner from The Tate, and the extraordinary dance piece Skeleton.
A number of other festival events will take place under the Adelaide Festival umbrella, including the world music festival WOMADelaide (which has also just announced its lineup), electronic music festival Unsound Adelaide, and Adelaide Writers' Week.
There will also be online events presented by ABC Arts streaming at www.abc.net.au/arts throughout the festival.
For full program information and to purchase tickets visit www.adelaidefestival.com.au.
- Jenny Noyes with The Music Network