PROGRAM FEATURE
Music. Music!
From the pristine, sacred peaks of the Catalan Mountains to the bustling, colourful laneways of Melbourne, the AF23 program contains an excitingly diverse cross-section of sounds and voices to discover. Find a selection of the world’s finest musicians and performers throughout Adelaide’s concert halls, clubs, arenas and intimate spaces this March for experiences that will last you a lifetime.
“My favorite music is the music I haven’t yet heard” – John Cage
KRONOS Five Decades
Kronos Quartet w/ special guest Mahsa Vahdat
Join us to celebrate the 50th anniversary of one of the most influential musical groups of our time on their final ever tour of Australia!
Performing signature works from the quartet’s wide-ranging repertoire, Kronos will also present the world premiere of a new work from Australian artists Jon Rose and Hollis Taylor, in addition to a selection of works with acclaimed Iranian vocalist Mahsa Vahdat.
Lorde
with MUNA and Stellie
A huge night of music at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre* brings the enthralling talents of New Zealand superstar Lorde together with the fast-rising stars of LA-based trio MUNA and Adelaide-based singer-songwriter Stellie.
This very special event marks the first time Lorde has played live in South Australia since 2014 – don’t miss out!
*Please note: This event has changed venue to the Adelaide Entertainment Centre. For more information about the venue change see our FAQs.
Fantastical Journeys
Jennifer Koh / Emilia Hoving / Adelaide Symphony Orchestra
Join us for the Australian premiere of Procession: a 20-minute concerto where the 10-year partnership of US violinist Jennifer Koh and composer Missy Mazzoli is on full display in a mesmeric, magical journey of dynamic intensity and exquisite harmony.
The journey continues as more fantastic tales come to life in vivid orchestral colour with Rimsky-Korsakov’s legendary take on “One Thousand and One Nights”, Scheherazade. And The Oceanides, Sibelius’ swirling depiction of the power and majesty of the Baltic Sea. Don’t miss Fantastical Journeys, an Australian exclusive and musical highlight of AF23 in association with Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.
From the Blog
Meet the Artist: 5 minutes with violin virtuoso Jennifer Koh. (read here)
Image: Jennifer Koh with the National Symphony Orchestra. Photo by Scott Suchman.
Music For Other Worlds
Alex Frayne and Paul Grabowsky
Some of the most magical musical moments are born of improvisation. The world premiere of Music for Other Worlds will see master improvisor Paul Grabowsky AO create spontaneous musical responses to renowned SA artist Alex Frayne’s ethereal photographs as they are revealed to him (and the audience) for the very first time. Expect a hypnotic, never-to-be-repeated audio and visual experience from these two extraordinary artists.
HINDLEY ST MUSIC HALL
In 2023 we are delighted to be presenting a musical celebration over four nights at Adelaide’s newest purpose-built live music venue, Hindley Street Music Hall.
Allday
with JK-47, BARKAA and Kobie Dee
Allday returns to his hometown in Adelaide with a big lineup for a one-night-only performance. Having amassed over 300 million streams, three top 10 albums and multiple Triple J Hottest 100 placements, Allday’s original blend of hip hop, pop and storytelling holds an esteemed place among Australian hip-hop royalty.
Allday will be joined by a huge lineup of rising stars BARKAA, Kobie Dee and JK-47 for an unmissable night of Australian rap and hip hop.
Julia Jacklin
with RVG
Melbourne-via-Blue Mountains singer-songwriter Julia Jacklin has a well-earned reputation as a direct lyricist, willing to excavate the parameters of intimacy and agency in songs both stark and raw, loose and playful. Jacklin’s exquisite narratives and melodic mastery make her one of Australia’s most exciting songwriters. Joined on the night by very special guests RVG.
Hear My Eyes
Pan’s Labyrinth x Sleep D
Witness the world premiere of this merging of cult cinema and live music when Guillermo del Toro’s masterpiece of magic realism Pan’s Labyrinth is live-scored by sonic masterminds Sleep D. Sitting somewhere between a film screening and a live concert, this re-imagined cinematic experience invites audiences into a new sensory realm.
Camp Cope
with Alice Skye
Alt rock trio Camp Cope pen songs that play on the vulnerable minutiae of everyday life, with staggering live shows that make performances to thousands feel as intimate as their very first show.
In their first headline performance in Adelaide since 2019, Camp Cope will bring their expanded live show for a night of stirring songs and insightful storytelling. Make sure you get in early to see opener Alice Skye, a Wergaia / Wemba Wemba singer-songwriter and one of Australia’s brightest and most prolific lyricists.
UKARIA CULTURAL CENTRE
We continue our relationship with the stunning UKARIA in the Adelaide Hills, with a music program led by the popular Chamber Landscapes series, now in its seventh year.
Poème: Chamber Landscapes
Curated by Paavali Jumppanen
The 2023 Chamber Landscapes series, this year entitled Poème, includes seven brilliantly conceived programs and two talks that explore the relationship between music and text. Astounding international instrumentalists join some of Australia’s most prominent virtuosi to bring the program to vivid life.
ADELAIDE TOWN HALL
The exquisite Adelaide Town Hall hosts a range of exciting musical performances this year, including:
So Much Myself: Piano Portraits
Sonya Lifschitz and Robert Davidson
This compelling new work from the creators of Stalin’s Piano presents stories of discovery through the recorded words of some of our greatest female creators and voices. Virtuoso pianist Sonya Lifschitz and composer Robert Davidson’s evocative musical portraits probe the big questions of our time in a powerful ode to creators who have shaped our world.
Karin Schaupp & Flinders Quartet
Musica Viva Australia
The great classical guitarist Karin Schaupp is joined by the unpretentious brilliance of the Flinders Quartet for a superbly chosen program that includes quintets from early masters Boccherini and Carulli, Imogen Holst’s lyrical Phantasy Quartet, a rarity by the legendary John Cage and the world premiere of a guitar quintet by Carl Vine.
ACCESSIBILITY
Adelaide Festival makes every effort to ensure our events and performances are accessible to everyone.
For access information, please visit our website for a series of guides including the AF23 Access, Text Only and Audio Guides, in addition to further useful resources and information specific to the venues we engage with.
The page linked below also outlines the different accessibility considerations and modes of performances within the 2023 program, including:
- Auslan Interpreted Events
- Events with Audio Description
- Events with a Relaxed Performance
- Events with Highly Visual Content
- Events with Assistive Listening
- Wheelchair Accessibility
52 Events • 11 World Premieres • 17 Australian Exclusives
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From Our Partners
We acknowledge the land we live, work and learn on is the traditional land of the Kaurna People of the Adelaide Plains. We pay respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders. This land has been a place of movement, music and storytelling for over 60,000 years. We take pride in honouring those traditions.
Music, music, music, music! Discover a wonderful world of sound at AF23