Podcasts about auckland arts festival

An upbeat circus, cabaret and comedy show has been seducing audiences at the Auckland Arts Festival. La Ronde sees audiences treated to pole dancing, trapeze acts and soaring vocal performances.

Ata mārie! E whai ake nei, coming up on your Rāmere Breakfast show with Rosetta and Milly: Travelling Tunes with Kirsten Zemke, a kōrero with artistic director Bernie Haldene about Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Arts Festival, and From The Crate with Cam from Southbound! Whakarongo mai nei! Thanks to eighthirty coffee roasters!

Ata mārie! E whai ake nei, coming up on your Rāmere Breakfast show with Rosetta and Milly: Travelling Tunes with Kirsten Zemke, a kōrero with artistic director Bernie Haldene about Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Arts Festival, and From The Crate with Cam from Southbound! Whakarongo mai nei! Thanks to eighthirty coffee roasters!

Jessica Brunt and Sebastian Taylor from Auckland Arts Festival's Young Critics Programme join Emile Donovan.

Moana Maniapoto joins Emile Donovan ahead of her Auckland Arts Festival performance this Sunday: ONO with Moana & the Tribe.

Moana & the Tribe have long been acknowledged for pushing the boundaries of Māori music. Led by Moana Maniapoto, the band has become one of New Zealand's most successful Māori bands, creating a fusion of politically charged haka-funk-dub music and performing all over the world. They're bringing their global collaboration ‘ONO' to Tāmaki Makaurau as part of the Auckland Arts Festival, and to mark International Women's Day. But this performance is a little bigger than their usual band, Maniapoto telling Jack Tame that she got a bit carried away. "There is a cast of thousands on stage,” she said. ‘ONO' showcases the voice, language, and cultures of six indigenous women from different places Moana & The Tribe has performed, and two of the artists are flying in for the performance – Hawai'i's Kaumakaiwa Kanaka'ole and Australia's Shellie Morris. “I'm really excited to have them come and join us.” “It's gonna be great, and its a celebration of like, mana wāhine and mana reo.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's Swan Lake - but not as you know it. Australia's premier circus company, Circa, is bringing its version of the well-known ballet to the Auckland Arts Festival next month. 

The Visitors is a reimagining of the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788 from a First Nations' perspective and it's part of this year's Auckland Arts Festival.

Pati Umaga was once given ultimatum by his father to become a either a church minister or a lawyer - and instead launched a career in music that changed his life. He found success as the bass player of the Holiday Makers, but he was left tetraplegic after a fall. He suffered years of hardship but eventually re-found his purpose as an advocate for the disabled community through his music - and he's turned his story into a stage show called A Music Portrait of a Disabled Samoan. Oscar Kightley has assisted in writing the show, and Nathaniel Lees has directed it - and the pair are looking forward to sharing this story with Kiwi viewers. "It's really great, I'm working on my friend's show about his life story and it's really interesting and it's so cool to be able to put it on a stage." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Internationally acclaimed dance artist Sadiq Ali is retelling his personal experience of being HIV positive through circus and movement. Ali's Tell Me is a physical embodiment and celebration of resistance and the need to confront the stigma of HIV. Using activism as a queer man alongside his technical agility to direct and perform in Tell Me, Ali's performance is an explicit force for social change, while challenging audience expectations. Produced by Turtle Key Arts and fusing circus, theatre and dance, Tell Me will tour the UK from 16th January – 10th February 2026. It follows the international success of The Chosen Haram and major world-wide festivals including Sydney Festival, Auckland Arts Festival and Gay Pride Europe, Malta.And Vicky Lane returns. You may remember we spoke to her a few weeks ago about a new stand up night she was hosting. Well, she's not been in Bristol for more than a few months and now she joins us, live, to talk about Queer Stories - a new evening where you can go and, well, tell a story.

Julia Bullock is a Grammy Award-winning American classical soprano who'll be performing in New Zealand early next year as part of the Auckland Arts Festival. 

During the Auckland Arts Festival an artist from Melbourne performed her poignant show about what it's like grow up in the 80s as a CODA - or Child of Deaf Adults.

Featuring the fortnightly catch-up with Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson on Isthmus'n That, an interview with Benedict from Scottish folk-trio Talisk ahead of their gig tonight as part of Auckland Arts Festival, and Ready Steady Learn thanks to the University of Auckland!

Jonny chats to Benedict of Scotland's folk trio Talisk right off the back of their appearance at WOMAD and ahead of their show tonight at the Speigltent for Auckland Arts Festival 2025. 

Jonny chats to Benedict of Scotland's folk trio Talisk right off the back of their appearance at WOMAD and ahead of their show tonight at the Speigltent for Auckland Arts Festival 2025. 

Featuring the fortnightly catch-up with Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson on Isthmus'n That, an interview with Benedict from Scottish folk-trio Talisk ahead of their gig tonight as part of Auckland Arts Festival, and Ready Steady Learn thanks to the University of Auckland!

Featuring an interview with DJ Groove Terminator about the Auckland Arts Festival show History of House with the Soweto Gospel Choir, Rosetta chats to Erny Belle about her new track Boudoir, and on Audio Culture Bee chats about the now record-breaking legends SHIHAD and their illustrous career.  Thanks to The Beer Spot!

It's been almost three decades since Singin' in the Rain star Gene Kelly died, but his widowed spouse is allowing fans to get a look at his legacy. Gene Kelly – A Life in Music is part of this year's Auckland Arts Festival and it celebrates the star's life through archival footage, movie clips and personal stories by his wife, Patricia Kelly. She says her late husband was a romantic who was passionate about many things - but he didn't fully take to dancing until later in life. "By the time he got into high school, he realised girls liked a boy who could dance... but he never really envisioned that he would be a dancer." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malia Johnston is a renowned director and creative. Her latest work Belle - A Performance of Air is a mesmerising melding of lights, aerial performance and theatre at the Auckland Arts Festival this month. 

Melbourne based interdisciplinary artist Jodee Mundy grew up interpreting and being a conduit of information as the only hearing person in her immediate family. Her first language is Australian Sign Language and she describes herself as hearing, but with a deaf heart. She has turned her experiences of being a child of Deaf adults, or CODA, into a multimedia solo performance "Personal," that opens tonight at the Q Theatre as part of the Auckland Arts Festival. Jodee Mundy joins Kathryn to talk about her life as a CODA and how she is bringing her performance to both a deaf and hearing audience.

The lives and legacies of Henry VIII's former wives have often been condensed into a simple six-word rhyme - but a West End hitmaking musical aims to turn that around. The global musical phenomenon, Six, has finally made it to New Zealand shores, allowing Kiwi viewers to learn about the former Tudor queens in a whole new context. Giorgia Kennedy and Zelia Rose Kitoko, who play a reimagined Catherine Parr and Anne of Cleves, respectively, acknowledge the pop concert style might not reflect real history - but the plot reflects the lives of the former queens. "When we look at the script and the score, it is 100 percent accurate. Everything we're speaking about is exactly what happened to these women - I guess the inaccuracy comes with bringng their stories into the 21st century." LISTEN ABOVE WATCH BELOW FOR PERFORMANCE FROM THE CAST See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alice Canton spoke to artistic director of Auckland Arts Festival, Bernie Haldane, about the programme this year. The festival is running from 6-23 March. More info here!

Happy Valentines lovers

Alice Canton spoke to artistic director of Auckland Arts Festival, Bernie Haldane, about the programme this year. The festival is running from 6-23 March. More info here!

Scientist and actor Heather Massie's stage show celebrates the life of the extraordinary Hedy Lamarr - a film star and tech genius. Dubbed the 'mother of wifi', Hedy Lamarr developed frequency hopping technology that ultimately became the basis for today's WiFi, GPS, and Bluetooth communication systems. She was also a film star in the 1930s and 40s, and described as "the most beautiful woman in the world". Heather Massie studied astrophysics and theatre. HEDY! THe Life & Inventions of Hedy Lamarr, part of the Auckland Arts Festival, has been touring the world, and is the first in a triolgy of shows devoted to women in science.

Ahilan Karunaharan returns with his final in a trilogy of plays - A Mixtape for Maladies with Ambika GKR in a leading role. Kadambari Raghukumar talks to them about the making of the play that premieres at the Auckland Arts Festival this March. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

When Lula Washington was growing up in Los Angeles, she'd never seen black ballet dancers on a stage before. That changed in her 20s, when she went to a performance by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre.

Gene Kelly was one of the most famous actors and dancers, now his story is told by his widow in an on stage extravaganza coming to the Auckland  Arts Festival.  

We're joined on #PacificDays by Siliga Sani Muliaumasealii (creator and director) & Benjamin Makisi to talanoa about The O.Gs A Concert Celebration of the Original Pasefika Opera, Singers, Sunday 24th March in Auckland. The O.Gs - A Concert Celebration of the Original Pasefika Opera Singers (Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Arts Festival 2024). Sunday 24th March, 3:00pm Shed 10, Queens Wharf, Auckland Tickets here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's the final week of the Auckland Arts Festival, but there's still plenty to see before it closes on Sunday. Co-host of RNZ National's Culture 101, Perlina Lau, has been out and about this week and will be joined by artists later on Friday for the Best of the Fest podcast. Perlina spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Peeping Tom is an award-winning Belgian dance theatre company which is bringing its production Diptych to the Auckland Arts Festival this weekend.

Jordan Walker and Lusi Faiva chat about AIGA, a show from Touch Compass in the Auckland Arts Festival, which is running from Wednesday 20 March to Sunday 24 March at Te Pou Theatre. 

Zoë is back in the driver's seat! On What's Up with Marama Davidson, she speaks to the co-leader of the Green Party about proposals from the government, and Chlöe Swarbrick as new co-leader of the Greens. The Bard of Bollix plays the tricks of the sphynx on us on The Mind Trench. Jordan Walker and Lusi Faiva chat about AIGA, a show from Touch Compass in the Auckland Arts Festival. Hun Lynch is in the studio to chat about her appearance on the Dungeon #13 lineup. Justine answers your union and employment questions on Red Dead Redemption. Whakarongo mai nei!

The Arts Festivals are in full swing across Aotearoa along with numerous Fringe Festivals. Co-host of RNZ National's Culture 101, Perlina Lau, was in Hamilton last week and this week she's been out and about in Tāmaki Makaurau because the Auckland Arts Festival has kicked off. Lau spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

We catch up with Radio Control Breakfast host Jordan to see what's going on in the Manawatū on Breakfast Buffet. We share a chat that Stella had with Matt Berninger, frontman of The National about their two recent records (The First Two Pages of Frankenstein and surprise album, Laugh Track) and their upcoming show in Auckland, Saturday 24 February. Our Viewmaster Litia is reviewing a show called Bad Ancestors that's just come out of so-called Australia. Jeff Mills dials in to talk about his upcoming show in the Auckland Arts Festival in the Auckland Town Hall on the 13th of March. Whakarongo mai nei!

Jeff Mills dials in to talk about his upcoming show in the Auckland Arts Festival in the Auckland Town Hall on the 13th of March. Whakarongo mai nei!

A powerhouse group of female Kiwi music stars are set to take the stage for the Auckland Arts Festival. Next month, Betty-Anne Monga, Annie Crummer, Julia Deans and Boh Runga will come together for an International Women's Day tribute 'Hear Me Roar'. Fur Patrol lead vocalist Julia Deans is 'excited' to be a part of this musical project. "We've got our first proper singing rehearsal next Thursday, so prior to that, it's just been getting together and discussing the songs we want to do and how we want to approach it- it's been very, very fun." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To connect with a parent who has dementia, adult children are forced to 'grow up and play along', says Irish playwright Dan Colley. An innovative approach to dementia care based on shared play was his inspiration for Lost Lear which will be onstage in Wellington next month.

Acclaimed actor, comedian, director and writer and "Snapchat Dude" Tom Sainsbury has another lesser known talent. Along with Lara Fischel-Chisholm he's one half of comedy dance troupe, Dynamotion. Their "camp, and country" Auckland Arts Festival show in March Boot Scootin' Boogie promises old fashioned barn dance fun.

Annie Crummer and Betty-Anne Monga along with Julia Deans and Boh Runga will be forming a powerhouse ensemble at this year's Auckland Arts Festival performance, Hear Me Roar! on March 8. Annie and Betty-Anne joined me for a korero all about creativity, collaboration and purpose. We riff on the power of music to accompany us through every season - the summers and winters of life. Music offers us a kind of hope when life gets bogged down in the grey areas and we explore how as women we can move into our own confidence and taking up space. Get your tickets to Hear Me Roar! at aaf.co.nz/event/hear-me-roar and check out the rest of the incredible events at aaf.co.nz. This bonus episode was brought to you by Auckland Arts Festival.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mentalist, illusionist and performance artist Scott Silven's marvelous magical career is inspired by the mists and mysticism of his Scottish homeland. Silven studied hypnosis age 15. At 19 he impressed David Blaine and by 21 he was headlining a show at one of the UK's top theatres. Now 34, he's bringing his show Wonders to the Auckland Arts Festival in March.

The Veiqia Project is a creative research project inspired by the practice of Fijian female tattooing of veiqia. In 2015 a group of Fijian women based in New Zealand and Australia were brought together to create new works for an exhibition inspired by veiqia (Fijian female tattoo), a practice that was stopped from around the mid-19th century and conducted in secrecy up to the early 20th century.   The project involved an online research forum and time spent with Fijian collections in Fiji and New Zealand museums. The exhibition took place at ST PAUL St Gallery in March 2016 for the Auckland Arts Festival and coincided with the PAA XII International Symposium. Four years after their creation - on the 27th April 2019, The Veiqia Project held an event on Dhawaral country at Campbelltown Arts Centre called 'Solevu' - a full day of delicious lovo-making (Fijian earth oven), workshops and talanoa to celebrate the last 18 months of cross-generational Era Yalovata Na Marama program. And due to this event, which Cribbs came across and invited Talica....The 2 Brownish Girls podcast was born. Join Cribbs & Talica and members of The Veiqia Project, Donita, Luisa and Margaret for great interview.

Gerry Conlon spent fourteen years in jail as one of the Guildford Four, following the 1974 IRA Guildford pub bombing. New play In the Name of the Son chronicles the heady aftermath of his wrongful imprisonment. Richard O'Rawe wrote the 2017 book In the Name of the Son: The Gerry Conlon Story, which the play is based on. Himself a former Irish Republican prisoner, O'Rawe was a leading figure in the 1981 Maze prison hunger strike. He and life-long friend Conlon grew up together in Belfast. O'Rawe is the author of several books about the Irish Troubles, including Blanketmen: An Untold Story of the H-Block Hunger Strike. In the Name of the Son is coming to the Auckland Arts Festival in March next year.

Rob Bollix talks space junk, peanut butter paste, and gives us a finish-it-yourself poem on The Mind Trench. Jazmine Mary and Robyn Wilson-Whiting are in the studio to talk about Gig for Gaza, which is on at Wine Cellar tonight. Shona McCullagh, the artistic director of Auckland Arts Festival is in to talk about the programme launch. Salene is in for A Room Of One's Own to help you with renting queries. Whakarongo mai nei!

The mid-week show brings all sorts to your airwaves (and ear holes). Marama Davidson dials in to talk to Rachel about the government's reprioritisations, the conversation around mitigation vs adaptation and the teachers strike tomorrow. Rob Bollix takes us to The Mind Trench, where we talk bees (on the b). Daniel Mateo, a dancer in an Auckland Arts Festival show Sandsong: Stories from the Great Sandy Desert comes into the studio to talk about the group's work. Riot Gull dials in from Ōtepoti to talk about their upcoming performances in Tāmaki Makaurau, and their soon-to-be-released album. Whakarongo mai nei!

There are calls for the Government to pull funding for creative works in the lead-up to Tusiata Avia's latest project. Tusiata Avia's 'The Savage Coloniser Book' is being adapted into a stage show for the Auckland Arts Festival. The play's premise of murdering James Cook and other white colonisers has generated controversy and criticism. Creative New Zealand CEO Stephen Wainwright has defended funding this project, saying the use of violent language and themes isn't meant to be a manifesto. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Between the 1920s and 1960s many Aboriginal people from Australia's great Western Desert and Kimberley regions were removed from their country and forced into hard labour on livestock stations. Despite this, the Traditional Peoples have maintained strong unbroken connections to their country. Now, Bangarra Dance Theatre's new work Sandsong is bringing their stories and songs to Aotearoa.

Judith Hill is on her way to New Zealand to perform at the Auckland Arts Festival and her show sounds like something you don't want to miss.

In 2015 an estimated 1.3 million refugees poured into Europe, many of them from war-torn Syria. It inspired Crystal Pite to tell their story in her own way - by creating a contemporary ballet for them called Flight Pattern. The Canadian choreographer has since expanded it, making it into a full length work called Light of Passage which had its premiere late last year with The Royal Ballet. Crystal's repetoire is expansive - she's created more than 50 works for some of the biggest dance companies in the world. She formed her own company - Kidd Pivot - in 2002 and is bringing one of its most popular shows - Revisor - to the Auckland Arts Festival next month. And Kidd Pivot is one of the first dance companies in the world to make itself carbon neutral while on tour.

The classic requiem form is the springboard for a new work that reflects on how Kiwis have been experiencing loneliness, distance, and uncertainty under lockdown and border restrictions. Where Will They Bury My Bones? composed by Gareth Farr, is a highlight of the revamped Auckland Arts Festival programme. This 20-minute work has been created by New Zealanders living in three different countries.. And in a sign of the times, the premiere will take place online, and people are being asked to pay what they can. Lynn Freeman asks composer Gareth Farr how he's responded to a time of great dislocation, here and worldwide.