Matilda Marseillaise

Reading Time: < 1 minute

December already!!! In the table below you’ll find over 140 events with French and francophone links happening in Australia this month!

DATE	WHERE/OÙ	WHAT/QUOI	LINK/LIEN
01/11 - 31/03	MELBOURNE	Monet & Friends	Monet & Friends
04/11 - 11/12	SYDNEY	SEE LV (Louis Vuitton exhibition)	SEE LV (Louis Vuitton exhibition)
24/11 - 7/12	PERTH	Jewish International Film Festival (JIFF)	Jewish International Film Festival (JIFF)
29/11 - 16/12	SYDNEY	Exhibition | Catherine Potron	Exhibition | Catherine Potron
01/12	HOBART	The Leigh Barket Band Swing Blues and Hot jazz direct from Paris	The Leigh Barket Band Swing Blues and Hot jazz direct from Paris
01/12	SYDNEY	French Connection: Australia's Cosmopolitan Ambitions	French Connection: Australia's Cosmopolitan Ambitions
01/12 - 03/12	MELBOURNE	Barbary Coast	Barbary Coast
01/12 - 04/12	SYDNEY	Carmen on Cockatoo Island	Carmen on Cockatoo Island
02/12	ADELAIDE	Quiz Night by Alliance Française & Adelaide Accueil	Quiz Night by Alliance Française & Adelaide Accueil
02/12	BRISBANE	Le book club: La délicatesse	Le book club: La délicatesse
02/12	BRISBANE	Greatest Hitshuman zoo tour	Greatest Hitshuman zoo tour
02/12	HOBART	The Leigh Barket Band Swing Blues and Hot jazz direct from Paris	The Leigh Barket Band Swing Blues and Hot jazz direct from Paris
02/12	MELBOURNE	Werther	Werther
02/12	SYDNEY	Moët Rosé Imperial Evening	Moët Rosé Imperial Evening
03/12	BRISBANE	Champagne and Oyster Tour	Champagne and Oyster Tour
03/12	CAIRNS	SAINT-NICOLAS	SAINT-NICOLAS
03/12	MELBOURNE	Border_Radio by Sisters Akousmatica	Border_Radio by Sisters Akousmatica
03/12	MELBOURNE	ATET Saturdays with Project 95	ATET Saturdays with Project 95
03/12	MELBOURNE	Cooking Workshop: La tarte aux fraises	Cooking Workshop: La tarte aux fraises
03/12	MULLUMBIMBY, NSW	Mumbo Jumbo Gogo dance party	Mumbo Jumbo Gogo dance party
03/12	SYDNEY	Moët Imperial Day Party	Moët Imperial Day Party
03/12	SYDNEY	A Journey Through Moët	A Journey Through Moët
03/12	SYDNEY	Christmas Market - MARCHÉ DE NOËL	Christmas Market - MARCHÉ DE NOËL
03/12	SYDNEY	Lycée Condorcet de Sydney - Le Marché de Noël /Christmas Market 2022	Lycée Condorcet de Sydney - Le Marché de Noël /Christmas Market 2022
03/12	SYDNEY	Cabaret La Belle Rose dinner and show	Cabaret La Belle Rose dinner and show
03/12	SYDNEY	Come and discover the world of rose - free tasting	Come and discover the world of rose - free tasting
03/12	SYDNEY	MakMak Unicorn Macaron Class	MakMak Unicorn Macaron Class
03/12	SYDNEY	Snowmen Macaron class	Snowmen Macaron class
03/12	TOOWOOMBA, QLD	AF AGM	AF AGM
03/12	TOOWOOMBA, QLD	End of Year Soirée	End of Year Soirée
03 - 05/12	GEELONG, VIC	French Films in Geelong: Little Nicolas' Treasure / Le Trésor du Petit Nicolas	French Films in Geelong: Little Nicolas' Treasure / Le Trésor du Petit Nicolas
04/12	ADELAIDE	Rendezvous Market	Rendezvous Market
04/12	ADELAIDE	Cyrano Wines Spring wine tasting, lunch and concert	Cyrano Wines Spring wine tasting, lunch and concert
04/12	CAIRNS, QLD	Unseen cinema - A Mermaid in Paris	Unseen cinema - A Mermaid in Paris
04/12	MELBOURNE	Christmas Macaron Masterclass	Christmas Macaron Masterclass
04/12	MELBOURNE	Werther	Werther
04/12	NEWCASTLE, NSW	Xmas in Paris	Xmas in Paris
05/12	PERTH	Book Club December	Book Club December
05/12	SYDNEY	Dreyfus Drei abnd Displaced Two Documentary Films with Audience Q&A	Dreyfus Drei abnd Displaced Two Documentary Films with Audience Q&A
06/12	CANBERRA	Young Learners Christmas Show	Young Learners Christmas Show
06/12	MELBOURNE	Les loops de l'impro font leur show	Les loops de l'impro font leur show
06/12	MELBOURNE	St Kilda Playground - French Playgroup	St Kilda Playground - French Playgroup
06/12 - 11/12	SYDNEY	Carmen on Cockatoo Island	Carmen on Cockatoo Island
07/12	ADELAIDE	Urban Development	Urban Development
07/12	ADELAIDE	Cheese, cocktails and Christmas Bells	Cheese, cocktails and Christmas Bells
07/12	MELBOURNE	AFRAN Forum 2022: Innovative Planet	AFRAN Forum 2022: Innovative Planet
07/12	NOOSA, QLD	Atelier Wine Bar x Frerejean Frères	Atelier Wine Bar x Frerejean Frères
07/12	SYDNEY	Philo Bistro: Does our embodied, lived experience impact our imagination? // Notre vécu impacte-t-il notre imagination?	Philo Bistro: Does our embodied, lived experience impact our imagination? // Notre vécu impacte-t-il notre imagination?
07/12	SYDNEY	Sweet Art at Oliver Brown	Sweet Art at Oliver Brown
08/12	ADELAIDE	French exchange: Reflections on the Jam Factory Boisbuchet scholarships Exhibition opening	French exchange: Reflections on the Jam Factory Boisbuchet scholarships Exhibition opening
08/12	MELBOURNE	Narelle Autio: Watercolours and the re-release of the Leica's iconic M6	Narelle Autio: Watercolours and the re-release of the Leica's iconic M6
08/12	MELBOURNE	Werther	Werther
08/12	PERTH	The 12 WA Sparkling wines of Christmas	The 12 WA Sparkling wines of Christmas
09/12 - 05/02/23	ADELAIDE	French exchange: Reflections on the Jam Factory Boisbuchet scholarships	French exchange: Reflections on the Jam Factory Boisbuchet scholarships
09/12	BRISBANE	Free International Travellers Rendezvous	Free International Travellers Rendezvous
09/12	CANBERRA	CIMF fundraising concert at the Embassy of Belgium	CIMF fundraising concert at the Embassy of Belgium
09/12	CANBERRA	Rosé Wine Tasting	Rosé Wine Tasting
09/12	CANBERRA	End of the Year Christmas Party	End of the Year Christmas Party
09/12	COWARAMUP, WA	Burgundy Masterclass Lunch	Burgundy Masterclass Lunch
09/12	DARWIN	Board Game Night	Board Game Night
09/12	HOBART	Cocktail Party	Cocktail Party
09/12	MELBOURNE	Greatest Hits live on the Yah's bandstand!	Greatest Hits live on the Yah's bandstand!
09/12	MELBOURNE	Narelle Autio: Watercolours and the re-release of the Leica's iconic M6	Narelle Autio: Watercolours and the re-release of the Leica's iconic M6
09/12	SYDNEY	Babies Love Books in French - Les Bébés Aiment Les Livres	Babies Love Books in French - Les Bébés Aiment Les Livres
09/12	SYDNEY	Underground Burlesque Dinner & Show	Underground Burlesque Dinner & Show
10/12	ADELAIDE	End of Year Party: Pétanque	End of Year Party: Pétanque
10/12	BRISBANE	St Stephen's Advent Concert Series 2022 - French Fireworks	St Stephen's Advent Concert Series 2022 - French Fireworks
10/12	GOLD COAST, QLD	A Jolly Jazzy Christmas	A Jolly Jazzy Christmas
10/12	LISMORE	End of Year event	End of Year event
10/12	MELBOURNE	Werther	Werther
10/12	MELBOURNE	Ecstatic Dance Healing with Christian Dimarco & Moontide	Ecstatic Dance Healing with Christian Dimarco & Moontide
10/12	MELBOURNE	Edith Piaf - Life, Love & No Regrets	Edith Piaf - Life, Love & No Regrets
10/12	MELBOURNE	Laser Highway ft Daydream Deluxe / Dark5lalom / Ferndrop / Zerotonine	Laser Highway ft Daydream Deluxe / Dark5lalom / Ferndrop / Zerotonine
10/12	PERTH	Classic Dinner in Paris - Cooking class by Cozymeal	Classic Dinner in Paris - Cooking class by Cozymeal
10/12	SYDNEY	Raspberry Macaron class	Raspberry Macaron class
10/12	SYDNEY	AniMate Film Festival - World Student Films Collection 1	AniMate Film Festival - World Student Films Collection 1
10/12	SYDNEY	Snowmen Macaron class	Snowmen Macaron class
10/12	SYDNEY	Cabaret La Belle Rose dinner and show	Cabaret La Belle Rose dinner and show
11/12	BRISBANE	The Bruery Bogan Xmas Lunch	The Bruery Bogan Xmas Lunch
11/12	BRISBANE	Champagne and Oyster Tour	Champagne and Oyster Tour
11/12	MELBOURNE	TRIP TO PARIS -	TRIP TO PARIS -
11/12	MELBOURNE	A Journey To Paris. An Unforgettable High Tea Experience	A Journey To Paris. An Unforgettable High Tea Experience
11/12	NORTH ISIS, BUNDABERG, QLD	Photos in the Attic Book Launch - Vintner's Secret Vineyard Childers	Photos in the Attic Book Launch - Vintner's Secret Vineyard Childers
11/12	PERTH	Classic Dinner in Paris - Cooking class by Cozymeal	Classic Dinner in Paris - Cooking class by Cozymeal
11/12	PERTH	Natural Perfume workshop	Natural Perfume workshop
11/12	PORT MACQUARIE	Christmas Party Celebrations!	Christmas Party Celebrations!
11/12	SYDNEY	Baby et Lulu	Baby et Lulu
11/12	SYDNEY	Classic French Lunch | Hanging Tree Wines Member Event	Classic French Lunch | Hanging Tree Wines Member Event
11/12	SYDNEY	Le Marché Willoughby	Le Marché Willoughby
13/12	ONLINE	Livestream: Buche de Noel (Yule Log cake)	Livestream: Buche de Noel (Yule Log cake)
13/12	EMERALD BEACH, NSW	Double cream brie	Double cream brie
13/12	MELBOURNE	St Kilda Playground - French Playgroup	St Kilda Playground - French Playgroup
13/12 - 18/12	SYDNEY	Carmen on Cockatoo Island	Carmen on Cockatoo Island
14/12	ADELAIDE	Urban Development	Urban Development
14/12	BRISBANE	Champagne and Oyster Tour	Champagne and Oyster Tour
14/12	KINGSTON, HOBART, TAS	Beamafilm Screening - The Passion of Augustine	Beamafilm Screening - The Passion of Augustine
14/12	MELBOURNE	VBN | Marine Hotel | Mumm Champagne Room |Evening	VBN | Marine Hotel | Mumm Champagne Room |Evening
14/12	PERTH	Movie Night - Amélie	Movie Night - Amélie
14/12	SYDNEY	Kahii by night presents: Champagne Days	Kahii by night presents: Champagne Days
15/12	ONLINE	Great houses and palaces of Paris no 1 - Lecture recording	Great houses and palaces of Paris no 1 - Lecture recording
15/12	ONLINE	online lecture - Great houses & Palaces of Paris	online lecture - Great houses & Palaces of Paris
15/12	ADELAIDE	Club de Lecture / French Book Club: La plus secrète mémoire des hommes	Club de Lecture / French Book Club: La plus secrète mémoire des hommes
15/12	LAUNCESTON, TAS	Curator + Artist + Community Conversations: Raymond Arnold	Curator + Artist + Community Conversations: Raymond Arnold
15/12	MELBOURNE	Australian Youth Orchestra in concert	Australian Youth Orchestra in concert
16/12	ADELAIDE	Soirée Tarot	Soirée Tarot
16/12	BRISBANE	Photos in the Attic Book Launch	Photos in the Attic Book Launch
16/12	BRISBANE	Cocktail Master class	Cocktail Master class
16/12	BRISBANE	Champagne and Oyster Tour	Champagne and Oyster Tour
16/12	BRISBANE	Rosé and Champagne Garden Pop-Up	Rosé and Champagne Garden Pop-Up
16/12	MELBOURNE	Talamasca (Melbourne)	Talamasca (Melbourne)
16/12	PERTH	The Devil Doll	The Devil Doll
16/12	SYDNEY	Le Jolly Market	Le Jolly Market
16/12	SYDNEY	Underground Burlesque Dinner & Show	Underground Burlesque Dinner & Show
17/12	BRISBANE	Cocktail Master class	Cocktail Master class
17/12	CAIRNS	CHRISTMAS LUNCH	CHRISTMAS LUNCH
17/12	MELBOURNE	Burlesuqe La Voúte	Burlesuqe La Voúte
17/12	PERTH	Classic Dinner in Paris - Cooking class by Cozymeal	Classic Dinner in Paris - Cooking class by Cozymeal
17/12	SYDNEY	Cabaret La Belle Rose dinner and show	Cabaret La Belle Rose dinner and show
17/12	SYDNEY	Paradigm & Fly High present Modus and Talamasca	Paradigm & Fly High present Modus and Talamasca
17/12	SYDNEY	Le Jolly Market	Le Jolly Market
17/12	SYDNEY	Perfume making workshop with scentsmith Ainslie Walker	Perfume making workshop with scentsmith Ainslie Walker
18/12	ADELAIDE	Bye Bye 2022 - CAFÉ DE FIN D’ANNÉE	Bye Bye 2022 - CAFÉ DE FIN D’ANNÉE
18/12	BRISBANE	Champagne and Oyster Tour	Champagne and Oyster Tour
18/12	PERTH	Classic Dinner in Paris - Cooking class by Cozymeal	Classic Dinner in Paris - Cooking class by Cozymeal
18/12	SYDNEY	White Heaven Café del Mar -the ultimate white party	White Heaven Café del Mar -the ultimate white party
18/12	SYDNEY	Le Jolly Market	Le Jolly Market
19/12	ONLINE	Online Class: Buche de Noel	Online Class: Buche de Noel
19/12	MELBOURNE	Zom Marie, Up close and personal	Zom Marie, Up close and personal
19/12	SYDNEY	Le Jolly Market	Le Jolly Market
20/12	EMERALD BEACH, NSW	Double cream brie	Double cream brie
20/12	MELBOURNE	St Kilda Playground - French Playgroup	St Kilda Playground - French Playgroup
20/12	PERTH	Cooking Class: Bûche de Noël	Cooking Class: Bûche de Noël
20/12	SYDNEY	Le Jolly Market	Le Jolly Market
21/12	ADELAIDE	Urban Development	Urban Development
21/12	BRISBANE	Champagne and Oyster Tour	Champagne and Oyster Tour
21/12	SYDNEY	Le Jolly Market	Le Jolly Market
22/12	SYDNEY	Twilight Market	Twilight Market
23/12	PERTH	Dimitri from Paris	Dimitri from Paris
23/12	SYDNEY	Underground Burlesque Dinner & Show	Underground Burlesque Dinner & Show
24/12	BRISBANE	Champagne and Oyster Tour	Champagne and Oyster Tour
24/12	MONTVILLE	Taittinger High Tea	Taittinger High Tea
25/12	SYDNEY	A magnifique Christmas Day Buffet Lunch	A magnifique Christmas Day Buffet Lunch
26/12	ADELAIDE	DISCOBALL: Dimitri from Paris	DISCOBALL: Dimitri from Paris
27/12	MELBOURNE	St Kilda Playground - French Playgroup	St Kilda Playground - French Playgroup
28/12	BRISBANE	Champagne and Oyster Tour	Champagne and Oyster Tour
28/12	BRISBANE	Champagne and Oyster Tour	Champagne and Oyster Tour
31/12	SYDNEY	NYE - Dimitri from Paris & POOLCLVB	NYE - Dimitri from Paris & POOLCLVB

As always, if you have an event you’d like to see on a future What’s on, please email us before the end of the month prior to the event at matildamarseillaise (at) gmail.com

 

Happy December!

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Mezzo-soprano Celeste Haworth is singing in the chorus in Opera Australia’s Carmen on Cockatoo Island. We chat to her about this very modern interpretation of Bizet’s opera and performing in the elements against the stunning Sydney Harbour backdrop on Cockatoo Island.

Bonjour Celeste, we spoke earlier in the year when you were in the role of Flora Bervois in La Traviata. This time, you’re part of the chorus of Opera Australia’s production of Carmen on Cockatoo Island. Tell us a little about this opera and your role in the chorus.

It has been a busy year! I am excited to be singing in this production of Carmen, because it is a very special and unique one thanks to the creative team, and the usage of the elements of Cockatoo Island to our advantage. I think it will be spectacular.

 

The chorus is on stage for a very large portion of this opera – in every act, actually.

 

The production is a very modern interpretation of Carmen. What makes this production different to others of Carmen?

This production will be so distinct and almost radical – and on many levels. It is an outdoor event on an island, using the unique industrial heritage space. It quite Australian in that regard, with a little Mad Max and punk rock thrown in.

 

Audiences will have never seen the like – there are motorbikes, fireworks, dancers and of course an incredible cast of opera singers. However, one of the things I am most intrigued for audiences to see is the director Liesel Badorrek’s take on the opera.

 

What is director Liesel Badorrek’s vision for Carmen? How is her methodology different to that of other directors you’ve worked with?

Liesel is a wonderful director – experienced and clear in her methodology, communication and vision. Liesel’s interpretation of the opera is very different, with a much more modern and exciting perspective – without giving too much away, even seasoned opera goers will have some many, many surprises in store!

This production of Carmen is being performed outdoors on Cockatoo Island in Sydney. You have already performed outdoors in the opera La Traviata in 2021. What are the challenges in singing outdoors? Are they different again being on an island this time?

Singing in the open air is an experience I hope every working opera singer can have the opportunity to do at least once. It is so elemental – you can feel the air on your skin, hear birds or the sounds of the night around you. Singing opera always makes me feel so alive, harnessing the air and energy to create sound, but adding this the outdoors is a wonderful feeling. It also adds an extra level of being on your toes because live theatre outdoors- anything can happen!

 

Cockatoo Island is such a special space to stage an opera- I think the audience will feel transported in every sense to another world, and after all, isn’t that when you have a really great night at the theatre?

 

What audience(s) is this production of Carmen for?

I can’t wait for people who have never seen an opera before to experience this all-encompassing, vivid production, but I am truly most excited to share this Carmen with people who have seen this opera before, because this production will be just so different, so unexpected, and on a big scale.

 

Do you think that being a modern interpretation and being performed outdoors will bring a younger audience to this opera?

I certainly hope people of all ages will come and experience, not just see, this show – because it will undoubtedly be an experience like no other. The talented dancers are moving in the most modern, street style ways, the singers are on top of their game with truly thrilling sounds, and where else would one see real motorbikes revving through real industrial spaces that the opera is taking full advantage of?

 

How many of you are there singing in the chorus?

I believe about 40 – it’s a big spectacle, and Bizet’s stunning music will be on full display with the talented artists on stage.

 

You’ve also sung in several roles as mezzo-soprano for Opera Australia, notably La Traviata which we spoke about earlier in the year. Is it difficult to not stand out and sing over the others when you go from solo parts to chorus roles?

The wonderful thing about my colleagues in the chorus is that are that they are all talented artists in their own right, some with decades of experience in every opera imaginable, creating their own characters within each story and being extremely adaptable to anything. I consider myself very fortunate to share the stage with them, and it makes the joy of singing roles doubled, because I have such a supportive group of artists there alongside me. It was like this in La Traviata singing Flora, and I am certain it will be again when I sing the role of First Norn and cover the role of Erda in The Ring Cycle next year.

 

Do you have a pre-performance ritual?

Aside from the usual vocal warm ups, and checking my makeup is in place, I always have a cup of tea in my dressing room, so I imagine it will be a thermos of tea in the dressing rooms on Cockatoo Island!

 

Why should people come to see Carmen on Cockataoo Island?

It will be unlike any other Carmen out there, and unlike any Carmen before. The interpretation is distinct, atypical from what people are accustomed to seeing – in direction, in set design, in harnessing the heritage of the Cockatoo Island site, and playing with those island elements.

It is one of the most modern interpretations of the opera Carmen that I have witnessed, and I am beyond thrilled to have the audience be surprised and swept up in this new experience.

—

We thank Celeste Haworth for this interview.

 

You can also read our interview with Tomas Dalton also part of the chorus in Opera Australia’s Carmen on Cockatoo Island

If you’d like to hear more from Celeste, read our interview with her about her role in La Traviata earlier in the year.

KEY INFO FOR CARMEN ON COCKATOO ISLAND

WHAT: Bizet’s French opera Carmen

WHERE: Cockatoo Island, Sydney

WHEN: 7:30pm from 25 November to 18 December (except Mondays)

HOW: Purchase your tickets via the Opera Australia website

HOW MUCH:

Adults from $79 for B Reserve to $149 for Premium Reserve (+ $9.80 booking fee)

Ferry tickets to and from Cockatoo Island can be booked separately when you purchase performance tickets

—

Have you seen a performance of Carmen before? Or an outdoors performance of opera?