A rose by any other name would still be 'illegal' if it arrived by boat apparently

“But Rabbit, I wasn’t going to eat it. I was just going to taste it!”

Just like that… With a deft piece of linguistic sleight of hand Winnie the Pooh attempts to have his ‘hunny’ and eat it too, by muddling the meaning of a word we all thought was pretty clear. We’ve all done it though; smoking without ‘inhaling’, kissing without ‘cheating’. Words are so flexible these days, why not bend their meaning a little?

Semantics is becoming increasingly de rigueur in Australian politics too. Words, stripped of their everyday meanings are being teased into increasingly bizarre shapes to defend or justify the whims of po-faced pollies.

‘Entitlements’ has been all the rage for the last few weeks, as politicians attempt to tease out exactly when and where it’s appropriate to be campaigning; on the ski slopes, at a wedding, a triathlon? Now ‘Illegal’ has jumped out of the dictionary, with the government this week seeking to ‘clarify’ their position on asylum seekers arriving by boat.

George Orwell, a contemporary of A. A. Milne, was quite the critic of language such as that used by Winnie the Pooh above. Orwell believed in clarity of speech over language that sought to conceal or deny meaning. The author of works such as ‘Animal Farm’ (think Winnie the Pooh but fascist) and ‘1984’, his writing has left us a legacy of caution against institutional surveillance, doublespeak and control.

In considering Pooh’s vernacular use of ‘taste’ as a means to eat the forbidden ‘hunny’ Orwell would observe:

“... modern writing at its worst does not consist in picking out words for the sake of their meaning and inventing images in order to make the meaning clearer. It consists in gumming together long strips of words which have already been set in order by someone else, and making the results presentable by sheer humbug.”

To put it another way; Winnie the Pooh is lying, and passing it off as the truth.

What then of the government’s edict that must refer to seekers of asylum, arrival by boat as ‘illegal’?

Their position that asylum seeker boat arrivals are ‘illegal’ is entirely consistent with their statements in opposition. It’s a wonder anyone’s surprised, they’ve been singing this tune for a while. Yet consistency of use is a meagre standard for truth, ask anyone who’s tried to quit smoking about ‘the last one’.

The government’s use of ‘illegal’ relies on the use of the term in Article 31.1 Of the UN Convention and Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, the text of which states:

The Contracting States shall not impose penalties, on account of their illegal entry or presence, on refugees who, coming directly from a territory where their life or freedom was threatened in the sense of article 1, enter or are present in their territory without authorization, provided they present themselves without delay to the authorities and show good cause for their illegal entry or presence.

Have a think about this… It doesn’t say all asylum seeker boat arrivals are illegal, it’s basically saying that if you are illegal the government isn’t allowed to penalise you. Sure that controversial word ‘illegal’ is invoked, but that doesn’t accord it general application.

Critics of the government’s use of the term ‘illegal’ question which law refugee arrivals are supposedly breaking. Their point: that illegal means against the law. This is the common meaning of the word.

So far the government have not indicated which law is being broken.

So what though? It doesn’t change the fact that people are arriving. It doesn’t change the fact that they are being settled offshore. It doesn’t even change the fact that the bulk of these arrivals are found to be genuine refugees. So why are the government so worried about what word is being used?

The government are worried about the words because these words help shape the way the Australian public (that’s you!) think about asylum seekers arriving by boat.

The process is quick, sometimes even unconscious: nobody wants to lock up innocent people who have suffered poverty and starvation. That’s just cruel right?! But if someone is ‘illegal’ that must mean they are a criminal, and we lock up criminals

George Orwell was particularly suspicious of politicians use of language...

“Political language … is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.”

So let’s define our terms here, because clarity is extremely important. Next time an overweight bear tries to get you to believe he’s all innocent don’t trust him straight away. Listen, then look at his actions and ask what is really behind the words he’s using.

Chaos Theory :: Or, how a butterfly flapping it’s wings in America can cause a touring seventies revival in Australia…

"There’s nothing better than putting your feet up on a Louis XVI foot-stool, sipping Moet in front of their new Rembrandt while Kei$ha dances the floor show..."

A flapping wing… The Village People have just toured Australia. Hot Chocolate have shows coming up this Friday at Canterbury RSL.

You look confused…

If you’re staring blankly at the mention of The Village People & Hot Chocolate; think 70’s funk, think disco, think construction worker uniforms, impossibly tight pants and fit-inducing neon lights. If you’ve ever been to a wedding, twenty-first or an RSL on a Saturday night then you’ve heard the Y.M.C.A. or You Sexy Thing, you probably just blocked the memory.

The guys aren’t looking too bad for bands whose last hits were thirty years ago. I checked out officialvillagepeople.com and with the exception of ‘Eric’, who looks like Sacha Baron Cohen in witness protection, the guys are rockin’ the politically incorrect costumes. Personally I can’t imagine sitting through a whole show though.

There’s a lot of vintage gold being polished off of late; Kim Wilde and Nik Kershaw have shows coming up reviving the eighties. The Breeders are bringing back the 90’s, touring their seminal album ‘Last Splash’ at the end of October. The ‘album’ concept show has become a mainstay of touring artists who don’t have a new release. Whether you fork out your hard-earned or not, I suspect becomes a matter of nostalgia and taste (or lack thereof).

International tours are everywhere and increasingly frequent. Fighting for our bucks are Bieber, Beyonce, One Direction, the Wiggles! I think Bruce Springsteen has toured more often recently than he ever made it in the eighties.   

All of this is possible because of a relatively robust Aussie dollar, which is in turn part of the legacy of American financial turmoil over the last five years. As the world’s financial systems gradually unravelled, Australia just toddled along through two decades of uninterrupted growth.

The result: our dollar buys a lot worldwide.

For a lot of us this has meant holidays, lots of holidays. But it’s not just Australia that’s heading out into the world; the world is also coming to us. International bands, the Great Masters of European painting and cheap Champagne have all been landing on our doorstep in increasing numbers over the last few years.

This has to be a good thing right?!

There’s nothing better than putting your feet up on a Louis XVI foot-stool, sipping Moet in front of their new Rembrandt while Kei$ha dances the floor show. But if we’re dropping all our coin on cheap imports, what’s left for local produce?  

A minor tremor...

There’s a lingering theory that pervades a lot of sport-oriented debates about the benefit of a ‘marquee’ player. This is international star whose mere presence lifts the overall standard of the local competition. Is it possible that a plethora of international stars hitting our stages might influence the musical stylings and performance of local acts?

Access seems to be the issue here. Spotify (for the good), Torrents (for the naughty) have made a variety of music available to all and sundry. Local acts have exposure to the entire world without leaving their bedrooms, and as Bart Denaro discussed last week, all that exposure to music ain’t necessarily a good thing. (fbiradio.com/feature-desperately-seeking-music)

F.O.M.O.

The relative scarcity of international touring artists over the decades creates a mythos around the concert event; think Nirvana at the ‘92 BDO or Jeff Buckley at the Phoenician Club in ‘95. These shows build up in the suburban subconscious becoming cultural compass points, with more ‘attendees’ than ever made the gig. Everyone who wasn’t there wishes they were, and no-one wants to miss the next one. But as we scramble to secure our personal cultural cachet, whilst simultaneously assuaging our manic F.O.M.O-itis there is a lot going on locally that slides under our radar.

With (relative) retro heavyweights like Hot Chocolate hitting the RSL circuit, a potential venue for Aussie artists is lost. Sydney is blessed with multiple venues supporting local bands, but there are always more playing house parties or occupying off-the-grid venues because they can’t get a slot anywhere else.

Less clout, less bucks (cos a strong Aussie dollar doesn’t buy more at home) and less influence puts the local act behind the proverbial eight-ball...

It’s Dirty Underground

A cultural tsunami… All this competition puts bands in a position where they must refine their sound, their live show and their image, then work hard to get noticed. As they fight for attention from bands cutting prime-time TV commercials they know they must offer something to the punters to grab fans. Not having the major label music machine behind them ultimately offers these bands the opportunity to grow on their own.  

Once a month on a Monday local bands diligently rock up at the FBi studios to attend our music open-day. They’ve got the sounds; CDs and bios clutched in their hands, they’re now looking for the edge that will help them make it. Relative obscurity means bands have to work. They practice play small shows and shitty venues and do their own artwork. They also create something personal and reflective of themselves, not just what tests well in the market.

So maybe our strong Aussie dollar is a mixed blessing. When a politicians talks deficit and recession, or strong quarterly growth it doesn’t instantly translate into tunes in most peoples minds. It does however influence the variety and available of the sounds that become available and the ease with which you access them. Whether in times of boom or bust chances are people will keep doing a few things; mostly drinking and fucking… then making music about it.

*This article was originally written as a feature piece for FBi 94.5 Sydney Radio

Preview :: Sydney Opera's New Faces...

"The power of opera is more in the music and the stories..."

Back in the 1950’s the NSW government called for submissions to design and develop a new performance space in Sydney. Born out of a desire for a space in which to hold large scale opera and classical performances, the building has arguably become more iconic to Sydneysiders than any performances held there.

Resplendent with it’s iconic sails, sundrenched forecourt, eponymous bar and three hat restaurant the Sydney Opera House is ‘our’ wonder of the world. But is anyone going there to check out an opera?

This long weekend the Opera House hosts a visual storytelling expo. Homebakes taking to the forecourt for three days this summer and Brooklyn wunderkinds Grizzly Bear have recently announced shows in the concert hall. There’s no doubting the Opera House is a cultural hub, but still that name…

Perhaps it’s just that opera isn’t a Sydney thing? As our colonial heritage gives way to a multicultural work-in-progress, we persist with a strangely ironic cultural cringe. This comes complete with the contradictory desires of excelling in everything we touch, the arts included, coupled with a barely concealed disdain for such high-falutin pursuits.

In July this year the Sydney Morning Herald attempted to celebrated Opera’s resurgence amongst Sydney performing arts scene. Paid attendance figures were up 34% to 481, 000 in 2012. That’s a good 10% of Sydney’s population heading out to the opera (if we generously assume these are all Sydneysiders in attendance and each person only attends one performance) and yet viewer figures like this would be enough to get the next big reality show canned after only a few episodes (if only I hear you moan!)

None of this is Opera’s fault of course. As a musical genre it finds itself at the centre of a perfect storm of cultural excess facing off against cultural cringe.

Into this maelstrom steps Sydney Opera newbies Harbour City Opera…

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Harbour City Opera has emerged in 2013 under the stewardship of creative director Sarah Ann Walker. The company has a mission of presenting ‘Opera’s greatest moments, presented in Sydney’s most iconic spaces  and performed by Sydney’s most exciting voices.’

The company recently staged Puccini’s ‘Suor Angelica’ at the Paddington Uniting Church. Far from the hallowed halls of the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, ‘Suor Angelica’ invited the audience into the cloistered, intimate life of a seventeenth century nunnery. The church interior, the altarpiece and the proximity, with no audience member further than a few metres from the stage, ensured an almost claustrophobic intimacy with the nuns life.

Suor Angelica is no archaic remnant of a time past. The performance pits the disgraced Sister Angelica against her noble family, the mother superior and her faith. The narrative illuminates the struggle of marginalised women against an unforgiving society that demands little more than obedience to a narrow version of femininity.  

Director Andy Morgan reflecting on Sour Angelica: 

“She may be fictional, but her resolve places her in the vanguard of a broad canon of feminists who have reached out to us from inside the walls of convents.”

The all female cast, led by Sarah Ann Walker lifted the narrative, filling the old church with their voices. Now Opera is all about voice and I find it hard not to be impressed by soaring vocals. It’s an entirely different musical experience to any other and as I listened to the Italian (with English subtitles) I found myself drifting away into the scenes of loss and hope. At times Opera can feel very ‘exclusive’, but even my untrained ear could appreciate the skill and emotion of Sour Angelica’s singers.

This is the heart of opera, the combination of various forms to transport the listener and relate a story of power and purpose. It is entirely possible that the story of Sour Angelica could be relayed through verse or prose, but how much more powerful to hear her lament in the aria ‘Senza Mama’

Andrew Pople had a chat with company director and the principal of Sour Angelica, Sarah Ann Walker about the direction of opera in Sydney.

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Andrew :: Opera was rock'n'roll before there was rock. Have we lost that sense of Opera's dramatic potential?

Sarah :: I think opera has enormous dramatic potential, but sometimes I wonder if the Industry’s obsession to make opera “hot” and “relevant” does just the opposite. The power of opera is more in the music and the stories than we, at times, give the composers and librettists credit for and by casting the best voices possible for the roles, we take back the power to present really thrilling opera!

Andrew :: Is style and narrative a barrier? People aren't typically engaging in a story set to music over the course of an hour.

Sarah :: I think the biggest barrier for any opera is poor casting. A strong cast can take the audience on an unforgettable experience whether it’s 30 minutes or 3 hours! We have a responsibility to the music and the composers of the music to present exceptional opera performed by exceptional voices – only then will our audiences and prospective audiences really see how fantastic opera can be!

Andrew :: How does Harbour City Opera seek to engage an audience outside of traditional opera circles?

Sarah :: We are still working on this, but the feedback from our latest presentation has seen a large number of audience members new to opera who have walked away excited and inspired by the production. I believe that if we can present interest provoking marketing material and follow it up with a solid, exciting and inspirational show, we are half way there!

Andrew :: Could a modern 'Australian' opera emerge, and what might it look like?

Sarah :: It definitely could – and it is something that we are in talks about but will be a few years away – these types of commissions are very expensive and funding for the Arts in Australia (especially for the smaller companies) is scarce. When one of these operas does emerge though, I imagine that it will be pretty spectacular!

Could Harbour City Opera be the company that breaks an antipodean opera on an unsuspecting city? In 2014 they have planned a reprisal of Suor Angelica, a concert of scenes from various opera performances, and will present Benjamin Britten's The Rape of Lucretia.

With the talent and vision at their disposal there is nothing stopping Harbour City Opera becoming the vital voice they envisage. First though they must convince a new audience to put down the remote and inhabit a different kind of world.

*This piece was originally prepared as a feature article for FBi 94.5