Between the Covers :: 'The Diet Starts on Monday' by Tamar Chnorokian

...this book has the guts to make it's protagonist fairly unpleasant at the same time as it has you rooting for her to get a little happiness. 

Picking up YA fiction when you are not a young adult should always be accompanied by a degree of critical caution. I'm not particularly enraptured by dub-step either, but I am wise enough to recognise that I am not the target audience.

While I'm never going to be a wide reader of YA fiction, I like to enjoy the forays that I take whilst keeping an open mind about how they contribute to the genre as a whole. And as a genre that spans genres YA seems to struggling to emerge as something more than just inspirationally superhuman adolescents, battling to the end.

Happily The Diet Starts on Monday goes further; offering a tantalizing insight into a realm almost exotic in Australian fiction: Western Sydney. Further it confronts teen bullshit in a thought provoking way, and while it may not always be unique that is hardly the fault of the author; teenagers just tend to perpetrate the same awful crap from generation to generation.

The premise of The Diet Starts on Monday is a fairly standard Cinderella plot line...

Zara Hagopian has a crush on the hot guy at school, but he barely notices her. Maybe it's important that his name is Pablo, that he's a twin and has dreamy eyes and caramel skin. Probably not though as his role is to be the raison d'être for Zara's transformation.

This is not your standard rags to riches transformation however. See Zara is a size 22 and it is unfair to say that she is not noticed. More correctly she enjoys the full attention (and venom & vitriol) we come to expect from insecure teenagers. I'm almost certain life was like this when I was at school and Tamar Chnorhokian ably brings it to life. Trigger warning for formerly fat kids!

Zara's journey raises a lot of issues around societies cult of image and fashion. As she resolves then fails then resolves again to lose weight all for a guy I admit I wondered whether this wasn't just reinforcing the message that girls are for looking at. But if Chnorhokian had presented this differently she would have been ignoring the reality of a lot of young women struggling with who they are in a world that wasn't built for their success.

At least this book has the guts to make it's protagonist fairly unpleasant at the same time as it has you rooting for her to get a little happiness. Because Zara is not simply a princess hidden under a tatty dress. She has a strong family tradition in the Armenian community and must balance her loyalties with her need to be a kid amongst others, all with strong communities. She also must confront the reasons behind her sadness and her weight, before she can accept the antithesis of either.

I didn't like Zara for a large portion of this book, at times wanting to scream at her for the stupid mistakes she making. I also worried that any victory that she felt was pyrrhic. But for that to happen she must have struck me in some way, and that means the novel worked.

 _______

Tamar Chnorhokian and The Diet Starts on Monday emerged through the Western Sydney Sweatshop collective. Their philosophy is to empower and embolden their area through stories and bring these stories to a wider audience who perhaps think of Western Sydney as the bit without the beaches.

This is an accomplished effort to emerge from their workshops and augers well for future offerings...


For the past eighteen months I have been a producer and presenter on 'Final Draft', 2SER 107.3FM's flagship literature program. Between the Covers is my attempt to share some of this wonderful world of books and writing...

You can check out my interview with Tamar Chnorhokian and Mohammed Ahmad from Sweatshop on Final Draft's Podcast page on 2SER.com
Join me on Twitter @rightzblock
Catch me on Goodreads... goodreads.com/AndrewPople

Between The Covers :: 'The Seventh Day' Yu Hua

The Seventh Day is a vision of a novel that has struck me quite unexpectedly as I searched through my reading pile at the beginning of 2015... 

Typically the new year is a time of reflection, resolution and promises of renewal. Even the best of us; those who cynically deny the tricolon and maintain that the new year is simply another day (albeit with more dehydration and nausia). Instead my faux-contemplation was interrupted by musings on life and death far more poignant than promises to eat less and read more.

The Seventh Day follows the recently deceased Yang Fei as he struggles to negotiate his world and the spiritual realm of 'The Land of the Unburied'. Yang Fei wanders for seven days throughout his own life and the lives of his fellow travelers amongst the recently deceased.

Throughout these wanderings Yu Hua does not seek to evoke an all-encompassing vision for the life beyond, nor does he attempt to reconcile spiritual faith(s). Yang Fei's journey feels both incredibly personal and strangely universal. It's a death I'd happily claim as my own.

I am unabashedly a fan of this novel and of Yu Hua's writing, via translator Allan H. Barr. Of course the book I have read is the work of both writers and the issue of translation is one I've enjoyed revisiting on Final Draft. That I found common themes in a work ostensibly foreign to my experience is testament to the power and paradox of the translators work.

In a recent interview Yu Hua reflected on the absurd realities of modern China and their reflections in The Seventh Day's 'The Land of the Unburied'. While these elements are undoubtedly integral to the novel I could only fully appreciate them after having my attention drawn to them through this interview. Instead I found in the land of the unburied immensely entertaining as a conceit examining our lifelong quest to acquire, achieve, and belong. Through Mouse Girl and Wu Chao we vicariously enjoy a bitter requiem to the modern malaise of FOMO.

In short The Seventh Day is a discovery; a book that rewards in the story it tells and the thoughts it provokes. Well worth your time...

For the past eighteen months I have been a producer and presenter on 'Final Draft', 2SER 107.3FM's flagship literature program. Between the Covers is my attempt to share some of this wonderful world of books and writing...

Follow me on Twitter @rightzblock
Catch me on Goodreads... goodreads.com/AndrewPople

Between the Covers :: 'Foxglove Summer' Ben Aaronovitch

Science Fiction and Fantasy are my intellectual pizza... 

While naysayers may demean it as junk-food, even unhealthy, I prefer mine loaded with lashings of thoughtful, all natural, healthy ingredients that explode across your palette. With that in mind Foxglove Summer is quite the deep-dish farm house fair; with the provenance of each topping clearly listed on the menu.

Now while that metaphor gently recoils, I must confess that this edition of 'Between the Covers' will be a de facto review of the entire Rivers of London. That's because I systematically discovered and devoured the five PC Grant novels in quick succession (and you'll not be wanting to wait for me to pump out five of these, you've got better things to do!)

Peter Grant is a copper, Nightingale's a Benjamin Button-ing practitioner and The Rivers of London are the anthropomorphized gods of the many tributaries of the Thames. Oh and there's magic, not a lot mind you, but it's coming back into the world. The comparisons to Harry Potter have already been made and those who don't want to believe are probably kicking themselves that they've read this far.

A better comparison for the Rivers... series might be Sergei Lukianenko's Nightwatch series. Both center themselves within the reality of their cities (LOndon and Moscow) and allow their protagonist  to live more within the real than the fantasy. PC Grant's adventures explore the trials and tribulations of multicultural London, neatly wrapped in the bow of tightly researched police procedural.

See the thing that PC Grant's guvner, Ben Aaronovitch does right is to drip feed us the hyperreality and focus on building his characters. Aaronovitch is clearly a man with a plan, and five books in PC Grant is still an accomplished novice and the villain of the piece a mystery. Each story, while complete in it's own right, contains the seeds of things to come.

Foxglove Summer is something of a departure from the previous Rivers... books. Moving from London to Rushpool, there is a hint that PC Grant may not be inundated with magical shenanigans. Of course this is never going to be the case but Aaronovitch successfully grounds us in the provincial setting, using it to explore traditional supernatural mythology that steeps English history.

As well as removing PC Grant from his city, Foxglove Summer also sees Grant divested of most of the supporting cast that populate his world. Perhaps a risk for the series; undoubtedly many fans are waiting impatiently for origins of both Nightingale & The Faceless Man. However PC Grant's time in the wilderness comes feel like an inevitable consequence of the startling conclusion of the previous novel Broken Homes (no spoilers here!)

My main criticism of the Rivers... series, and of Foxglove Summer, is that the tightly written development of PC Grant and The Folly et al. really promotes a comprehensive reading of the series. I wouldn't recommend dipping in on Foxglove Summer, there is nuance and plot threads that you'll miss and the characters will lack the dimension that Aaronovitch has invested them with.

This may be a problem for the casual reader, but not the fan(atic). My wonder is whether Aaronovitch, clearly a man with an eye on the long game, is crafting the Rivers... series for the savvy modern consumer of narrative. The sort who downloads a the whole season of 'House of Cards' to watch in a sitting.

That's been my experience of the Rivers... series anyway, and while Foxglove Summer did not give me all I could have hoped for it certainly piqued me for what is to come!

I just really hope subsequent installments don't lead with a "Previously on Rivers of London..."

For the past eighteen months I have been a producer and presenter on 'Final Draft', 2SER 107.3FM's flagship literature program. Between the Covers is my attempt to share some of this wonderful world of books and writing...

Follow me on Twitter @rightzblock
Catch me on Goodreads... www.goodreads.com/AndrewPople

Between the Covers :: Refugees by Jane McAdam & Fiona Chong

...what of the naysayers?!

The full title of this book is 'Refugess - Why Seeking Asylum is Legal and Australia's Policies are Not'. It's a title that admirably and not uncontroversially asserts a position. Never mind that this position, on the illegality of Australia's current asylum seeker policy, is based on international law, it was always going to stir debate if not controversy.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Refugees'. The book comprehensively and systematically lays out the current state of the legal and ethical debate on this issue. Having read widely on the topic before I came to this publication, I was happy to learn new information and have themes clarified and elaborated on. This is one of the great strengths of Refugees.

As you might already have guessed I am broadly sympathetic to the arguments put forward in this book. I am definitely part of their audience. And that is where my concerns begin...

'Refugees' strikes me as perhaps teetering on becoming a limited success. I have no doubt that many people sympathetic to the plight of global asylum seekers will read it with gusto, nodding their heads at each page. These people are an important demographic of reader. But what of the naysayers?

In becoming a successful book I wonder if 'Refugees' will miss it's audience and consequently the opportunity to truly influence people. It strikes me that the readership McAdam and Chong are truly aiming for are people that take their political and social cues from the evening news and tabloid newspapers. When the phrase 'three word slogan' was bandied around at the last election it was lambasted as a base form of propagandising, but it was also an effective tool for communicating to a large portion of the Australian public. These are the people that 'Refugees' will struggle to reach.

This book needs a twitter account and a social media strategy. It wants to condense it's message and entice people between it's pages, lure you in with it's own hook, because as it stands the stark yellow cover may repel more than it attracts.

Personally I can't recommend 'Refugees - Why Seeking Asylum is Legal and Australia's Policies are Not' highly enough. I think all Australians should read it and clear themselves on the misunderstandings on who asylum seekers really are and what are our duties as a country.

But if you're reading this you probably already know all that...

Listen to my interview with Jane McAdam on 'Refugees' 

For the past twelve months I have been a producer and presenter on 'Final Draft', 2SER 107.3FM's flagship literature program. Between the Covers is my attempt to share some of this wonderful world of books and writing...

Join me on Twitter @rightzblock

Between the Covers :: 'Half World' by Scott O'Connor

"...fear of an ephemeral 'enemy' forced people to commit atrocities against unsuspecting innocents, and the rights of the unsuspecting few were considered ancillary to the purported greater good..."

Half World is the second novel by Scott O'Connor. It's the story of Henry March, a burnt out CIA analyst, turned rogue torturer & pseudo-pharmacologist. Or perhaps it's the fictionalized tale of secret CIA mind control experiments, conducted throughout the fifties and sixties, known MKUltra.



Henry's journey into the underworld is perhaps best understood as a sort of parallel narrative to societies own 'progress' and increasing reliance on soporifics; I mean Dick Ashbie, our hero for the second half of the novel is hooked on the exact same drugs Henry pioneered in the fight against the 'red scare'.


Through both Henry and Dick we are privy to the destructive force of secrets and fear. Both men are compelled to face an external threat they never truly understand and do so at the personal cost of all they hold dear. The notion of duty and honour may figure in a more patriotic review but I can;t help but focus on the classical tragedy of both men's need to serve.

Half World is easy to read as a work of fiction, harder perhaps to countenance as a piece of speculative history. Do we need to believe that a version of this story actually happened to make it compelling?

It's enough to know that fear of an ephemeral 'enemy' forced people to commit atrocities against unsuspecting innocents. That the rights of the unsuspecting few were considered ancillary to the purported 'greater good'. That at some point the horrifying effects these drugs can have on human was discovered and we still embraced them. Anyone else feel it's a lesson worth revisiting?!

The narrative is strong and told in a style reminiscent of Don DeLillio with lashings of almost Kilgore Trout-esque surreal moments as the plot teeters while Dick finds his benzo legs.

Half World relies on your ability to fathom that the unbelievable happens. It is convenient, perhaps too-much so in some of it's encounters but by then you are already immersed and you're on a gripping ride that resonates with our own progressively more fucked-up world...

For the past twelve months I have been a producer and presenter on 'Final Draft', 2SER 107.3FM's flagship literature program. Between the Covers is my attempt to share some of this wonderful world of books and writing...

Join me on Twitter @rightzblock

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…

___________

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.

_________

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

A tale of two headlines (or) I like my media independence a little less partisan please!

There's nothing like a light read or even a full on blog attack every now and then. Now I know the faint, familiar scratching of writing has been absent from these pages for many a week, so I thank all of you who've continued to check out the page and keep the flame alive.

My pen has not run dry, I've simply been a little distracted with other projects. Then there is also the issue of carving out a space for words and writing in my life. Virginia Woolf was not kidding when she laid out a room of one's own as a prerequisite for any scribe...
_______

As we speak I'm borrowing a few moments from another project to bash out a few thoughts because today I've been moved to write about writing, by another piece of writing I came across.

The Daily Telegraph for Monday, 5th August announced the impending federal election with the following headline...

"Finally you now have the chance to ... KICK THIS MOB OUT"

The editorial describes a litany of sins perceived to be attributable to the current government. Then goes on to make statements about what 'Australians' know and believe, presenting these tid-bits as fact and not (nearly impossible to verify) opinion.

Here's a little look at the offending cover...

But am I just being over-sensitive? I mean what's the big deal about a newspaper that doesn't particularly like the PM and wants to see him gone?

Well let's presume for a moment that not all Australians of voting age with democratic intentions are as well read as you and I. Perhaps they don't trawl through various media services and social media digesting opinions and critically appraising the information they encounter. Let's presume that some Australians get their news from only one or two sources.

Suddenly independent, balanced reporting starts to look pretty important.

When a news service decide to run opinion as front page news it begins to look suspiciously like campaign material. Publishers are tasked with avoiding this, in fact The Daily Telegraph has a code-of-conduct that includes amidst it recommendations:

• "Editorial employees and contributors should be open-minded, be fair and respect the truth."
• "Facts must be reported impartially, accurately and with integrity."
• "Try always to tell all sides of the story in any kind of dispute."

Today's headline does not come across as open-minded, impartial or fair. It offers truth up to a certain point by mentioning that an election has been called, only to then lean on speculation and opinion. All of these are fine when presented on an editorial page within the context of a range of opinions, but on the front page?!

Savvy readers will not fall for these stunts, but then it is not savvy readers that The Daily Telegraph is pitching at. They are making a cynical attempt to manipulate those who are time poor and disinclined to read widely on the issue.

The antidote to these displays is to take the matter into your own hands and start a conversation with the people you meet. You will be unpopular with some, ignored by many, but ultimately you will have the opportunity to do what The Daily Telegraph seems unable to ... engage a range of opinion.

Success in the 'Commit to Community Radio' campaign...

Whenever you take the leap and attempt to effect change you run the risk of failure. Sometimes it feels like this becomes the norm, but it's important to never be discouraged.

It then becomes important to acknowledge the victories when they happen. I've written in the past about the issue of media diversity and digital radio funding. Today the government made an announcement that vindicated these efforts...

 In it's darkest hour, with hope waning, community radio has won through - securing the funding required to keep it on digital!

The Federal Government announced today it will rectify the funding shortfall that threatened to leave community radio stations $1.4 million short of the operating costs of their digital services. The new funding commitment will provide $6 million over the next three years to ensure community radio services can keep kickin' it in the digital world.

Adrian Basso, President of the CBAA (Community Broadcasting Association of Australia) was full of praise for the efforts of supporters, much like yourselves, who wrote emails, made calls, and generally created a lot of noise to ensure politicians couldn't ignore the importance of community radio services.

“Thanks to the tens of thousands of people who stood up and showed just how important community radio is to communities right across Australia, community radio now has a digital future,”

Now call me suspicious, but given the timing, perhaps this is just an amazing 10th birthday present for FBi?

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... This post is an original piece by myself and appeared as a contribution to FBi 94.5 radio's blog.

Walk Together

"Although we've all arrived here via different pathways, we share a common Australian journey."

This Saturday a whole lot of people are getting together and going for a walk. They'll be coming from all over Sydney and meeting in Parramatta to celebrate the different journeys people take to arrive at a common destination; as Australians.

Last time I looked Sydney* we had about 4,391,674 people kicking around. Just over half of us were female. 1.2% or nearly 55,000 of us were indigenous. About 60% of us were born in Australia with the rest hailing from far and wide. Our mums and dads came from all over too, just to get us where we are today. Some of these people came to Australia to seek a better life, after fleeing persecution in their home countries.
(*in all honesty it's the last time the census had a look, back in 2011)

'Walk Together' is about celebrating the diversity that makes up our city and our country. It comes at the end of Refugee Week and seeks to raise awareness about the plight of all Australians who are having a tough time and are not receiving fair treatment.  

'Walk Together' is organised by the good people at 'Welcome To Australia'. These guys don't really mind where you come from, they're the people who sing our national anthem and remember the second verse! You know the bit that begins 'for those who've come across the seas, we've boundless plains to share'.

They believe...

"We're Aboriginal Australians, we're refugees, we're skilled migrants, we're long-term Australians, we're international students, we're asylum seekers... we're people. It's time to Walk Together into a future where diversity is celebrated, fear is replaced with welcome and where everyone belongs."

The walk starts at one o'clock on the corner of Church Street and the Parramatta River this Saturday the 22nd of June. It continues on to Parramatta Park where there will be a post walk festival featuring Ozi Batla from The Herd.

What :: Walk Together

Where :: Meet on the corner of Church St and the Parramatta River

When :: Saturday the 22nd of June at 1pm

How Much :: absolutely free

Greenwash

In the wake of my previous post bemoaning the parlous state of ethical consumer choice I thought I might explore the phenomenon known as 'Greenwashing'

'Greenwashing' encompasses many environmental claims and advertising tactics, some more nefarious than others. In a nutshell it seems to refer to claims of being Green that just don't stack up. These may vary from the outright false to those that mislead by focussing on a particular product while ignore a companies overall environmental record.

The ACCC, our consumer watchdog friends, focus particularly on issues of carbon neutrality. They claim to have been achieving success in clarifying business claims since 2007. Recognising that claims of environmental credentials are an emerging market the ACCC have sought to assist business in developing useful, consumer friendly advertising. While this sounds lovely and helpful I wonder if perhaps they aren't just compelling marketers to get more creative.

In 'Greenwash', Guy Pearse describes some marketers claims as "a torrent of corporate spin that sounds impressive but conceals mostly business as usual". He then goes on to unpack many brands claims of carbon neutrality and green goodness. Merciless in his attentions, Pearse cares little for the facade of green branding revealing the core interests of many a companies brown core.

One of Pearse's key tactics for revealing 'Greenwashing' is to look beyond the surface claims of any particular campaign, to the business behind the brand. This frequently reveals a core, burgeoning carbon footprint wallpapered over by an ethically friendly product.

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So let's give this 'Greenwashing' expose a trial...

Very Green?!

I was immediately suspicious the other day when I saw an advertisement for new 'Mother - Green Storm' energy drink. The byline screamed "fueled by natural caffeine", floating over packaging saturated in shades of green.

This looked suspiciously like a spurious claim to be enviro-friendly. All that green and the prominent use of the word 'natural'. But was it too easy a target, or just another crazy caffeine fueled adventure?

I began my search for information on the Mother website. Complete waste of time! I've seen more useful information on Charlie Sheen's Twitter account.

Mother's Facebook page doesn't give away too much either. Devoted to all the energy drinks various flavours the page makes no specific claims about 'Mother - Green Storm'. Instead we are presented with an increasingly inane array of scenarios in which friends may be vanquished (presumably with the aid of Mother?) More like an adult version of a fart joke (there is a clip where a character gets his bum blown off), Mother's Facebook is clean of any major noxious odours.

What about this claim of 'natural caffeine' though? 

Yahoo answers assured me that it's basically the same stuff we find in coffee, tea and cocoa. Hardly revolutionary, but I didn't plan on relying on such a hardcore sciency site.

Science Daily, citing the American Chemical Society, brought to my attention the fact that there are subtle differences between 'natural' and 'synthetic' caffeine. Basically I was on track to proving Mother Green Energy is about as environmental as a cup of strong coffee.

Now I spruiked the benefits of the Fairtrade model of coffee production in my last post, but do you trust 'Mother' to be Fairtrade? I could find no information to confirm or deny. If it's not though that means it is open to the many environmental concerns that could be leveled at coffee. These include: promoting monocultures and consequent reduction in biodiversity, excessive water use and deforestation.

Who's really the Mother here?

Mother's parent company Coca-Cola is no favourite for many an ethical shopper. Shop Ethical's guide to brands lists environmental concerns such as polluting groundwater, distributing toxic wastes as fertiliser and selling drinks with levels of pesticide.

So while Mother's green storm campaign may look like benign trickery at worst, it seems the whole brand is tainted (though not with pesticides - I'm definitely not claiming there's pesticide in Mother, unless a heap of sugar kills pests...) The Verdict:

'Greenwashing'