NZ rave

What happens when someone who's idea of culture is a hip-hop rave, is in charge of Arts and Culture? You get a bunch of DJ's and gansta rappers as highlight for a national arts festival. It's been now 6 years... and each year the events are ... well, there might have been better events and performances at Zapopum!

In 2000 it was really hard to decide which paid events to attend. Now that the cultural level has sunken into populism... there's not much to choose from. Some paid events are not that bad... but they are also not extraordinary. I mean, even the Simpsons went to see "cirque du puree" (a copycat of cirque du soleil).

I have to conceal the identity of our sources, but an insider told us that NZ orchestras don't play the same days there's rugby. First, because nobody would show up (including some musicians), and because there's the risk that the whole hall would shout "goaaaal!" in the middle of the concert. It's like the Springfildian hillbillies that got out of the philarmony concert and only hear classical music as ringtones on their mobiles. Maybe the Michael Fowler centre will become a state prison someday. (yes, yes, more simpsons references)

Sandra's uncle Heinrich Klug will be conducting the Münchner Philharmoniker on March 7th. A very nice programme of Mozart's Jupiter and Schubert's Winterreise. Last week he conducted a concert for children including a puppet show. Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to invite him to the next New Zealand arts festival.

ciao