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Bliss (novel)
''Bliss'' is the first novel by Australian writer Peter Carey. Published in 1981, the book won that year's Miles Franklin Award. Plot Written as a dark, comic fable, the story concerns an advertising executive, Harry Joy, who briefly 'dies' of a myocardial infarction, heart attack. On being resuscitated, he realizes that the life he has previously drifted amiably through is in fact Hell – Literal and figurative language, literally so to Harry. His wife is unfaithful, while his son is selling drugs, and his daughter is a Communism, communist selling herself to buy them. In one of the novel's more shocking scenes, glimpsed through a window, incest occurs. Redemption comes in the form of Honey Barbara – a Pantheism, pantheist, healer and prostitute. In the words of the book's blurb "Honey is to Harry as Isis is to Osiris. Together they conquer Hell and retire to the forest where their children inherit the legend of paradise regained." But Harry must die for a second time to b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Peter Carey (novelist)
Peter Philip Carey AO (born 7 May 1943) is an Australian novelist. He is one of only five writers to have won the Booker Prize twice—the others being J. G. Farrell, J. M. Coetzee, Hilary Mantel and Margaret Atwood. Carey won his first Booker Prize in 1988, for '' Oscar and Lucinda'', and won his second Booker Prize in 2001, for '' True History of the Kelly Gang''. In May 2008, he was nominated for the Best of the Booker Prize. Carey has won the Miles Franklin Award three times, and is frequently named as Australia's next contender for the Nobel Prize in Literature. In addition to writing fiction, he collaborated on the screenplay of the film '' Until the End of the World'' with Wim Wenders and was, for nineteen years, executive director of the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program at Hunter College, part of the City University of New York. Early life and career: 1943–1970 Peter Carey was born in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria, in 1943. His parents ran a Holden de ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pantheism
Pantheism can refer to a number of philosophical and religious beliefs, such as the belief that the universe is God, or panentheism, the belief in a non-corporeal divine intelligence or God out of which the universe arisesAnn Thomson; Bodies of Thought: Science, Religion, and the Soul in the Early Enlightenment, 2008, page 54. as opposed to the corporeal gods of religion such as Yahweh. The former idea came from Church theologians who, in attacking the latter form of pantheism, described pantheism as the belief that God is the material universe itself.Worman, J. H., "Pantheism", in ''Cyclopædia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, Volume 1'', John McClintock, James Strong (Eds), Harper & Brothers, 1896, pp. 616–624. Under some conceptions of pantheism, the universe is thought to be an immanent deity, still expanding and creating, which has existed since the beginning of time. Pantheism can include the belief that everything constitutes a unity and that t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Peter Coleman-Wright
Peter Coleman-Wright (born 13 October 1958) is an Australian baritone from Geelong. He began his career at Glyndebourne Festival Opera, where he sang Guglielmo in ''Così fan tutte'', winning the Touring Prize. Subsequently, he sang Sid in ''Albert Herring'' and Demetrius in ''A Midsummer Night's Dream (opera), A Midsummer Night's Dream'' and Pizzaro in ''Fidelio''. Career He performed many roles for English National Opera (ENO) including Don Giovanni, The Marriage of Figaro, Figaro, Billy Budd (opera), Billy Budd, Eugene Onegin (opera), Onegin, Tosca, Scarpia, Michele in ''Il tabarro'', Carmen, Toreador, The Forester in ''The Cunning Little Vixen'', Traveller in ''Death in Venice (opera), Death in Venice'', Henze's Der Prinz von Homburg (opera), Prince von Homburg, and Il prigioniero, The Prisoner by Dallapiccola. He made his The Royal Opera, Royal Opera Covent Garden debut as Dandini in ''La Cenerentola'' and has sung many roles for the company for 20 years. Roles include Bill ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Elgar Howarth
Elgar Howarth (4 November 1935 – 13 January 2025) was an English conductor, composer and trumpeter. The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Grove noted that "his performances are marked by powerful concentration and a clear communication of sometimes complex scores". He conducted many world premieres, including Ligeti's ''Le Grand Macabre'' and four operas by Harrison Birtwistle. He composed mainly music for brass instruments and brass bands, some under the pseudonym W. Hogarth Lear. As a player, he was one of the trumpeters who performed with the Beatles on the song "Magical Mystery Tour (song), Magical Mystery Tour". The author of a feature article about Howarth in 1999 wrote that "as trumpeter, composer and conductor, he has featured in many of the important musical developments in the UK and beyond over the past 40 years". Biography Early life and education Howarth was born in Cannock, Staffordshire, on 4 November 1935, the son of Oliver and Emma Howarth. His fathe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Neil Armfield
Neil Geoffrey Armfield (born 22 April 1955) is an Australian director of theatre, film and opera. Biography Born in Sydney, Armfield is the third and youngest son of Len, a factory worker at the nearby Arnott's Biscuits factory and Nita Armfield. He was brought up in the suburb of Concord, adjacent to Exile Bay. He was educated at the Homebush Boys High School where, in 1972, he was the vice-captain. In that year, Armfield directed the school's production of A. A. Milne's ''Toad of Toad Hall'' which garnered him the award of "Best Director" at the NSW High Schools Drama Festival. When asked in 2019: "Who or what was your biggest influence?" Armfield said; "Lindsay Daines at Homebush State High School, who encouraged my theatrical aspirations." He then went on to study at the University of Sydney, graduating in 1977, and became co-artistic director of the Nimrod Theatre Company in 1979. He joined South Australia's Lighthouse Theatre before returning to Sydney in 1985, wher ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue Performing arts center, performing arts centre in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive buildings, and a masterpiece of 20th-century architecture. Designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon and completed by an Australian architectural team headed by Peter Hall (architect), Peter Hall, the building was formally opened by Elizabeth II, Queen Elizabeth II on 20 October 1973, 16 years after Utzon's 1957 selection as winner of an international design competition. The Government of New South Wales, led by the Premier of New South Wales, premier, Joseph Cahill, authorised work to begin in 1958 with Utzon directing construction. The government's decision to build Utzon's design is often overshadowed by circumstances that followed, including cost and scheduling overruns as well as the architect's ultimate resignation. The building and i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bliss (opera)
''Bliss'' is an opera in three acts by Brett Dean to a libretto by Amanda Holden. The libretto is based on Peter Carey's novel ''Bliss'', which had earlier been made into the 1985 film ''Bliss''. The opera premiered at the Sydney Opera House on 12 March 2010 and has subsequently been performed in the United Kingdom and Germany."True history of the Bliss gang" by Matthew Westwood, '''', 6 March 2010 A performance of the work lasts for about two hours and forty minutes. Development The development of this work suffered several setbacks over the years. |
Opera
Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libretto, librettist and incorporates a number of the performing arts, such as acting, Theatrical scenery, scenery, costume, and sometimes dance or ballet. The performance is typically given in an opera house, accompanied by an orchestra or smaller musical ensemble, which since the early 19th century has been led by a conducting, conductor. Although musical theatre is closely related to opera, the two are considered to be distinct from one another. Opera is a key part of Western culture#Music, Western classical music, and Italian tradition in particular. Originally understood as an sung-through, entirely sung piece, in contrast to a play with songs, opera has come to include :Opera genres, numerous ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brett Dean
Brett Dean (born 23 October 1961) is an Australian composer, violist and conductor. Early life Brett Dean was born, raised, and educated in Brisbane. He attended Brisbane State High School. He started learning violin at age 8, and later studied viola with Elizabeth Morgan and John Curro at the Queensland Conservatorium, where he graduated in 1982 with the Conservatorium Medal for the highest-achieving student of the year. In 1981 he was a prizewinner in the ABC Symphony Australia Young Performers Awards. Career From 1985 to 1999, Dean was a violist in the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2000, he decided to pursue a freelance career and returned to Australia, where his many appointments have included curating classical music programs with the Sydney Festival (2005) and the Melbourne Festival (2009). As a composer and musician, he is a regularly invited guest to concert stages around the world. He was the composer-in-residence for the Taiwanese National Symphony Orche ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Opera Australia
Opera Australia is the principal opera company in Australia. Based in Sydney, New South Wales, its performance season at the Sydney Opera House accompanied by the Opera Australia Orchestra runs for approximately eight months of the year, with the remainder of its time spent at the Arts Centre Melbourne, where it is accompanied by Orchestra Victoria. In 2004, the company gave 226 performances in its subscription seasons in Sydney and Melbourne, Victoria (state), Victoria, attended by more than 294,000 people. It is funded by government grants, corporate sponsorship, private philanthropy, and ticket sales. The proportion of its revenue from ticket sales is considerably higher than that of most companies, approximately 75 per cent. The company is perhaps best known internationally for its association with Dame Joan Sutherland, for Baz Luhrmann's production of Giacomo Puccini, Puccini's ''La bohème'' in the early 1990s and more recently, for, apart from performances inside the oper ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Barry Otto
Barry Otto (born 1941) is an Australian actor. Early life Barry Otto was born in 1941 in Brisbane, the son of a butcher. He has a sister named Denise. Otto trained as an artist at Brisbane Central Technical College. In the 1960s, Otto worked as a commercial artist and fashion illustrator. He never formally trained as an actor. Career Otto began acting in amateur theatre and drawing room comedies in the 1970s. He has had film roles in ''Strictly Ballroom'', '' Cosi'', '' The Dressmaker'', '' Kiss or Kill'', '' Dead Letter Office'', '' The Visitor'', ''The Great Gatsby'', '' Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole'', '' Love's Brother'' (see Filmography). He portrayed Administrator Allsop in ''Australia'' in 2008. In 2015 Otto voiced the role of Mayor Wilberforce Cranklepot, a goanna, in '' Blinky Bill the Movie''. Personal life Otto married Lindsay, with whom he has a daughter Miranda (an actress), born in 1967 in Brisbane. They divorced in 1973. With his second w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ray Lawrence (film Director)
Ray Lawrence (born 1948) is an Australian film director, best known for his 2001 film ''Lantana''. Overview All his films are made in Australia with predominantly Australian casts. He has made only three films in nearly four decades, yet they have been some of the most critically acclaimed works in Australian cinema during that time. He is famous for his one-take shoots and use of natural light. He makes commercials in between films. Early life Lawrence was born in London, England, the son of a painter who painted the royal coaches at Buckingham Palace, and later spray painted London buses for double the salary. He moved to Australia with his family in 1958 at age 11 and they settled in Victor Harbor, South Australia after spending three years in a migrant hostel in Gawler. When he left school he moved to Sydney and began working in advertising. He worked for a number of years in London producing commercials. Then he returned home, established Window Productions with Glen Tho ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
