Sunday Arts Magazine

Inspired by nearly a decade’s rich and deep collaboration in China and Australian adventures, House of the Heart is an intercultural celebration of home, ancestors and how we get there – a cocktail of voices, stories and artforms across ages, those from far away and those who have always been here.

Surrounded by large scale processional dragons and beneath intricate Chinese lanterns; multi-awarded indie-pop composer and vocalist Sophie Koh; proud Ngarluma First Nations jazz blues legend Lois Olney, rising talent Chinese classical singer Zitao Deng, cellist Xiao Xiao and dancer Paul Cordeiro – whose rich Chinese/Thai/Portuguese heritage infuses a lifetime of dance – will take to the stage. The work also stars guitar virtuoso Dave Johnson, visual artist Emma Luk with awarded Musical Director Rachel Lewindon, and is hosted by head diva and art alchemist Moira Finucane.

A revolving cavalcade of Finucane & Smith’s dancers, storytellers and singers will grace the stage during the season including country legends The Muirs – the soulful duo of Yorta Yorta/Wiradjuri artist Glennys Briggs (whose father and Jimmy Little’s father travelled together in a vaudeville band) and guitarist/singer Ian Muir; Melbourne’s celebrated gender transcendent diva Mama Alto; 88 year old theatre maven Shirley Cattunar; and barkeep songbirds Lachlan Bartlett and Jens Radda.