Having a ball

FIFTY handsomely-clad young couples or debutantes from Malaysia will take to the dance floor performing the Polonaise, the Quadrille and the Waltz at the Viennese Ball 08, which will be held at the KL Convention Centre in Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur on Oct 25.

The event, first held in 1814 in Vienna, is seen as the social event of the year, and is held annually in various cities around the world.

The five best debutantes will be invited to join the Vienna Opera Ball 2009 opening ceremony in Vienna, Austria in February next year.

Each year, hundreds of young men and women all over the world line up in the hopes of becoming one of the 200 couples selected as debutantes for this unique event

For the KL event ,organised by the Austrian Embassy in Malaysia, Viennese opera singers Marcela Cerno and Herwig Pecoraro, the Ambassade Orchestra Vienna, and performers from the Vienna State Opera Ballet School will entertain guests.

As it is a charity event, sponsorship of tables (for 10) are priced at RM10,000 a table. Individual invitations are at RM1,000 a person. Proceeds from the Ball will go to Yayasan Tunku Naquiyuddin and The Pure Life Society charity foundations.

Those who have bought invitations can take part in dance classes (for free) conducted by renowned Austrian dance instructor Reinhard Polt.

Dances that will be taught to non-debutantes include the Viennese waltz and other ballroom dances. For tickets, call the Austrian Embassy at 03-20570020, e-mail: kuala-lumpur-ob@bmeia.gv.at, tickets@vienneseball.my. Website www.vienneseball.my.

Compiled by VIMALA SENEVIRATNE

TODAY
Navarathri Festival
Where: Central Market Outdoor Stage, KL
When: Ends Oct 9, 8.30pm
A RELIGIOUS festival celebrated over nine days where the Hindu goddess is worshipped in her various forms as Durga (valour), Lakshmi (wealth) and Saraswati (knowledge). Each night, different dance schools and clubs in KL and Selangor will present traditional Indian dances, including the bharathanatyam and odissi, as well as fusion and contemporary dances. Free admission.

Gamarjobat
Where: The Actors Studio, Bangsar Shopping Centre, KL
When: Ends Oct 19, 8.30pm (Tues-Sun), 5pm (Sat & Sun)
Admission: RM53. Call 03-20940400/1400
THE multi-award winning Japanese comedy duo known as Gamarjobat present their own take on spaghetti Westerns in a hilarious tale of love and revenge in the Wild West.

Working Title
Where: Galeri Petronas, Suria KLCC, Jalan Ampang, KL
When: Ends Oct 12, 10am daily except Mondays.
AN art exhibition showcasing the latest works of 10 emerging artists including Shahruddin Supar and Kamal Mustafa. Free admission.

TUESDAY
The Man who Planted Trees
Where: The Actors Studio, Bangsar Shopping Centre, Jalan Maarof, KL
When: Ends Oct 19, 10am (Tues-Fri) 11am (Sat and Sun)
Admission: RM42-RM64. Half price for Sunday’s performance. Call 03-22731398 or 03-20941400.
Award-winning puppet show about caring for the environment, staged by the Edinburgh Puppet State Theatre group.

Westphalian Baroque Ensemble
Where: Securities Commission, Bukit Kiara, KL (Oct 7),
International Islamic University, Jalan Gombak, KL (Oct 8)
When: Oct 7-8, 8.30 pm
Admission free. Collect tickets from Goethe Institute (03-21642011).
NOTED for their unorthodox and lively approach to historical playing style with original instruments, the 40-member orchestra will be playing late baroque orchestral works and concertos of Bach, Handel, Vivaldi and Telemann. Jointly organised by Goethe Institute, the German Embassy and IIU.

WEDNESDAY
Dancing For The Dream
Where: One World Hotel, Bandar Utama & Sunway Lagoon, Sunway
When: Oct 8-12. Call 03-21445733.
HELD for the first time in Malaysia and the last leg of a global movement, D4D For All will be helping to raise funds for
Kurnia Dialysis Centre, Ti-Ratana Welfare Society and Children’s Cancer Fund, University Malaya Medical Centre. This unique event is expected to attract thousands of
dancers, dance instructors, children, adults and the elderly to learn line dancing and get healthy at the same time. Free admission.

THURSDAY
Animal Farm
When: Ends Oct 19, 8.30pm, Sun 3pm & 8.30pm
Where: Pentas 2, KLPac, Jalan Strachan, Off Jalan Ipoh, KL
Admission: RM22/RM37. Call 03-40479000/03-20941400.
BASED on George Orwell’s political metaphoric novel, this play will be staged in the Mandarin with English subtitles. It is directed by Loh Kok Man, a BOH Cameronian Arts Awards winner.

SATURDAY
Battle of Two Pianists
Where: Dewan Filharmonik, Petronas KLCC, Jalan Ampang, KL
When: Ends Oct 12, 8.30pm (Sat), 3pm (Sun)
Admission: RM20-RM95, Call 03-20517007.
TWO piano virtuosos, Robert Levin and his wife Ya-Fei Chuang, will join forces with the MPO to present the delightful Concerto for Two Pianos in A flat composed by Mendelssohn. Levin is a noted theorist, Mozart scholar and author of a number of articles and essays on the composer while Taiwan-born Chuang has performed with some of best orchestras in the world including the Berlin Philharmonic.

SUNDAY
Abegg Trio
Where: Istana Budaya (Panggung Sari), Jalan Tun Razak, KL
When: Oct 12, 8.30pm
Admission: RM15-RM70. Call 03-40265558.
FORMED in 1976, this acclaimed German chamber music ensemble comprising pianist Gerrit Zitterbart, violinist Ulrich Beetz and cellist Birgit Erichson, will be giving a one-night only concert in Malaysia. They will play selected works of Haydn, Michael Obst and Dvorak.

DATES TO KEEP
Guitar Extravaganza with Jesse Cook
Where: Dewan Filharmonik, Petronas KLCC, Jalan Ampang, KL
When: Oct 23, 8.30pm
Admission: RM40-RM140. Call 03-20517007
PARIS-BORN Flamenco guitar virtuoso and Juno Award winner Jesse Cook will enthrall music lovers in his debut performance in Kuala Lumpur next month. He is said to have explored the limits of popular music and broken new grounds, blending African percussion, Cajun accordion, and pop vocals with his own rumba flamenco style creating a multi-texture hybrid.

Son of Love
Where: Mini Pawagam P. Ramlee, FINAS Kompleks Studio Merdeka, Jalan Hulu Kelang, Ampang, KL
When: Oct 18, 3pm
TORA, an itinerant peddler’s encounter with Harumi Kyo, a singer who is trying to reassess her life after breaking up with her boyfriend. Although they enjoy a brief jaunt she eventually decides to patch things up with her boyfriend. Free admission.

Wagner Programme with Christine Brewer
Where: Dewan Filharmonik, Petronas KLCC, Jalan Ampang, KL
When: Oct 19, 3pm
Admission: RM20-RM85, Call 03-2051 7007
GRAMMY Award-winning American soprano Christine Brewer together with the MPO will perform an all-Wagner programme. Brewer, who last performed in KL eight years ago, has collaborated with renowned conductors such as Lorin Maazel and Zubin Mehta and tenors such as Placido Domingo.


Open Audition
IF you have always wanted to play lead roles in an opera, here’s your chance to prove your worth. KLpac is having an audition for roles in a fully staged production of Puccini’s fabulous one-act, comic opera Gianni Schicchi.
The performances will run from June 9-21, 2009 at Pentas 1 Theatre at KLpac. There will be 45 days of rehearsal; both acting and vocal. Coaching in Italian and drama workshops will also be provided.
For the main characters of Gianni Schicchi, Lauretta and Rinuccio, candidates have to prepare the following arias from the opera:
Soprano: O Mio Babbino Caro (Gianni Schicchi), Tenor: Averte torto (Gianni Schicchi), Baritone: Si corre dal notaio (Gianni Schicchi)
For other character roles, candidates have to sing the following arias from these operas:
Soprano: Quando m’en vo (La Bohème) or O Mio Babbino Caro (Gianni Schicchi), Tenor: Caro mio ben (Giordani), Baritone/Bass: Vecchia zimarra, senti (Puccini - La Bohème) or Non piu andrai (Mozart - Le Nozze di Figaro), Mezzo soprano: Che faro senza Euridice (Gluck).
The music scores can be collected from the KLpac office at Jalan Strachan, off Jalan Ipoh.
Auditions will be held on Oct 25-26 from 11am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm.
To book a slot, call Aishah on 03-40479071/012-2261900 or e-mail aishah@klpac.com or Sesha on 03-40479031/016-2374262 or e-mail sesha@klpac.com

Actors in Penang
THE Penang Players Music and Drama Society is looking for individuals, age 20 and above, interested in joining them in their next shows — three one-act plays — which will be staged in January 2009.
Each play requires two female actors and one male actor.
Auditions will be held on Oct 6-7 from 7.30pm to 9.30 pm at St Nicholas School for the Visually Impaired at Jalan Bagan Jermal, Penang
For further information, call Joelle at 012-5512616 or Mano at 012-4318330.