Womadelaide Announces Full Program For 2010

Less than six months from the first night of WOMADelaide, the full program has been announced, with the inclusion of names like Ethiopiques featuring one of the biggest stars of Ethiopia's Golden Age, Mahmoud Ahmed.

The wait is over for WOMADelaide fans across the country as organisers today announced the festival’s full program with another 31 incredible acts added to an already abundant preview list. The full list of artists and activities was posted on www.womadelaide.com.au on Friday 11 December at 12noon.

This year WOMADelaide is proud to present one of its largest and most diverse programs ever with over 500 artists from 27 countries in an extended four-day event between Friday 5 and Monday 8 March 2010.

Encompassing four heavenly nights and three spectacular days, WOMADelaide will again transform one of the most beautiful and accessible outdoor festival sites in Australia - Adelaide’s Botanic Park- into an oasis of music, arts and dance from around the world.

WOMADelaide Director Ian Scobie said WOMADelaide 2010 will offer audiences a program that will take them on another joyous and unforgettable journey of cultural and musical discovery.

“Each year we take pride in introducing Australian audiences to new experiences by assembling an original line-up that features the most remarkable music, arts and dance our world has to offer and 2010 will be no different,” Mr Scobie said.

“One such highlight added to next year’s event is Éthiopiques  and we are thrilled to bring part of this remarkable Ethiopian musical ensemble  to Australia in a WOMADelaide exclusive appearance.

“Featuring one of the biggest stars of Ethiopia’s golden age - Mahmoud Ahmed and a 10-piece band - Adelaide will be treated to one of the legendary Éthiopiques musical series, and indeed, Africa’s finest live shows.”

Éthiopiques join Ravi Shankar and Anoushka Shankar, The Buena Vista Social Club’s Eliades Ochoa, Spain’s dynamic Ojos de Brujo, Xavier Rudd & Izintaba and a host of other stellar acts as part of one of the most exciting, diverse and spectacular line-ups ever presented in Australia.

The inclusion of Dean & Britta’s multimedia celebration THIRTEEN MOST BEAUTIFUL … SONGS FOR ANDY WARHOL’S SCREEN TESTS, the extraordinary dancer Fang-Yi Sheu and LAFA & Artists Dance Company’s  SINGLE ROOM, aerial performers Transe Express with their show MOBILE HOMME and the macabre music-cabaret piece DANCING ON YOUR GRAVE demonstrates the exciting depth and diversity in the festival’s first ever four day program.

The artists announced at 12noon today are:
•    The Armada (Canada/Ireland/Australia)
•    Arrebato Ensemble  (Australia)
•    The Bamboos (Australia)
•    Barking Spider Theatre Company “The Biscuit Readings” (Australia) (street theatre)
•    The Cholmondoleys & Featherstonehaughs "Dancing on Your Grave"  (UK)
•    De Stijle, Want ... “Hek” (The Netherlands) - Australian exclusive (street theatre)
•    Éthiopiques (Ethiopia/France) – Australian exclusive
•    Frank Yamma  (Australia)
•    Fyah Walk (Australia)
•    Gilles Peterson  (UK)
•    Jane Siberry (Canada)
•    Kungkarangkalpa in the Sky (Australia) (visual arts) – exhibition of commissioned fabric/flag paintings from 20 indigenous artists from South Australia’s remote APY Lands
•    La Compagnie Transe Express "Mobile Homme" (France) – Australian exclusive (site  performance)
•    LAFA & Artists & Dance Company "Single Room" (Taiwan) - Australian exclusive
•    Los Amigos Invisibles  (Venezuela)
•    Monkey Puzzle Tree               (Australia)
•    Nickodemus   (USA)
•    PopEyed (Australia) (street theatre)
•    Ray Lee’s "Siren" (UK) – Australian exclusive (sound performance installation)
•    Rotozaza's "Etiquette" (UK)  (site performance- theatre)
•    Shellie Morris   (Australia)
•    Slack Taxi “Bouncers” (Australia) (street theatre)
•    Strange Fruit “Ringing the Changes” (Australia) (site performance)
•    Three Men in a Tub (Australia) (street theatre)
•    Tim Finn (NZ) – Australian exclusive
•    Tutti Ensemble (Australia)
•    Unified Gecko (Turkey/Australia)
•    Vorn Doolette (Australia)
•    VulgarGrad                 (Australia)
•    YAMATO, the Drummers of Japan (Japan) – Australian exclusive
•    Young Wägilak Group (Australia)


The 24 groups announced for the festival during October and November were:
•    Amal Murkus (Palestine/Israel) – Australian Exclusive
•    Babylon Circus (France)
•    Besh o droM (Hungary)
•    Calexico (USA)
•    Dean & Britta – Andy Warhol “13 Most Beautiful … Songs for Andy Warhol’s Screen Tests” (USA)
•    Djan Djan (Mali/India/Australia)
•    Dub Colossus (UK/Ethiopia) – Australian Exclusive
•    Eliades Ochoa (Cuba) – Australian Exclusive
•    George Kamikawa & Noriko Tadano (Japan/Australia)
•    Gochag Askaerov (Azerbaijan) – Australian Exclusive
•    Grrilla Step (Australia/Pacific)
•    Hypnotic Brass Ensemble (USA)
•    Kamel el Harrachi (Algeria / France) – Australian Exclusive
•    Kathakali Dance Ensemble (India)
•    Lepistö & Lehti (Finland) – Australian Exclusive
•    Mairtin O’Connor Trio (Ireland)
•    Mama Kin (Australia)
•    Mariem Hassan (Western Sahara) – Australian Exclusive
•    Nortec Collective presents:  Bostich + Fussible (Mexico) – Australian Exclusive
•    Ojos de Brujo (Spain)
•    Ravi Shankar & Anoushka Shankar (India)
•    Ross Daly & Ensemble (Greece)
•    The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra (Australia)
•    The Skatalites (Jamaica) – Australian Exclusive
•    Xavier Rudd & Izintaba (Australia)

The festival will feature performances and workshops, Taste the World cooking sessions, KidZone, over 100 food, crafts and display stalls, a circus-themed parade and a giant ‘WOMAD lion’.

Since 1992 WOMADelaide has staged a celebration of the planet’s cultural riches, bringing to Australia some of the world’s greatest and most influential artists. Whether it is honouring and preserving musical traditions from around the world or introducing audiences to new cultural influences and artistic innovation, WOMADelaide is unrivalled as Australia’s premier outdoor festival of music, arts and dance.

For tickets and more info go to www.womadelaide.com.au.