This weekend, head to Her Majesty’s Theatre for State Opera South Australia’s Lucia di Lammermoor, or discover one of fashion’s greatest forgotten icons at Style & Spirit: The Fashion of Chester Weinberg.
Move to the beat as more than 200 live gigs ring out across the state for Good Music Month. A highlight will be the metal/alternative Froth & Fury Fest at Hart’s Mill on November 9 and AdeLOUD, in celebration of the University of Adelaide’s 150th anniversary, on November 16. Other standouts include performances by Norwegian progressive metal band Leprous, American progressive rock band Coheed and Cambria and Western Australian alternative rockers Birds of Tokyo. Good Music Month will also showcase Adelaide locals, including Barkindji singer-songwriter Nancy Bates and Noriko Tadano, who performs traditional Japanese music.
Spend an evening in the Scottish Highlands as State Opera South Australia brings its latest production, Lucia di Lammermoor, to Her Majesty’s Theatre from November 8 to 16. The 18th-century bel canto opera by Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti is based on a novel by Sir Walter Scott. It tells the story of the emotionally fragile Lucia, who is torn between love and loyalty to her family, ultimately testing her mental stability. This production is directed by Laura Hansford and stars Emma Pearson as Lucia, Morgan Pearse as Enrico and Alok Kumar as Edgardo. The performers will be accompanied by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, which will be led by Spanish conductor Lucía Marín.
Get in the festive spirit as a variety of Christmas-themed markets, decorations and other events bring holiday cheer to the city. This year’s celebrations see the return of the Santa Course, with 10 giant Santa’s scattered throughout town, as well as ginormous swinging bells in Rundle Mall. Meet Santa the Snapper, Santa the Snacker, Santa the Navigator and Santa the Spy – but make sure you’re not on the naughty list first.
Photo: Naomi Jellicoe
Celebrate the creativity and diversity of Adelaide’s queer community as Feast Festival returns from November 9 to 24. Dating back to 1997, the LGBTQIA+ arts and cultural festival features everything from burlesque to drag, visual art, spoken word, comedy, film, music and dance. There will also be craft workshops, Yin Yoga, book launches, quiz nights, drag bingo, roller derby, fashion parades, Dungeons and Dragons events and more. The Adelaide Queer Film Festival from November 22 to 24 is also on at the Piccadilly, with premiers of After the Snowmelt and In the Room Where He Waits, as well as special screenings of Paris is Burning, Go Fish and Nightmare on Elm Street 2.
Discover one of fashion’s greatest forgotten geniuses at Style & Spirit: The Fashion of Chester Weinberg, taking place from November 8 to January 25, 2025. Presented at the David Roche House Foundation Museum, this installation showcases 60 garments from Chester Weinberg from the 1960s to the 1980s, completed by designs from Cristóbal Balenciaga, Christian Dior and Pierre Cardin. Born in 1930 in New York, Chester Weinberg ran his own fashion label from 1966 to 1975 and was known for his simple and elegant designs, with fabrics playing an important role. He faced discrimination due to his Jewish heritage and homosexuality and was the first documented fashion designer to die from an AIDS-related illness. This exhibition is co-curated by the David Roche Foundation and South Australian Mobilisation + Empowerment for Sexual Health to shine a new light on Chester Weinberg.
Head to the Festival Theatre on November 22 and 23 for a special tribute to Burt Bacharach, who alongside Hal David created some of the most enduring tunes of the 20th century. Burt Bacharach composed some of the greatest hits of the ’60s and ’70s, including I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself, What’s New Pussycat and Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head. Throughout What the World Needs, the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra will perform renditions of I Say A Little Prayer and Close to You, among other songs. Conductor Benjamin Northey will lead to orchestra as they are accompanied by a stellar line-up of vocalists, including David Campbell, Elise McCann, Emma Pask and Thndo.