15 Events to Add to Your Calendar this April
This month’s top 15 sports and cultural events across Australia.
New South Wales
The Australian Ballet company performs Symphony in C by the Russian-American choreographer George Balanchine. Originally titled Le Palais de Cristal, the ballet practically became a classic the first time it was performed in Paris in 1947. There’ll also be a contemporary work by company dancers Alice Topp and Richard House that will keep audiences on their toes.
WHERE Sydney Opera House
WHEN April 29-May 14
With 100 angelic voices singing in perfect harmony, Mozart’s Requiem has seldom been so moving. Accompanied by the Brandenburg Choir and the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, these pint-sized singers breathe fresh life into music from the Renaissance to the Classical period. The show opens at the Melbourne Recital Centre after its Sydney run.
WHERE City Recital Hall, Sydney
WHEN April 29-30, May 4,6 & 11
Laughter isn’t the best medicine if you’re suffering from a broken rib. If the post-summer blues have set in, however, a good old belly laugh at Sydney’s biggest comedy festival might be just what the doctor ordered. Chuckles come courtesy of the UK’s Ross Noble and Aussie legends such as Kitty Flanagan, The Umbilical Brothers and Akmal. There’s also a free kids’ program.
WHERE Various locations
WHEN April 18-May 15
Twenty-five years ago a group of gourmands and growers got together to celebrate the “Food of Orange District” and FOOD Week was born. What was a weekend of wining and dining has turned into a full-blown festival of food that draws food-lovers and chefs from across the country to this picturesque region in the Central West of NSW.
WHERE Orange
WHEN April 8-17
Victoria
Melbourne International Comedy Festival
Whether you like finely tuned satire that skewers the political establishment, slapstick sketches or blue jokes that would make a merchant sailor blush, this 30th annual comedy extravaganza featuring 535 shows is bound to tickle your funny bone. Or enjoy the free family entertainment at Federation and City squares.
WHERE Various locations
WHEN Until April 17
200 Years of Australian Fashion
This exhibition of more than 120 works from 90-plus designers traces the development of Aussie fashion from colonial times to the present day. See how, over two centuries, Australian designers have reintepreted European trends to create a unique sartorial style suited to our climate and culture.
WHERE National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
WHEN Until July 31
Western Australia
Margaret River Weekend of Music
Beautiful vineyards, exquisite food and wine, and the sounds of the Australian String Quartet make for an unforgettable weekend in WA’s wine capital. Guest artists include soprano Sara Macliver, cellist Niall Brown and violist Katie Yap, with an introduction to each concert by conductor Richard Divall.
WHERE Cape Lodge, Fraser Gallop Estate, Vasse Felix & Voyager Estate
WHEN April 8-10
The top-36 ranked male and top-18 ranked female surfers wax their boards and paddle out deep to take on the monster waves that break off Prevelly in the Margaret River region. Get amongst the thousands of spectators who gather at Surfers Point to watch these fearless athletes take on Main Break and the treacherous Box.
WHERE Prevelly
WHEN April 8-19
Northern Territory
Eighty kilometres east of Alice Springs in the MacDonnell Ranges, there’s no fear of police shutting down this three-day festival on account of noise complaints. This celebration of the desert promises to “feed your mind, tickle your artistic fancy and get your booty shaking” with an interactive program of music, performance, art and workshops.
WHERE Ross River Resort
WHEN April 29-May 1
Tjungu Festival
This four-day festival celebrates Australian Indigenous culture. After witnessing a local Anangu welcome to country, enjoy markets with Indigenous music, art and bush tucker, along with the Tjungu Short Film Fest and Tjungu Fashion Parade featuring model Samantha Harris. Foodies will love the Tastes of Tjungu dining experience, hosted by chef Mark Olive under the stars.
WHERE Ayers Rock Resort
WHEN April 22-25
South Australia
2016 Australian Swimming Championships
The crack of the starting pistol, the splash off the diving blocks and the thrashing of bodies racing down the pool: there’s nothing like seeing Australia’s top swimming talent in the flesh as they compete for a coveted spot in the national team at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.
WHERE SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre, Adelaide
WHEN April 7-14
What’s better than three tenors? Ten Tenors, obviously. On this tour the Australian singing ensemble (aka “the Vocal Wonder from Down Under”) belt out classics by Puccini, Rossini and Verdi, and put a new spin on tunes from artists as diverse as U2, Michael Jackson, David Bowie, Bruno Mars, Fun and The Everly Brothers.
WHERE Various locations
WHEN April 13-May 8
Queensland
After its headline act won five gongs at last year’s Helpmann Awards, Brisbane Baroque is back with another stellar line-up. There’s the Göttingen International Handel Festival production of Agrippina, American mezzo-soprano Vivica Genaux and virtuoso Mahan Esfahani, a harpsichord player making his musical debut in Australia.
WHERE Various locations
WHEN April 8-16
Australian Capital Territory
The National Gallery of Australia hosts Fiona Hall’s installation from last year’s Venice Biennale. They say it “brings together hundreds of disparate elements [that] find alignments and create tensions around three intersecting concerns: global politics, world finances and the environment”. It’ll make sense when you see it.
WHERE National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
WHEN April 22–July 17
Tasmania
Italian sports cars, American muscle cars and maybe even a Datsun 120Y... all sorts of vehicles will be tackling the blacktop in the 25th consecutive Targa Tasmania. The rally stretches over 2000 kilometres and has more than 40 competitive stages. It’s hard to get a start – only 300 cars are allowed to take part – but just watching is a thrill for motoring fans. 
WHERE Throughout Tasmania
WHEN April 11-16
