The Song Boat

The Boite & Saray Iluminado present
“The Song Boat” - Australian Premiere Performance
A concert installation by Nela Trifković
With special Guest Speaker : Arnold Zable
Saturday June 20, 8pm
Richmond Theatrette, 415 Church St, Richmond
Bookings : 94171983, www.Trybooking.com/131848
Entry $22, $16, $10
Enquiries therese@boite.com.au 9417 3550 www.boite.com.au

The Song Boat is a multidisciplinary work that brings together live music performance, theatre and visual projection. It is a vibrant artistic meditation on the refugee experience. The collaborative act of bringing together several artistic disciplines is a significant aspect of the The Song Boat - both form and content of this work become poetic, political commentary that draws parallels between the multi-cultural existence and multi-artistic practice.
Nela Trifković embarks on an intricate journey of self-realization. The story about the St Louis Boat is a point of inspiration and is informed by Nela’s own refugee history and experience of finding a new voice in Australia through her Sevdah and Sephardic music performance practice. Joining forces with her ensemble Saray Iluminado, painter Cait NaMara and theatre maker James Adler, Nela invites the audience to remember the refugees that nobody wanted and to create a new fairytale of their own invention – a future tale of hope, survival and the power of common humanity.
Saray Iluminado plays traditional Bosnian and Herzegovinian music Sevdah and Sephardic Jewish music from ex-Yugoslavia. Members of this ensemble include: composer and singer Nela Trifković, Australia’s leading Klezmer musician Ernie Gruner and multi-instrumentalists William Thompson and Kelly Dowall who share a passion for Balkan, Turkish, Arabic and Mediterranean music. In 2015 Saray Iluminado continues their musical adventures supported by VCA and University of Melbourne “Graduate Mentorships” grant which will enable them to realize “The Song Boat” and their first full length album. Recently Saray Iluminado performed two sold out concerts at fortyfivedownstairs. “Hauntingly evocative music and songs from Bosnia Herzegovina and Sephardic Jewish romances thrilled the audience.” Mary Lou Jelbart, Fortyfivedownstairs