Check out the 2011 Festival Programme or go to the Writers Bios 2011 page to read the profiles of the authors. Find background on the festival director, Joan Rosier-Jones. On this site you can also find the programme from the 2009 Literary Festival and the 2007 Literary Festival.
Contemporary themes showcased in timeless comic opera - 23 August 2011
Albert Sword’s mission is to bring the music of 19th century composers Gilbert and Sullivan alive in the 21st Century. The Wanganui artist and entertainer will debut his abridged and modernised version of the famous satirical comic opera set in Japan, “The Mikado.” This is the second of Albert’s “Potted” (abridged) Gilbert and Sullivan operas. “The Potted Pirates”, was performed to acclaim in Wanganui in 2009. For the past 20 years, Albert has written and produced his own shows and concerts as well as performing with Opera NZ and touring with the OPERATUNITY troubadours. Most recently he fronted Wanganui's Last Night Of The Proms and Carols By Candlelight, both with singing partner Shelley Walls.
The original “Mikado”, first performed in 1885, allowed the British composers Gilbert and Sullivan to poke fun at the politicans of the day within a Japanese context. Not much has changed since, says Albert, who in the potted version of the piece has subsituted some of the witty Gilbertian words with ones which will appeal to a New Zealand audience.
Although the piece should bring back memories to lovers of G&S, who will be familiar with songs such as “Three Little Maids,” “The Mikado’s Song”, and “Behold the Lord High Executioner,” Albert says that... “Humour, politics, romantic love and social commentary are ideas which always exist, and make the piece appeal to an audience of any age.”
“The Potted Mikado”, comissioned and written this year, will debut at the Real Festival and Whanganui Literary Festival at 1pm, Thursday 8 September, and 7.30pm Friday 09 September. Albert will perform with singing partner and local entertainer Shelley Walls, accompanied by Auckland pianist Reg Towers.
“This show is fun! It imparts a contemporary, distinctive New Zealand take on the wit and wisdom of W S Gilbert’s words, while keeping intact Sullivan's superb music,” says Albert, who came up with the idea for his “Potted” version when he realised, although the themes in Gilbert and Sullivan’s operas are still relevant today, some of the meaning behind the language can get lost.
“The themes of Gilbert and Sullivan are timeless and universal so it’s great to be able to bring a modern edge to them and retain their wonderful, universal values,” he says.
The Potted Mikado, 1pm, Thursday 08 September / 7.30pm Friday 09 September
Concert Chamber, War Memorial Hall, tickets $15 Book at: www.royaloperahouse.co.nz.Top New Zealand writers in town for festival - 17 August 2011
Internationally renowned writers Elizabeth Knox and Bill Manhire will share the secrets of their work and life with festival-goers at the up-coming Whanganui Literary Festival, 8-18 September.
Elizabeth’s Knox’s most famous novel, The Vintner’s Luck, is about a man visited by an angel in 19th century France. It won the Montana Book Awards in 1999 and in 2009 it was made into a feature film by fellow New Zealander, Niki Caro (Whale Rider.) Another of Elizabeth’s novels, Black Oxen, set in futuristic California and Latin America is described by Publishers Weekly as “a perfect book for literary readers with a taste for the fantastic.” Amongst Elizabeth’s other novels are Billie’s Kiss, which takes place on a Scottish island and the sequel to The Vintner’s Luck, The Angel’s Cut. Critics have described her writing style as imaginative, provocative and suspenseful.
She has also written a book of personal essays about her writing and her life called The Love School as well as other autobiographical essays. Younger readers may recognise her as the author of Dreamhunter and Dreamquake.
Elizabeth lives in Wellington with her husband and son.
Five-time winner of the New Zealand Book Awards poetry prize, Bill Manhire is known internationally for his lyrical and observant poems, his short fiction and anthologies. His newest book, Victims of Lightning, was published in 2010.
Fellow New Zealand poet Billy Collins said in the Dominion Post of Bill’s 2006 collection Lifted, “no reader can fail to be surprised and delighted by the variety of voices and tones... He is a poet in which a sly sense of humour is coupled with a respect for whatever truths a poem can wring out of experience.”
Bill is also the director of Victoria University Wellington’s Institute of Modern Letters, a creative writing master’s class he begin teaching in 1975. Many a successful New Zealand writer, including Emily Perkins, Damien Wilkins, Jenny Bornholdt as well as fellow festival speaker Elizabeth Knox have participated in his classes.
In 2009 his poem My Childhood in Ireland was published in the critically acclaimed and internationally read magazine, The New Yorker.
More recently Bill’s poems have been put to music in a collaboration with Wellington jazz musician Norman Meehan called Buddhist Rain. Bill will talk to a Wanganui audience about his life and work, accompanied by a light lunch and glass of wine.
Literary Festival organiser Joan Rosier-Jones says the 10-day event, now in it’s fourth year, has a vibrant and boutique feel about it. “Attending a reading or lecture by one of our guest writers is an up close experience which gives you the personal contact with writers that the larger festivals don't,” she says.
Other writers include Masterchef Brett McGregor, poet Elizabeth Smither, architect Douglas Lloyd-Jenkins and sportswriter Joseph Romanos.
- An Evening with Elizabeth Knox, 7-8pm, Friday 16 September 2011 - $10
- Lunch with Bill Manhire, 1-2pm, Sunday 18 September - $20
Bookings can be made at the Royal Whanganui Opera House or by visiting www.royaloperahouse.co.nz.
Fringe Festival key part of Whanganui Literary Festival - 11 August 2011
A walk around the small Whanganui River settlement of Jerusalem will be an opportunity to follow in the footsteps of renowned New Zealand poet James K Baxter.
Part of the Whanganui Literary Festival’s Fringe events, a bus trip to Jerusalem focusing on Baxter will be held on Saturday 10 September. The poet spent his final years at Jerusalem and his burial there in 1972 was attended by hundreds of mourners.
The day-long trip will allow festival-goers to meet with people who knew Baxter. There will be an opportunity to visit his grave, hear his poetry, and to see significant sites along the River Road. Bookings are essential for the event and can be made at CES, Community Arts Centre, Taupo Quay.
Along with the River Road trip, the Fringe Festival from 8 - 15 September will focus on local creativity. It kicks off with "Reading Rooms", where five local mixed media artists will talk about their art, which will be on display until 30 September at the Green Bench, 67 Guyton Street.
Proving that the art of writing is alive and well here, there will be a "Works in Progress" event where Wanganui writers, Carmel Hurdle, Joy Hay, Terry Cunniffe, Valerie Cowan, Prabh Mokha and Albert Sword will read from their current works.
For aspiring writers looking outside of traditional publishing, "Self Publishing and the E-Book Age" will feature Ed Boyd from H&A Print and e-book guru, Alan Clay, who will demystify the process of submitting writing to the public domain.
Other events include The Potted Mikado, a satirical look at Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado, with a New Zealand flavour, written and produced by Wanganui entertainer Albert Sword.
Festival director Joan Rosier-Jones, in conjunction with Whanganui Repertory Theatre, will present a staged reading of her play The Stars Go Down, about a writer who reflects on her life, mixing fact and fantasy with a workshop discussion following the reading.
Click this link to view the full programme for the 2011 festival as a PDF. Whanganui Literary Festival brochures are also available from the Wanganui Visitor I-site; 31 Taupo Quay.Book Now for Whanganui Literary Festival in September!
Don’t miss out on seeing internationally-renowned New Zealand writer Elizabeth Knox at next month’s Whanganui Literary Festival.
Elizabeth Knox, author of ‘The Vintner’s Luck’ is one of a prestigious line-up of writers who will be in the River City for the fourth Literary Festival.
If you’re a reader, writer or booklover and want to grab a bargain, it’s not too late to purchase a special season pass of $55 for the festival. The season tickets are available until Monday, 15 August, from the Royal Wanganui Opera House.
The $55 season ticket (which excludes children’s, fringe and catered events) is a cost-effective way of attending up to eight events, 2011 festival organiser Joan Rosier-Jones says. As well as the season ticket, bookings for individual sessions are also available from the Royal Wanganui Opera House.Fantastic Accommodation Deal For Festival Visitors!
Wanganui’s Riverside Motel is delighted to support September’s Whanganui Literary Festival and other festival events by offering a very special deal to visitors.
The motel’s usual rates for one-two people range from $98 per night for a studio, up to $130 for a two-bedroom unit (incl GST) per night. Visitors for all festival events will be given a special 25 percent reduction off the total price per unit.
Riverside Motel owners Graeme and Helen Prince say the Whanganui Literary Festival is a very worthwhile event, as are all REAL Whanganui Festival events, and are keen to offer their support with this special accommodation deal.
In Somme Parade, the motel is only a minute’s drive, and about a 10-minute walk, from the Alexander Heritage Library, where a prestigious line-up of New Zealand writers will share their experiences during the Whanganui Literary Festival.
All motel units have ensuite bathrooms, sky TV, full cooking facilities and parking at door. A laundry is also available.
To receive this discount, please contact Graeme and Helen directly and mention that you are attending a festival event.
Details:
Riverside Motel
30 Somme Parade
Wanganui
Tel: 06 345 2448
Freephone: 0800 85 33 33
Email: riverside.motel@xtra.co.nz
www.riversidemotel.net.nzWhanganui Literary Festival Organisers, Gayelene Holly, Joy Hay and Albert Sword wave the flag at The REAL Whanganui Festival Road Show. Photographs by Albert Sword
Whanganui Literary Festival in September will be a real page-turner! - July 2011
Ticket sales have opened for Wanganui’s literary event of the year.
A special season pass of $55 is now available for September’s Whanganui Literary Festival. Bookings can be made at the Royal Wanganui Opera House, with season tickets available until Monday, 15 August.
The 8-18 September festival, held every two years, has again attracted a prestigious line-up of internationally renowned New Zealand writers covering most genres. They include Elizabeth Knox, author of The Vintner’s Luck, poet Elizabeth Smither, sports writer Joseph Romanos and New Zealand’s first Masterchef, Brett McGregor. Bookworms who like historical fiction, New Zealand design or whodunits will also be in for a page-turning treat.
For those who enjoy the off-beat there will be literary events under the auspices of the Fringe Festival, from 9-11 September, as well as a children’s festival which will include readings by children’s authors, lyric writing, art and drama workshops and is designed to offer activities for tots to teens.
In 2009, visitors from throughout the country descended on the River City for an opportunity to mix and mingle with New Zealand’s writing greats.
2011 festival organiser Joan Rosier-Jones says the Whanganui Literary Festival is a vibrant writers and readers festival with a lifestyle theme, now in its fourth edition.
“As a boutique' festival, attending a reading or lecture by one of our guest writers is an up close experience, giving you the personal contact with writers that the larger festivals don't,” she says.
In line with past festivals, this year’s event will offer an eclectic and fascinating variety of readings, lectures and theatre. As well as the season ticket, bookings for individual sessions are also available from the Royal Wanganui Opera House.
The $55 season ticket (which excludes children’s, fringe and catered events) is a cost-effective way of attending up to eight events, Ms Rosier-Jones says.Novelist with ‘powerful voice’ to inspire young Wanganui writers - July 2011
Charismatic performance poet and novelist Apirana Taylor is set to inspire a group of young Wanganui writers in September.
Sponsored by the Book Council’s Writers in Schools programme, Mr Taylor’s visit to Wanganui is part of the 2011 Whanganui Literary Festival’s fringe events.
Mr Taylor is among a number of internationally-renowned Kiwi writers who will be in town from 8-18 September to participate in the biennial festival, which in 2009 attracted visitors from throughout the country.
Wanganui High School will host Mr Taylor on Friday 9 September. Festival organiser Joan Rosier-Jones said Mr Taylor’s visit was an important part of the festival; to encourage young people to meet and learn from great writers.
From Ngati Porou, Te Whanau a Apanui, Ngati Ruanui tribes, and also Pakeha heritage, Mr Taylor is a poet, playwright, novelist, short story writer, story teller, actor, painter, and musician. His poems and short stories are frequently studied in schools at NCEA and tertiary level and his poetry and prose has been translated into several languages.
In a Book Council interview, Mr Taylor says he looks for ideas in everything he sees, hears, feels and thinks about.
“If I have an idea I let it grow and ripen in my mind until I’m ready to write about it.”
Taylor’s first collection of poetry, Eyes of the Ruru, established his powerful voice among Maori writers and his prose, written predominantly in realist modes, firmly established his literary presence.
Mr Taylor travels to schools, libraries, tertiary institutions and prisons throughout New Zealand to read his poetry, tell his stories, and take creative writing workshops. He is published nationally and internationally.
Whanganui Literary Festival to host 2011 Michael King Writers' Fellowship winner, Peter Wells - June 2011
The Whanganui Literary Festival Trust is thrilled that a writer due to speak at this year’s festival has won the 2011 Michael King Writers’ Fellowship. Peter Wells has been awarded the $100,000 fellowship, one of New Zealand's largest writing fellowships, which supports established writers to work on a major project over two or more years. Wells will speak to Whanganui audiences in September as part of the Literary Festival 2011.
Nicola Legat, Publishing Director at Random House, said in a media announcement that “The fellowship award will see Wells research and write a non-fiction book titled Sparrow on a Rooftop, which examines the months of December 1871 and January 1872 when Kereopa Te Rau was brought to Napier, put on trial for the murder of the Reverend Carl Volkner and hanged.”
The Whanganui Literary Festival audience will hear Wells speak about his soon to be released book, The Hungry Heart: The Enquiring Mind, a collection of biographical essays about William Colenso. Colenso was a 19th century missionary, botanist, explorer and printer. Whanganui Festival Trust trustee and local author Val Cowan said “Peter Wells brings a wealth of experience in historical writing, memoirs, fiction, non-fiction and is a successful writer/director of film. Our audience will have the opportunity to hear Peter speak in an up close and personal atmosphere. We look forward to congratulating him on his latest success in person.”Winners of Poetry Competition Announced - April 2011
World Poetry Day was held on 21 March and the Whanganui Literary Festival Trust held a Poetry Competition to celebrate. The prize-winners were Jocelyn Tarrant, Angela Cuddihy, Elise Goodge, Mary Batten, Meg Hartfield, Kasey McDonnell and Dana Garrett. Read more about the competition and the judges comments...
Crime Fiction Writer Vanda Symon to attend the Festival - Feb 2011
Vanda Symon is a crime fiction writer whose series about aspiring female detective Sam Shephard is published by Penquin. Her first book was Overkill (2007) was well-received in NZ. It has since been translated into German after the rights for publication were bought by Blanvalet. Her second book in the series is The Ringmaster (Penguin, 2008) and the third, Containment (2009) was a finalist in the Ngaio Marsh awards for Best Crime Novel. The fourth book in the series, Bound (2010) debuted at number one on the Neilson New Zealand bestseller list.
Born in Tauranga, Symon studied pharmacy at the University of Otago, and practiced as a pharmacist until 1999. She started a family in 2000, and began writing full-time while looking after her children. She also produces and hosts the radio show of the Southland Otago branch of the NZSA, called 'Write On', with Toroa Radio.
Kate Mosse says of Symon's work, 'Vanda Symon's fast-paced crime novels are as good as anything the US has to offer - a sassy heroine, fabulous sense of pace, and rip-roaring stories with a twist. Perfect curl-up on the sofa reading'
Vanda’s blog can be found at http://vandasymon.blogspot.com/
Design and Architecture featured at the Festival - Douglas Lloyd Jenkins to speak. - Feb 2011
Douglas Lloyd Jenkins had an early interest in maritime and local history led to degrees in Art History and a professional specialisation in design and architectural history. Formerly an Associate Professor, School of Design, at UNITEC, Auckland, he is now the Director of the Hawke's Bay Museum & Art Gallery, Napier.
He has been a columnist for the New Zealand Herald, and the Listener and currently contributes to many prestigious magazines. From an early age he made New Zealand design history his forte. This has led to a celebration of pioneers like fabric designer Avis Higgs, ceramics genius Frank Carpay and wallpaper designer, William Mason whose work is celebrated in Mason: Handprints (2001).
In 2005, his book At Home: A Century of New Zealand Design won the Montana Medal for Non-Fiction and the Montana Award for History. It was the first book to look at the history of the style and interior design of the New Zealand house. The book led to a highly successful television documentary series, New Zealand At Home, presented by Lloyd Jenkins.
New Dreamland: Writing New Zealand Architecture (2006) is a selection of 28 key essays that have shaped New Zealand architecture and architectural thinking in the 20th century. 40 Legends of New Zealand Design was published in 2006. This eclectic collection gathers together Lloyd Jenkins columns for NZ Home & Entertaining, plus several new profiles.
Peter Wells - Feb 2011
Peter Wells is a writer of fiction and nonfiction, and a writer/director in film. His fiction looks at a world of secrets, identity, subterfuge and illusion, frequently using the lens of a gay narrator. His first book, Dangerous Desires, won the Reed Fiction Award, the NZ Book Award, and PEN Best New Book in Prose in 1992. His memoir won the 2002 Montana NZ Book Award for Biography, and he has won many awards for his work as a film director.
He is co-founder of the Auckland Writers and Readers Festival.
In 2006, Wells was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to literature and film. Wells is equally known as a film and television director and scriptwriter, most notably for ‘A Death in the Family’ (1986), which won a major New York award for its drama about the loss of a friend to AIDS; and for the feature film Desperate Remedies (co-written and directed with Stewart Main), selected to screen at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival.Sports Correspondent Confirmed Speaker - Jan 2011
The Whanganui Literary Festival Trust is pleased to announce that sports biographer and journalist, Joseph Romanos, will be speaking at this year’s Whanganui Literary Festival. “Mr Romanos has confirmed his attendance both as a speaker and at the ‘Dinner with the Stars’ function” said Trust Chairperson, Joan Rosier-Jones.
Joseph Romanos’ broad sports knowledge sees him pen sports opinion pieces for many of the countries newspapers and appear as a regular guest speaker on National Radio. He is also a founding owner of publishing company Trio Books. Romanos has published several sport-themed books with the most recent being Our Olympic Century the story of New Zealand’s first 100 years at the Olympic Games. He is also well-known for his commentaries on cricket and, significantly in 2011, rugby.Preparations Underway - Dec 2010
Preparations are underway for the 2011 Literary Festival 16-18 September and we look forward to seeing you there. We have
established a Friends of the Festival for those who want to support the event and have more personal contact with the writers. You can find more information at the bottom of this newsletter. Here is a taste of the events to be held at next year's festival.
A Children’s Festival will be held as part of the 2011 Fringe Festival, 09 -11 September. This three-day event will include readings by children’s authors, lyric writing, art and drama workshops and is designed to offer activities for tots to teens.
A series of events will also take place in the lead-up to the festival, one of which will be a Poetry Competition for all age groups.
Every year on 21 March, UNESCO celebrates World Poetry Day. To support the occasion in 2011, the Whanganui Literary Festival Trust is running a competition for poets, young and old. Entrants to the competition will have their work displayed at the Alexander Library on World Poetry Day and the exhibition of poetry will be available to view until 4 April 2011. Prizes for the competition include free passes to the Whanganui Literary Festival in September 2011.
The Festival committee has now formed a Charitable Trust. ‘It was time we put the festival on a more formal footing to show that the festival is a permanent feature of the Whanganui arts calendar and we appointed Trish Bristol as festival coordinator. Trish has completed her Bachelor of Communication this year and has had experience as a coordinator both in Wanganui and Wellington.’ said Trust Chairperson, Joan Rosier-Jones.
Friends of the Festival
We have established a Friends of the Festival and invite you to join. An individual membership is $15 per annum and a family $25. Friends will receive preferential booking for events at the festival next year, and invitations to Friends Only events with the participating authors. To join the Friends of the Whanganui Literary Festival visit the Friends of the Festival page and fill in the form.FESTIVAL NEWSLETTER
The Wanganui Literary Festival has launched a newsletter to keep you up to date with progress as the festival is programmed and let you know about other events leading up to the festival. If you'd like to receive the newsletter, send an email with your name to epublish (at) artmedia.net.nz with 'subscribe Lit Fest News' in the subject line.
Check out the 2011 Festival Programme or go to the Writers Bios 2011 page to read the profiles of the authors at the 2011 Whanganui Literary Festival. Find more information on the Fringe events including the Children's Festival. find background on the festival director, Joan Rosier-Jones. On this site you can also find the programme from the 2009 Literary Festival and the 2007 Literary Festival.
(c) 2011 www.writersfest.co.nz
This page was last updated 29/08/2011
