New Zealand Opera Says Kia Ora to Melbourne

From: Capital E National Theatre for Children
For Immediate Release

New Zealand Opera Says Kia Ora to Melbourne!

Capital E National Theatre for Children is heading down-under with the critically acclaimed children’s opera Kia Ora Khalid.

First performed at The Opera House as part of Capital E National Arts Festival 2009, and more recently at the 2011 Taranaki Arts Festival, this heart-warming musical is now set to entertain Australian audiences with over 3000 already booked to see the show at the Victoria Arts Centre in Melbourne.

Created with two of New Zealand’s most renowned talents, acclaimed composer Gareth Farr and award-winning writer Dave Armstrong, Kia Ora Khalid explores our nation’s refugee and migrant stories through children’s eyes.

Set in a school playground over a lunch hour the production brings together the fascinating stories of four students: Tom, a Pakeha New Zealander; Serena, a Samoan; Trang, a first generation Cambodian New Zealander; and Khalid, a Tampa refugee from Afghanistan. Joining New Zealand actors, Moana Ete, Jason Chasland, Martyn Wood and Nikita Tu-Bryant on stage will be a choir of students from Mentone Girls’ Secondary College and The Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School.

“We believe this work is ground breaking in New Zealand theatre” says Creative Producer, Stephen Blackburn. “It’s a major work created specifically for a young audience, about and from material that doesn’t speak down to its audience but greets them with open arms as intellectual equals.”

Kia Ora Khalid will be performed at the Victoria Arts Centre, Melbourne from 26 - 28 October.

Capital E National Theatre for Children receives funding from Creative New Zealand
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