Yesterday the Perth International Arts Festival opened in the Supreme Court Gardens in downtown Perth. The opening event started with Noongar elders welcoming audiences and artists from around the world. This ceremony included didgeridoo and dance performances.
The main event was an open air performance of La Fura Dels Baus, a Catalan theatre group. Jurriaan had seen them once over 20 years ago in Holland and was impressed. Since then they were most famous for a spectacular opening of the Olympic Games in Barcelona in 1992. So we had high expectations. Before the main performance started, safety announcements told us that we would have to stand and move during the performance. The performers walked right through he audience and took somebody right next to us, strapped him a 'fly suit', and hoisted him right above us.
Fly-man flying above us
In a later phase of the show, actors strapped to a giant treadmill descended from the sky. The treadmill was attached to a chariot. The climbing, walking and hanging actors in the treadmill push the chariot forward straight though he audience.
Treadmill moving through the audience
In the finale, performers in white suits were hoisted high above us. The movements with the backdrop of the evening sky, the light show and the fireworks made this a visual spectacle.
The finale with performers flying above us
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