Honda Highlights of the Sydney Festival

SYDNEY – Jan 9, 2012: The 2012 Sydney Festival opened with a bang on Saturday night, drawing a crowd of over 200,000 to the CBD for Festival First Night.

The CR-Z is on display at the Honda Festival Garden, one of the Festival’s main sites, to promote the sporty hybrid to a fun loving audience. The CR-Z will also feature at Martin Place, accompanied by an outdoor lounge area.

Sydney-siders will make the most of summer for the next three weeks, with many performances already booked out. The Festival will not rest during the daytime either, giving attendees the opportunity to see Festival artists in conversation with Caroline Baum during lunchtimes in the Spiegeltent. The relaxing lunchtime conversations provide an opportunity to explore the ideas, process and inspiration that went into devising some incredible acts – free of charge. City workers on their lunch break are also included in the festivities, with the CR-Z lounge area at Martin Place offering alternative lunchtime entertainment.

Tomorrow night cabaret performer Meow Meow’s first festival performance of Little Match Girl will bring the famous Speigeltent to life in the Honda Festival Garden. The dark, fiery take on Hans Christian Anderson’s fable is a collaboration with Malthouse Theatre Artistic Director Marion Potts, composer Iain Grandage, the Wild Dog Orchestra and Mitchell Butel.

Other performers the Honda Festival Garden will play host to include The Jolly Boys, J Mascis, Holly Throsby, Julianna Barwick, Kort, Fatoumata Diawara, Sam Amidon, Amiina, Vintage Trouble and Eleanor Friedberger.

To be a part of the festivities visit http://www.sydneyfestival.org.au/2012 for a full line-up and ticket bookings.