Top 10 Australia Culture On this week 22/03/2020 (COVID-19 EDITION)

This is our COVID-19 survival edition. Sure, for the time being, you can no longer go outside in an ascot, loudly barking the names of random French philosophers in a crowded area to prove that you’re a cultured, intellectual person. But that doesn’t mean you can no longer prove your superiority. Loudly live-streaming the Viennese opera at 1:00AM in quarantine with your windows open? Nothing and no one will ever top that.

 

10) British Museum Online

22nd-28th March

What: The British Museum will be upping access to their magnificent content as a result of having to close their doors temporarily due to the virus. Online, you may find out more about and explore each of their galleries, take a wonderful virtual tour of their collection of Prints and Drawings and Oceania and explore their discursive array of podcasts. The British Museum’s Collection online will allow you to search over four million object records online and take a look at their collection highlights and stories.

Why: A perfect opportunity to balance out your search history. Perhaps by the end of this pandemic, you’ll have a couple of ads for the MCA’s new exhibition thrown in with the mass of porn and Uber Eats-related targeted content.

https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=ec6367c0-6af9-11ea-96b7-b132cf2a7536

 

9) Uffizi Gallery Online 

22nd-28th March

What: The Uffizi Gallery contains one of the world’s most important collections of paintings. Besides Florentine and Italian art, it also includes a large number of foreign works and Classical sculpture. Due to the current virus, the Gallery is upping its digital content. Explore and experience their incredible archives with over 600,000 historic pieces.

Why: It’s as good-a time as ever to dispel that fantasy of yourself as someone who genuinely appreciates art and realise that when the accent, the pizza and the potential for an anecdote is removed, you’d much rather appreciate an orgy made of flesh rather than stone.

https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=26934530-6afc-11ea-96b7-b132cf2a7536

 

8) Cincinnati Zoo Live

22nd-28th March

What: The Cincinnati Zoo announced Thursday that it would close temporarily to help curb the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. It did, however, introduce a new Facebook Live show, which will air every weekday and feature a new animal every episode. Each instalment will also feature an accompanying at-home kids’ activity.

Why: Take a break from pacing around in an increasingly depressed fervour as a result of your unnaturally compressed habitat and resultant lack of purpose and, you know, watch a lion do it.

https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=628c6660-6afd-11ea-96b7-b132cf2a7536

 

7) Grand Ole Opry

22nd March

What: Due to global events, country music fans can’t come to Nashville to see the Grand Ole Opry – so Circle and the Opry are bringing the Saturday Night Opry to the world via Facebook Live! Tune in to the free Livestream event from the Grand Ole Opry with Circle. Performances by Brad Paisley, Vince Gill & Marty Stuart and hosted by Bobby Bones!

Why: ‘A livestream that 77-year-old fiddler Uncle Jimmy Thompson would really be proud of’ is a sentence we can say as of March 2020. It’s not all bad being alive these days.

https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=bad12e90-6afe-11ea-96b7-b132cf2a7536

 

6) Fractured Theatre Virtual Flashmob

22nd March

What: Fractured Shakespeare has created a new short performance piece, using text from Macbeth, King Lear, As You Like It, Coriolanus, Hamlet, Romeo & Juliet, Julius Caesar, Measure for Measure, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and others to comment on the current global crisis. Featuring 25 different actors from across the US and Europe, each person will record and post their performances to Instagram Stories, which will then be reposted to Fractured Shakespeare’s Stories in a scripted order.

Why: An exquisite corpse without the original writing, where everyone knows exactly what the middle parts of each section are. In the form of an Instagram story. This truly is 2020.

https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=64cf2540-6b0f-11ea-96b7-b132cf2a7536

 

5) Appalachian Road Show (Live)

26th March

What: Appalachian Road Show is a visionary acoustic ensemble, bringing new-generation interpretations of traditional Americana, bluegrass and folk songs, as well as offering innovative original music, all presented with a common thread tied directly to the heart of the Appalachian regions of the United States. Experience this incredible group live-streamed in a unique performance in aid of musicians struggling due to the virus.

Why: Two straight hours of American bluegrass to remind you that there are still benign evils in this world.

https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=dd0dbf70-6afc-11ea-96b7-b132cf2a7536

 

4) Harshin’ Your Mellow (Live)

25th March

What: Lauren Harsh presents a culmination of the three gigs they had planned for March into one 20 minute stand-up set. The topics will include being non-binary, stereotypes about autistic people that are and aren’t true, putting people on pedestals, and of course social isolation.

Why: Laugh at an autistic person without having to re-watch the Big Bang Theory for the fiftieth time because your roommate considers themselves “such a nerd”.

https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=7bc59e40-6af2-11ea-96b7-b132cf2a7536

 

3) Silkroad Home Sessions with Edward Perez

24th March

What: The Grammy Award-winning Silkroad Ensemble is comprised of an international network of musicians and learners. Silkroad is coordinating with individual artists to present short performances from their homes, to help keep the music alive and continue to create music and build community. Edward Perez’s unique sound as a composer traces back to the combination of his grounding in modern jazz combined with insight into percussion and traditional afro-latin music gleaned from his two years in Lima as well as his experience with latin jazz heavyweights of New York City. Experience his talents on this unique live stream alongside Flamenco guitarist Andreas Arnold.

Why: Nothing staves of murder-inducing cabin fever like an extended session of modern jazz.

https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=d3295110-6afa-11ea-96b7-b132cf2a7536

 

2) Vienna State Opera: Live

22nd-26th March

What: The Vienna State Opera is sharing past performances via free daily online streams. Experience the majesty of the Viennese opera alongside a worldwide audience. This week’s schedule features Tosca, La Cenerentola, Siegfried and L’elisir D’amore.

Why: There’s nothing like blasting Wagner to remind yourself that there are many worse things to fight over than a square of toilet paper.

https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=195e0580-6af7-11ea-96b7-b132cf2a7536

 

1) ReelAbilities Film Festival

23rd March-2nd April

What: The ReelAbilities Film Festival is about bringing people together to connect, to be entertained, informed, and appreciate the artistic expressions of people with disabilities. Being together as a diverse community and enjoying films together is a special and unique experience that we are honored to facilitate each year. Due to the rapidly evolving situation in the state of Massachusetts regarding coronavirus (COVID-19), the ReelAbilities Festival will be shifting to an online platform and will be presenting films and discussions virtually. Registration for the online sessions is free.

Why: Situations such as this can often illuminate the darker aspects of the human psyche that emphasise physical and mental self-preservation above all else. So whilst your claiming that the virus is somehow negatively impacting your access to WiFi and so you can’t spend two hours talking to your lonely, isolated grandmother over Skype, watch a few films from the REELabilities festival. It’s proof that you’re a good person.

https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=860d5e20-6afb-11ea-96b7-b132cf2a7536