The Port Fairy Spring Music Festival opening will be sung in Gunditjmara language, merging western and Aboriginal cultures.
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The specially commissioned work, titled Six Seasons, was written by Gunditjmara man Corey Theatre.
It will be performed by indigenous musician Archie Roach and Port Fairy primary school choirs.
The festival, to be held in October, was launched at Horti Hall, Melbourne on Monday by Creative Industries minister Martin Foley.
Festival director Iain Grandage said it was exciting to finally release the program.
He said the Opening Gala’s Six Seasons shed light on the transformations of country that the indigenous changes of season brought. It will be followed by a recomposition of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons by Max Richter.
“It’s western and indigenous music standing side-by-side,” Grandage said.
He said the festival had a strong community focus with south-west residents participating in the festival’s opening and closing events.
In the closing event, Victorian Opera will perform a reinvention of The Pied Piper of Hamelin, written by Victorian Opera artistic director Richard Mills.
It will feature Port Fairy primary school students and adult choirs from Port Fairy, Warrnambool and Hamilton.
Other highlights include Siren Songs featuring Deborah Cheetham, Meow Meow and Katie Noonan, who will be accompanied by Grandage and other festival musicians.
The three-day program features 24 performances including drama, orchestral and choral music, jazz, opera, dance and a free open-air performance.
Deputy chairwoman Jennifer Whitehead said Grandage was taking the festival into a “new, contemporary and very relevant direction”.
“Iain will continue to provide exciting new ways to link music of current times with music of the past and from other cultures,” Mrs Whitehead said.
“His imagination and energy seem boundless.”
For program information and bookings go to www.portfairyspringfest.com.au
