The Melbourne International Arts Festival

For seventeen rapid days in October, Melbourne hosts its premiere fete, the Melbourne International Arts Festival. Presenting a diverse and challenging cross-section of the international performing and visual arts sector, the 2007 Melbourne Festival captured with depth the contrasting hues and concerns of contemporary art. During the festival the approachable and charismatic artistic director Kristy Edmunds displayed her untouchable vision and aptitude for the life of the contemporary arts festival. Quick to speak on the differences between a festival and a more regular arts presenting organization, Edmunds' presence permeated all hours of the gathering, from early morning press events to last call at the Artist Lounge or Spiegeltent. The founder of PICA (Portland Institute for Contemporary Art) and its celebrated TBA festival, Edmund's cool and broad perspective on the necessity of contemporary art within a responsible society informed the breadth of the artistic programming.

During the festival the stand-out gems were the many events revolving around the residency of Merce Cunningham and his company the Merce Cunningham Dance Company. Termed the Merce Cunningham Residency by the festival, all in all there were at least two dozen events, exhibitions, and concerts connected to Cunnigham's presence in Melbourne. Pieces from Cunnningham's repertory performed during the festival included Suite for Five (1956-1958), eyeSpace (2006/2007), BIPED (1999), Views on Stage (2004), and Split Sides (2003), which included live accompaniment by Sigur Ros.

Surpassing all of these performances in its uniqueness, The Melbourne Event was a free and outdoor performance in Melbourne's Federation Square, a bizarre and modern civic center which served as an apt backdrop for Cunningham's urban yet illuminating aesthetic. There was a transcendent harmony between the trams and traffic that travelled through the heart of Melbourne with the spontaneous pace of the chance-informed choreography and musical score.

Other notable performances of the festival were those by Dutch theater group Dood Paard, the music of Dan Zanes, Laurie Anderson, Toshi Reagon and Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon, and Kiki & Herb's raucous Magical Drinking Tour.

The dance presenting included a premiere of Sydney based choreographer Shaun Parker titled This Show is About People, the elaborate Kagemi of Sankai Juku, Glow by Melbourne locals Chunky Move, and The Show Must Go On by Jérome Bell.