"an invitation to connect with our country’s spiritual
ancestry in a way we are rarely afforded."
the age
the manikay (songs) of the wagilak gujarra/nyilapidgi
represent one of the oldest musical traditions on the
planet. in 2005, a visit by the remarkable australian
art orchestra to ngukurr in south east arnhem land
has resulted in one of the most ambitious projects in
australian contemporary music.
the art orchestra has fostered the collaboration in ngukurr, melbourne, garma and brisbane. award winning composer/performer paul grabowsky has again worked closely with the songmen of ngukurr to create a new concert program featuring traditional wagilak song, jazz and classical musics and the cherished voice of ruby hunter.
an electrifying marriage of the very old with the very new, crossing roper bar is a celebration of country, of ceremony, and of the power of music to build enduring bridges across cultures, time and space.
the roper river is a magnificent waterway flowing from
mataranka, 100 kms south of katherine, and out across
the land of the mangarayi and yungman people.
before it reaches the gulf of carpentaria it passes the remote
town of ngukurr which is isolated by the wet for several
months of each year when the roper engulfs all but the
highest land. at other times, roper bar is the point where it’s
possible to cross the river and go on to ngukurr.
the crossing over seems not only a poetic but also a fitting metaphor for the collaboration between the australian
art orchestra and the wagilak gujarra/nyilapidgi – crossing roper bar.
The Australian Government is proud to be associated with this tour through the national performing arts program, Playing Australia, which gives Australians across the country the opportunity to see some of our best performing arts
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