As part of a suite of community engagement projects under the banner of Bundanon Local, the 60+ Performance project began in November 2016 with a series of social and creative workshops for people over 60 involving music, song and dance.

Co-directors of One Enchanted Evening, Annette Tesoriero and Philip Channells collaborated with filmmaker Sam James and a core group of twelve participants during a 2-week development period in May which was based in the Shoalhaven region on the NSW South Coast.

One Enchanted Evening in its simplest form is a conversation about intimacy in the older years.

Older humans have many stories to tell of life’s major events. These stories are the tangible structure of the hive or nest that is our life – a life that is forever evolving across each new generation. However the intangible connection between one being and another is the honey or nectar, the gooey essence that lubricates our inner life and keeps the emotional muscle of our heart pounding. While the physical structure may weaken, this gooey essence continues to amass. Annette Tesoriero

This recent development began at Bundanon Trust’s Riversdale property with an open rehearsal of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra Fellow’s rehearsal followed by a music and writing workshop: If Music Be The Food of Love, Play On. Participants were inspired by the orchestral music to begin open discussions about love and intimacy in later life – the basis from which began shaping the creative process for One Enchanted Evening which will premiere at Siteworks on Saturday 23 September 2017 at Bundanon.

One Enchanted Evening is presented in three parts:

Part 1: Installations in the Brook Andrew on-site caravans.

Part 2: Intimate conversations with 60+ Performance participants inside a camper van.

Part 3: Evening performance by 60+ Performance participants at the Brook Andrew caravan site.

Image: Sam James / Performers: Max Croot & Glenda Whitehorne

One participant wrote of her experience of the project’s creative process:

I thought the lesson at this stage of life was about learning to be invisible and unheard. I thought I had accepted that. Then along comes the 60+ Performance Project and the creative spirit within is unleashed. Challenged to write, to perform, to improvise, use the voice in new and different ways and interact intimately with other performers… all these things have brought a new confidence and a new energy and vigour that has allowed me to be trusting and brave and… outrageous…!!! Annie Howard (performer)

Siteworks is Bundanon’s annual spring event which brings scientists, artists and community voices together to share knowledge and ideas arising from the Bundanon sites through a series of discussions, presentations and experiences.

Image: Deborah Kelly, Birth of Beeness 2017

Main Image: Performers – Ann Frankham, Annie Howard and Patricia Larkin

Visit the Siteworks link for more information or purchase Eventbrite tickets.