VIC

SUMMER CINEMA
The Hellenic Museum’s Summer Cinema is back for 2019. Set up in the Museum’s leafy courtyard, catch a Greek film classic each Saturday evening until 2 March. The program features Love and Blood (1968), The Barefoot Battalion (1954), Madam X (1954), Egoismos (1964) and A Lady at the Bouzoukia (1968). All films are subtitled. Courtyard opens at 6.00 pm. Enjoy food and drinks from Grounds of Arcadia’s Greek-style psistaria (wood-fired oven and grill) before and during the movie. Seating is provided and screenings begin at sunset. To book tickets, visit https://www.hellenic.org.au/summer-cinema-2019

MERCILESS GODS
Arts Centre Melbourne presents Dan Giovannoni’s Green Room Award-winning adaptation of Christos Tsiolkas’ Merciless Gods. A collection of theatrical vignettes, they are a brutal and tender examination of queer immigrant experiences in Australia. From migrant camps to gay saunas, pill-popping hipster dinner parties to porn sets, prison cells to the streets of the Cross; Merciless Godscaptures haunting slices of our psyche and unveils the hidden faces of ancient deities on mortal ground. Intercutting between families, friends and accidental encounters, this is humanity laid-bare – virtuous and vengeful, domestic and divine. Critically acclaimed in Melbourne and Sydney and winner of two Green Room Awards (including best new writing and Best Performer – Jennifer Vuletic) Merciless Gods is urgent, dirty, glorious queer theatre. On until Sunday 10 February at Fairfax Studio. For tickets, visit artscentremelbourne.com.au/

ANTAMOMA FUNDRAISER
The Pontian Coordinating Committee of Melbourne is hosting its fundraiser to showcase Australia’s rising talent and invites all to come and support youth with great food and live entertainment with a mix of traditional Pontian, Cretan and other Greek traditional music. The event takes place this Saturday 9 February from 7pm to 1am at 345 Victoria Street, Brunswick. Admission is at $60 and includes meals and beverages. For bookings, call Peter on 0401 672124 or Kosta on 0419 503428.

GREEK CULINARY WALKING TOUR
Join Mary (Mary’s Kitchen), and Kelly (Hellenic Odyssey) for a guided walking tour of Melbourne’s most popular and energetic Greek precinct, Oakleigh this Saturday 9 February. Kicking off at Nikos Cakes (25-27 Portman St, Oakleigh), get ready to bite into a delicious galaktoboureko, crunch into the best koulouri outside of Athens, and savour the taste of Greek olives, dips, feta cheese and much more all from the passionate traders in this bustling neighbourhood. With each bite, you will learn about Greece’s enticing food culture, its history and its healthy essence. A delicious lunch at a gorgeous traditional restaurant is included, and you will leave having experienced many flavours, taking recipes away with you to create at home. To book your spot, visit https://www.eventbrite.com.au/

OUZO FESTIVAL MELBOURNE 2019
The Lesvos Cultural Club is getting ready to host its annual Ouzo Festival, celebrating the Greek island’s tipple of choice. Taking place on Sunday 17 February at 26 Waldheim Rd, Bayswater from 11.00 am-6.00 pm. Entry $15.00 per person. More details to come soon.

WENDY RULE PERSEPHONE ALBUM LAUNCH
Songstress Wendy Rule returns to Melbourne from her hometown of Santa Fe, New Mexico to celebrate the launch of her new double-album Persephone on Saturday 23 February at The Thornbury Theatre (859 High St, Thornbury) from 7.00-11.00 pm. The culmination of over 12 years work, the album is a retelling of the ancient Greek myth of goddess Persephone’s descent into the Underworld, and the ensuing grief of her mother Demeter, the goddess of the Grain. Unlike anything that she has done before, it’s a focused ‘song cycle’ – almost like an opera – designed to guide the listener through this ancient tale of the cycles of nature. Wendy and friends will be recreating the album live in its entirety, singing in the roles of goddesses Persephone, Demeter and Hecate (with Hecate’s parts chanted in Greek). Wendy will be joined on stage by her band, accompanied by a Greek Chorus of three singers who feature on the album – Melbourne locals Melody Moon, Talie Helene, and Callie Galati from Athens. For tickets, visitthornburytheatre.oztix.com.au

32ND LONSDALE STREET GREEK FESTIVAL
That time of year is fast approaching again, when Melbourne’s biggest street party and longest-running Greek festival hits Lonsdale Street. The 32nd Lonsdale Street Greek Festival will take place on 23-24 February, bringing together some of the country’s most talented performers, dancers, chefs, cooks and competitors for a weekend of Greek-flavoured entertainment. Headlining the event will be one of Greece’s most popular singing sensations, Eleonora Zouganeli on her first Australian visit. Attendees will also have the chance to win a return economy flight to Athens by taking part in the Zorba Til’ You Drop Competition. To express your interest, visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KJ7Z6C5. Applications close Friday 26 January. Only successful applicants will be contacted.

DINNER WITH VASSO APOSTOLOPOULOS
A special dinner will be hosted at Philhellene Provincial Greek Cuisine (551-553 Mount Alexander Rd, Moonee Ponds) on Saturday 2 March from 5.30-10.00 pm with one of the most significant scientists of our century, Professor Vasso Apostolopoulos. The 1997 winner of the Young Australian of the Year Award (VIC), the 1997 Time magazine ‘Most Significant Greek Abroad’, and the 2004 Woman of the Year (Greece), she developed the world’s first breast and ovarian cancer vaccine and has been instrumental in the development of a vaccine against MS. Book by emailing theolympiansociety@gmail.com or vithoulkas@hotmail.com 

EXHIBITION: ‘LOVE‘
What is love? Where is the love? Who do you love? Melbourne’s Immigration Museum (400 Flinders St, Melbourne) explores all forms of loving connection between humans in its latest exhibition ‘LOVE’. On now until 28 April, it presents Australian love stories of all kinds through visual art, aural and written storytelling, and objects, traversing landscapes of time, gender, orientation, ethnicity, age, and distance, and reflects the Museum’s commitment to celebrating all communities and highlighting our shared humanity. Among the love stories is that of a Cypriot bride, whose new husband rowed into Port Phillip Bay to greet her with sweets. Free with museum entry. To book, visit https://museumsvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/

NSW

37th GREEK FESTIVAL OF SYDNEY
The 37th Greek Festival of Sydney returns to Darling Harbour with its usual fare of dancing and entertainment, and celebration of all things Greek. Singer Eleanora Zouganelli will perform live at Tumbalong Park during the finale. The event runs from Saturday 2 March (3pm-10pm) to Sunday 3 March (10am to 10pm). Applications are now open for stallholders and performers. To contact the organisers, send an email to greekfestival@goc.com.au or telephone 02 9750 0440.

GRECO FLAMENCO PERFORMING REMBETIKA & ART MUSIC
Catch Greco Flamenco performing at The Vault (within the Greek Bilingual Bookshop, 837 New Canterbury Rd, Dulwich Hill) tonight, Saturday 9 February from 7.00-9.30 pm (doors open 6.15 pm). Vocalist Marina Thiveos will be accompanied by flamenco/rembetiko guitarist Paul Hofstetter to present an evening of bel canto styled songs from rembetika to Greek arts style music done in their own original way. Ticket: $28 (no concessions). Theatre-style seating, first in gets the best seats. To book, SMS your name and number of people to Eleni on 0400 436 079.

HELLENIC LYCEUM SYDNEY
The Hellenic Lyceum is hosting a special viewing of Maria by Callas: In Her Own Words, a film based on the life of the legendary Maria Callas, arguably the greatest opera singer of the 20th Century. Showing this weekend, Sunday 10 February at The Ritz Theatre, The Spot (45 St Pauls St, Randwick) at 6.00 pm. Tickets $20.00, includes a raffle ticket towards a lucky door prize. For bookings call: Liana 0430 457 089, Christina 0468 654 979, or Lynne 0414365 520.

SYDNEY GREEK JAM
Inspired by Melbourne, the third largest Greek city in the world, Sydney is getting its own open Greek jam night. The first is taking place on Wednesday 27 February at La Boite Performance Space (837 New Canterbury Rd, Dulwich Hill) from 7.00-11.30 pm, exploring Smyrneika, Rebetika and Palia Laika. Created to encourage and nurture musicians who are new to these genres while bringing together seasoned professionals, even if you’re just starting out, come along and join in with your instrument and enthusiasm. In the lead up to the event, links and sheet music/tabs to selected songs that will be played on the night will be posted on the Facebook event. Tickets $15.00 includes Greek nibbles. To book, visithttps://www.stickytickets.com.au/81627/sydney_greek_jam.aspx 

TROJAN WOMEN
Written by Euripides and first produced in 415 BC during the Peloponnesian War, The Trojan Women was the third tragedy of a trilogy dealing with the Trojan War. This year, Hellenic Art Theatre and The Greek Festival of Sydney are presenting a version of the Greek tragedy directed by Stavros Economidis. The play will be performed in Greek with English surtitles from 15 March-7 April. To book tickets, visit hellenicarttheatre.com.au/

“SORRY”, WRONG BED
Mytilenian House (225 Canterbury Road, Canterbury) is hosting a hilarious Greek play intriguingly titled “Sorry”, Wrong Bed. It sees a couple pull up to a mysterious looking motel to rest after an exhausting drive. At this motel, nothing seems to work as it should and even the hotel’s manager has an eerie air about him. Frustration and exhaustion lead the couple into an all out fight. The presence of an eccentric maid further adds to the tensions whilst the arrival of another couple unleashes a strange chain of events with unexpected outcomes. What secrets are held behind the walls of this hotel and its strange occupants? Catch the play between Saturday 16 March and Sunday 14 April.