JUTE Theatre Company is a Cairns/Gimuy-based theatre company creating, producing and touring new Australian theatre from regional Queensland. Since 1992, JUTE has championed regional artists, stories and audiences through main stage productions, new work development, artist pathways, youth and community programs, and sector-building initiatives including DARTS and RASN. Based at Bulmba-ja Arts Centre in Far North Queensland, JUTE connects local stories to national and international stages, supporting theatre that is artistically ambitious, socially relevant and deeply connected to place.

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The star of Rhapsody has a history!

Rhapsody is a new chamber music-theatre work inspired by the true story of the Dalinger, a rare violin crafted in Vienna in 1778 by master luthier Sebastian Dalinger.

Made from even rarer Italian timbers, the Dalinger’s remarkable journey has taken it from European ballrooms to colonial Australia, to wartime battlefields, through the hands of generations of musicians, and ultimately to Far North Queensland.

The work traces the lives, places and turning points woven into the violin’s survival, including its connection to Queensland violinist Harold Fleischmann, who played the Dalinger on the Western Front during the First World War before returning home to lead the Ipswich Symphony Orchestra.

Rhapsody - a violin’s journey through time
Friday 31 July, 6pm
Bulmba-ja Arts Centre
Tickets: events.humanitix.com/rhapsody

Image 1: Violinist and Queenslander Harold Fleischmann on duty with the Dalinger, WWI Western Front, Belgium/France.
Image 2: Violinist Franz Bauer, who took the Dalinger from Europe to Melbourne to perform at the grand gala opening of Melbourne Theatre Royal.
Image 3: The Dalinger label, 1778.

This project is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland. This project was made possible by the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund, provided through Regional Arts Australia, administered in Queensland by Flying Arts Alliance. Rhapsody is also supported by the Australian Festival of Chamber Music, JUTE Theatre Company and Arts Nexus.
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2 days ago
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Dr Katrina Pring is

Dr Katrina Pring is helping give a 250-year-old violin its newest voice.

For Rhapsody, Katrina is composing original music for violin and piano, created in close collaboration with violinist and playwright Kirtley Walker-Halstead. Together, they’re exploring how music can carry memory, movement and history, from Vienna in 1778 to Far North Queensland today. This work-in-progress showcase gives audiences a first look at the music, storytelling and creative process behind a new chamber music-theatre work inspired by the true journey of the Dalinger violin.

Dr Katrina Pring is a Cairns-based composer and pianist, holding a PhD in Composition from the University of Newcastle (NSW), 2007. Katrina’s compositional practice combines innovative approaches to chamber music with sensitivity to narrative and performance context. For this project, she will create the original score for violin and piano, working closely with Kirtley to ensure the music reflects both historical authenticity, violinistic artistry, and emotional storytelling in an innovative and engaging format. Katrina will also perform as pianist in the work-in-progress presentation, bringing her technical excellence and interpretive insight to the live performance.

Rhapsody - a violin’s journey through time
Fri 31 July, 6pm
Bulmba-ja Arts Centre
Tickets: events.humanitix.com/rhapsody

This project is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland. This project was made possible by the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund, provided through Regional Arts Australia, administered in Queensland by Flying Arts Alliance. Rhapsody is also supported by the Australian Festival of Chamber Music, JUTE Theatre Company and Arts Nexus.
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6 days ago
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Dare to Dream kicked off its eight-week tour on Monday, with the team spending their first week in Daintree.

Back for another year, the JUTE-initiated program takes First Nations theatre works and creative teams into regional and remote communities. After the performance, the team stays for the week to work with local students as they develop and perform their own stories.

Wishing the team a great tour!

Actors:
Sheyan Walker
Djalu Barash

Images by Paul Furse

Check out more about Dare to Dream at jute.com.au/dare-to-dream
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7 days ago
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Harmony Voices was a free community-engaged creative program building English confidence and connection through theatre-making, storytelling and song. Check out these wonderful photos by Paul Furse / Frontrow Foto, capturing the workshops and rehearsals through to the final showcase in front of a big audience at Bulmba-ja Arts Centre.

Led by facilitator Camila Tirado, with JUTE Creative Producer Rachel Furlong, the project was delivered in collaboration with Centacare FNQ and funded by Scanlan Foundation.
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1 week ago
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Rhapsody follows the remarkable journey of the Dalinger, a rare violin crafted in Vienna in 1778 and carried across three centuries of music, memory and survival. Violinist, playwright and artistic director Kirtley Walker-Halstead performs on the historic instrument itself, joined by composer and pianist Dr Katrina Pring, whose new score for violin and piano helps bring its past to life. Presented as a work-in-progress showcase, this special event offers audiences a first glimpse into an evolving production where history, storytelling and live music meet.

Rhapsody - a violin’s journey through time
Fri 31 July, 6pm
Bulmba-ja Arts Centre
Tickets at events.humanitix.com/rhapsody

This project is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland. This project was made possible by the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund, provided through Regional Arts Australia, administered in Queensland by Flying Arts Alliance. Rhapsody is also supported by the Australian Festival of Chamber Music, JUTE Theatre Company and Arts Nexus.
... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago
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We’re excited to s

We’re excited to showcase Rhapsody - a violin’s journey through time at Bulmba-ja as it progresses through its development phase, with Cairns-based composer Dr Katrina Pring creating an original score for violin and piano, performed by her and Kirtley Walker-Halstead.

Directed by JUTE’s Executive Artistic Director Chris Kohn, the showcase will blend music, text and historical storytelling, as this remarkable 250-year-old violin becomes the voice at the centre of its own story.

Supported by JUTE and the Australian Festival of Chamber Music, this development offers audiences a glimpse into the evolving work, with live excerpts and insight into the creative process. A little history and a little mystery make for a great story!

See the showcase
Friday 31 July, 6pm
Bulmba-ja Arts Centre
Tickets at events.humanitix.com/rhapsody

This project is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland. This project was made possible by the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund, provided through Regional Arts Australia, administered in Queensland by Flying Arts Alliance.
... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago
View Comments likes Like love 17 Comments: 1 Shares: 3
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MEDIA RELEASES, NEWS and STORIES

Dr Katrina Pring is helping give a 250-year-old violin its newest voice.

For Rhapsody, Katrina is composing original music for violin and piano, created in close collaboration with violinist and playwright Kirtley Walker-Halstead. Together, they’re exploring how music can carry memory, movement and history, from Vienna in 1778 to Far North Queensland today. This work-in-progress showcase gives audiences a first look at the music, storytelling and creative process behind a new chamber music-theatre work inspired by the true journey of the Dalinger violin.

Dr Katrina Pring is a Cairns-based composer and pianist, holding a PhD in Composition from the University of Newcastle (NSW), 2007. Katrina’s compositional practice combines innovative approaches to chamber music with sensitivity to narrative and performance context. For this project, she will create the original score for violin and piano, working closely with Kirtley to ensure the music reflects both historical authenticity, violinistic artistry, and emotional storytelling in an innovative and engaging format. Katrina will also perform as pianist in the work-in-progress presentation, bringing her technical excellence and interpretive insight to the live performance.

Rhapsody - a violin’s journey through time
Fri 31 July, 6pm
Bulmba-ja Arts Centre
Tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/rhapsody

This project is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland.  This project was made possible by the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund, provided through Regional Arts Australia, administered in Queensland by Flying Arts Alliance.  Rhapsody is also supported by the Australian Festival of Chamber Music, JUTE Theatre Company and Arts Nexus.

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We’re excited to showcase Rhapsody - a violin’s journey through time at Bulmba-ja as it progresses through its development phase, with Cairns-based composer Dr Katrina Pring creating an original score for violin and piano, performed by her and Kirtley Walker-Halstead. 

Directed by JUTE’s Executive Artistic Director Chris Kohn, the showcase will blend music, text and historical storytelling, as this remarkable 250-year-old violin becomes the voice at the centre of its own story.

Supported by JUTE and the Australian Festival of Chamber Music, this development offers audiences a glimpse into the evolving work, with live excerpts and insight into the creative process. A little history and a little mystery make for a great story!

See the showcase
Friday 31 July, 6pm
Bulmba-ja Arts Centre
Tickets at https://events.humanitix.com/rhapsody

...

18 0 instagram icon

Acknowledgement of Country

JUTE wishes to pay its respects to Elders, past and present, of the lands where we work, live and perform. JUTE acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of this land as well as the many regional areas we visit, tour and produce work. We recognise that these lands have always been places of art and story-telling.