Music on Tubowgule returns to the Sydney Opera House in 2026, following its successful inaugural season last year, to showcase work celebrating the vibrant evolution of First Nations expression.
In the Studio on Friday the 26th and Saturday the 27th June, digeridoo virtuoso and Yamatji descendant Mark Atkins and Australian/Finnish composer Erkki Veltheim will present Mungangga Garlagula, a deeply human journey of homecoming, told through spoken word, soundscape and music.
Wajarri for "yarning by the fire," Mungangga Garlagula is a multidisciplinary performance anchored by the hypnotic storytelling of Atkins.
Atkins, who also performs on the didgeridoo, and Veltheim, on the viola and electronics, have co-created a theatrical production conjuring Country by inviting audiences into a nocturnal world of memories, echoes and dreams.
The performance is accompanied by an immersive soundscape recording of exceptional Australian musicians, including Genevieve Lacey (recorder), Vanessa Tomlinson (percussion), Stephen Magnusson (guitar), Anthony Pateras (piano and analogue synthesizers), and Scott Tinkler (trumpet).
"The best stories are told around a campfire and I'm so proud to share my own alongside Erkki in a work that honours Country," Atkins said.
"It feels fitting to perform Mungangga Garlagula on Tubowgule, a place where mob has gathered for tens of thousands of years."
Sydney Opera House's head of First Nations programming, Michael Hutchings, said it's a privilege to bring back Music on Tubowgule.
"It's a privilege to bring back Music on Tubowgule, a series born from a desire to platform the extraordinary depth of First Nations contemporary classical music," he said.
"Tubowgule has always been a place where we gather to share stories, connect and listen, and Mungangga Garlagula honours that tradition intimately.
"Mark and Erkki welcome you to their campfire and transport you to Country through sensory connection, asking audiences not only to listen but to feel."
The Sydney Opera House's First Nations program continues the traditions of Bennelong Point, known to its traditional custodians as Tubowgule, a Gadigal meeting place for tens of thousands of years.
The year-round program celebrates the richness of First Nations cultures by presenting works that address contemporary issues, revive forgotten stories and revitalise ancient cultural practice.
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