A-nu Celebration

The name Anu has many meanings in different languages, in one it means favour or grace and gracious, and what better words describe Australian soulful singer Christine Anu.

This gracious and completely delightful woman will be a headline act at the Festival of Voices this year.

Christine tells me she might well earn the title of a festival Queen having performed many times at Tasmanian festivals, including last year when she performed with the Southern Gospel Choir and the wonderful Andrew Legge, its founder, the associate Professor of music at the conservatorium. It was something new for Christine and she is very glad for the experience.

Christine has also starred on the Ten Days on the Island and a message to Mona, this wonderful young lady would love to feature on one of your festive programs!

With the Festival of Voices Christine is getting used to the idea of a winter music festival to metaphorically warm the spirit, and even though she is used to the warmer weather, literally, she realises we can’t always wait for the weather to improve for us to perform!

You can expect an eclectic mix of songs from Christine including favourites like ‘My Island Home’.

Christine can be seen at a number of venues and events at the festival before returning to Sydney and the Opera House reprising her role as Bloody Mary in South Pacific. Christine will also be continuing her show Rewind, in it’s second year of celebrating the music of Aretha Franklin.
As we wind up the interview Christine says to me if I see her around while she is in Tasmania I should come up and say hi and that sums up this down to earth songstress!

You can see Christine on ‘First Light’, the opening night of the Festival of Voices on July 5 at Castray Esplanade, Salamanca place 5.30 to 7pm.

You can experience Christine’s show Rewind the Aretha Franklin Songbook at The Voicebox, City Hall on Saturday July 6.

The third event is ‘Soul Food’ at Coupling at Rosny Barn (where Christine will perform some Aretha and Motown) on July 5.
Paula Xiberras