The Nation - Friday, March 26, 2004

Norman invasion
Opera fans take note! Soprano Jessye Norman will make her Bangkok debut on May 2 at the Thailand Cultural Centre. Norman cleared her tight schedule for a charity show here in order to celebrate the upcoming Sixth Cycle of Her Majesty the Queen’s Birthday (on August 12). The programme is not yet confirmed, but Norman is expected to sing some Thai songs. Updates will be listed on Thaiticketmaster.com. The show is co-organised by the Toshiba Group of Companies, the International Peace Foundation, the Bangkok Opera and the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra Foundation. Tickets range from Bt800 to Bt2,500 and are available at the Bangkok Opera by calling (02) 254 4787 or at Thaiticketmaster after April 1. All proceeds will go to the Support Foundation of Her Majesty the Queen. For reservations via Thaiticketmaster, call (02) 204 9999.

Art for auction
Riverside Auction House will hold its 225th monthly auction at the Auction Hall on the fourth floor of the River City Shopping Complex on April 3. More than 160 antiques from Asia and Europe will be auctioned. Among them are Thai and Khmer ceramics and pottery, bronze and silver from Laos, Burmese woodcarving and collectable European objets d’ art. A preview will take place tomorrow at the auction hall and run from 10am to 5pm daily until the auction date. Illustrated catalogues will be available at the Preview Room. For details call (02) 237 0077/8 ext 461.

Media storm
Bangkok wrapped up its Media Art Festival last weekend, demonstrating that artforms extend far beyond oil paintings and stone sculptures and now include the Internet, software and digital video. Chiang Mai will takes its turn next month, hosting the Switch Media Art Festival from April 6 to 30. Under the theme “Pathiharn Electron” (“Supernatural”), more than 50 Southeast Asian artists will showcase their new media works. The main venue will be the Chiang Mai University Art Museum, but activities will be held throughout the northern capital, encompassing such social spaces such as night markets, food stalls, restaurants, bars, Internet cafes and video arcades. For details e-mail ongswitch@yahoo.com or call (09) 952 2605.

Cult Click
Click Radio is inviting fans to join its Second Fat Awards party at 6pm on April 8 at the Thailand Cultural Centre. Come to cheer your favourite artists. The top nominee is Apartmentkhunpa, which is nominated for three awards: Record of the Year, Song of the Year (“Wall”) and Duo or Group of the Year. The late artist-composer Rawat Puthinan, co-founder of Grammy Entertainment, will receive this year’s Lifetime Achievement award. Through votes from fans via the web and phone, Click Radio will give a few other awards this year, including Hook of the Year, Song for Driving and Hit of the Year. Visit www.thisisclick.com for nominations. Get free tickets for the party plus mini gigs by calling (02) 641 5234 ext 303.