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Opal Vapour
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Opal Vapour on tour 2013

Opal Vapour undertook a national tour in May – June 2013 around Australia supported by the Mobile States program.

  • Vitalstatistix, Adelaide
  • Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts
  • Salamanca Arts Centre, Hobart
  • Centre of Contemporary Arts, Cairns
  • Mackay Entertainment Centre
  • Visy Theatre, Brisbane Powerhouse
  • Canberra Street Theatre
  • Blacktown Arts Centre, Sydney

Opal Vapour was nominated for an Australian Dance Award

"It is a gem of a dance work, elusive in style and influences, one dissolving into the next……… a dreamy sequence accompanied by clever projection (Paula van Beek) that brings an underwater vision to the stage."
Reviewed by Jill Sykes, Sydney Morning Herald (June 24, 2013)

Read more reviews: opalvapour.com.au/reviews


Opal Vapour premiere 2012

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Opal Vapour (2012)
by Jade Dewi Tyas Tunggal in collaboration with Paula van Beek and Ria Soemardjo
Presented as part of Malthouse Theatre’s Helium season

September 21 - October 6
The Tower Theatre, Malthouse




In Opal Vapour a solo dancer colonises a landscape of golden sand on top of a perspex stage. A musician shifts the space with her voice and instruments, tending to the paper and textile sculptures that rustle as they are moved.  Lighting from above and below emphasises striking images with haunting shadows.  A live feed camera captures the dancer’s performance from a bird’s eye perspective and beams it onto a cloth screen.

"Paula van Beek's lighting design transforms a simple platform into a glowing stage, and allows for the spectre of an imagined third performer with live projected footage"
★★★★
Reviewed by Jordan Beth Vincent, The Age (October 5, 2012)


Best Dance, Melbourne Fringe Festival awards

Choreographer / Dancer: Jade Dewi Tyas Tunggal
Composer / Musician: Ria Soemardjo
Lighting designer / Image-Maker: Paula van Beek

a work in progress 2011- 2012

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Opal Vapour was developed over a series of residencies:

Indonesia Contemporary Art Network (iCAN), Yogyakarta, Indonesia (June 2012)
Salamanca Arts Centre, Hobart, TAS, Australia (Nov/Dec 2011)
Glasshouse, Port Macquarie, NSW, Australia (August/Sept 2011)


The artists drew inspiration from the form and symbols of Wayang Kulit - Javanese shadow puppet theatre. This is an extraordinary evolving art form which provides a dynamic example of performance ritual with many layers - including choreography, music, storytelling, improvisation, popular culture, symbolism, imagery, light and darkness – developed to reflect no separation between the body, voice and environment. 

Follow the development of the project at:  www.opalvapour.com.au

Supported by Kultour and the Australian Council for the Arts


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The seed of the idea 2010


Opal Vapour (August 2010)
Fairfax Theatre, The Arts Centre, Melbourne
With Choreographer / Performer: Jade Dewi Tyas Tunggal and Composer / Performer: Ria Soemardjo



Opal Vapour was originally seeded as a 20 minute performance installation
as part of 'Mix it Up' at the Fairfax Theatre, The Arts Centre
with support from Multicultural Arts Victoria


Made in Wellington, NZ & Melbourne, Australia
Paula van Beek (c) 2024
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