Originally from Zurich, Switzerland, Harcourts Hawke's Bay Arts Festival director Pitsch Leiser settled in New Zealand in 1988. Pitsch has worked in arts and events throughout his 30-year career in Auckland, Wellington, Canberra and Cairns. He is now the community arts development manager at Creative Hastings, a role he's held for the past two years. Pitsch is passionate about developing arts and culture in HB and making arts accessible for the wider community. He also has a penchant for loud shirts and shoes! Linda Hall asked him five questions about the arts festival, to be held in from October 27 to November 8.
1 What can audiences expect at the Harcourts Hawke's Bay Arts Festival this year?
Festival-goers can expect a huge array of genres and artists catering for all tastes. From internationally acclaimed musicians and dancers to cabaret, comedy, circus and theatre, this is a festival filled with surprises. We've catered for families with some vibrant and colourful theatre and dance shows and, for the adventurous, we have some exciting late-night fringe offerings.
2 Tell us about the Famous Spiegeltent.
The Famous Spiegeltent is an elaborate tent of mirrors built in the 1920s in Belgium. With a lifetime spent at festivals and fairgrounds throughout the world, the Famous Spiegeltent has played host to some of the world's greatest cabaret artists, musicians and circus burlesque performers. We're delighted that Hawke's Bay people will get the chance to experience the extravagance of the Famous Spiegeltent for themselves - it's like an act in itself.