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ABC Melbourne | Feature Index | Story
What's a Spiegeltent?
Friday, 7 October 2005
Reporter: Florenz Ronn
There are several examples of Spiegeltents left in the world. Returning to Melbourne for the 2005 Melbourne International Arts Festival is the ‘Famous Spiegeltent’, which has its spiritual home in Edinburgh, where it is a mainstay of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and one of that event’s most popular attractions. Every year since 2001, this Spiegeltent has visited Melbourne bringing with it its European charm and popularity.
The uninitiated may well ask: "What's a Spiegeltent?"
"Spiegeltents are hand-hewn pavilions used as travelling dance halls and wine tasting marquees since the early 20th century. Only a hand-full of these unique and legendary ‘tents of mirrors’ are left in the world today. Built of wood, mirrors, canvas, leaded glass and detailed in velvet and brocade, each has its own personality and style. The most beautiful of the last remaining Belgian ‘mirror’ tents, the Famous Spiegeltent, was built in 1920 by master craftsmen Oscar Mols Dom and Loius Goor. This Grande Dame has spent her lifetime at the bequest of festivals and village fairs throughout Europe and beyond, playing host to the world’s greatest cabaret performers and musicians," says pianist and Spiegel maestro David Bates on the Famous Spiegeltent website.
In a 2003 interview conducted by Triple J's Fenella Kernebone, speaking about more recent history, David Bates said: "...there’s always been a big connection between Melbourne (and now Australia), and Edinburgh and the Edinburgh Festival..."
This tent of mirrors, which holds 350 people, is more than a major performance space. During its previous visits to Melbourne it has functioned as a recording and broadcasting studio, as well as party venue. One of the great success stories of the last few Melbourne Festivals, it became the ultimate late night Festival club, featuring some of the best circus, cabaret and burlesque.
Once again, 774 ABC Melbourne broadcast from its location on the Arts Centre Forecourt, providing a live audience and our listening audience with a taste of 2005 Melbourne International Arts Festival. This year, Red Symons, Breakfast presenter extraordinaire, broadcast his program live from The Famous Spiegeltent on Friday October 7th. Tripping the light fantastic, Red enjoyed the company of his regular guests with sports updates and tips, as well as Melbourne Festival performers live on stage. It was a full house.
Red Symons 'Live' at the Spiegeltent photos
Jane Clifton was 774’s Melbourne Arts Festival reporter this year, providing updates into Red's breakfast program at 7.20am on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Festival director Kristy Edmunds reported into the Drive Program every Tuesday and Friday for the duration of the festival.
Spiegel or Spiegel?
During last year’s lead up to the 774's Spiegeltent broadcast, a light hearted debate ensued on the Morning Program, whether the Germanic word "spiegel", meaning "mirror", is pronounced starting with a 'SCH' sound or a 'SP' sound.
For us, being a radio station and thus keen to get the words right, the issue had not been totally resolved. But there was plenty of involvement from listeners phoning in for us to get it right! Indeed one listener suggested, via e-mail, that: "Could we not just call that lovely venue the Mirror Tent?"
However, Dr Peter Paul, formerly Linguistics Lecturer at Monash University, sent us the following comments:
To answer this the following need to be considered:
a. What is the ABC's policy with regards to the pronunciation of non-English words?
b. Who named this in the first instance? I.e. is it meant to be German, Dutch or what?
c. The Standard German pronunciation is /schpeegel/
d. People from certain North German areas, e.g. Hamburg pronounce /S-peegel/
e. The Dutch (and Flemish) pronunciation is /S-peeHel/ (where H is similar to English H in Hugh or huge).
Thank you Dr Paul!
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Related Links:
Some of these links may be to sites outside the ABC and as such the ABC has no editorial control over such sites.
The Famous Spiegeltent
http://www.spiegeltent.net
2005 Melbourne International Arts Festival
http://www.melbournefestival.com.au
Triple J's Fenella Kernebone's interview with David Bates
http://www.abc.net.au/arts/performance/stories/s399577.htm
774's 2004 Spiegeltent broadcast
http://www.abc.net.au/melbourne/stories/s1210137.htm
Last Updated: 21/10/2005 9:30:00 AM AEDT
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