ACO Up Close: Omar Musa and Mariel Roberts

Poet, rapper and novelist Omar Musa is a revelation on stage: inspiring and eloquent, with a buoyant comic presence and an emotional authenticity – an openness to sharing the pleasures and pains of life – that stands as a vital opposite to the bane of “toxic” masculinity. – The Age

Spanning novel-writing, poetry, hip-hop and visual art, the breadth of artist Omar Musa’s creativity is extraordinary.

Musa is completely unrestrained by categorisation, moving seamlessly through artforms to present spectacular pieces that challenge assumptions and highlight social issues in a completely open and fresh way.

The award-winning artist is bringing his one-hour music, poetry and theatre performance, The Offering, to The Neilson at ACO Pier 2/3.

The show – which sees Musa in collaboration with the groundbreaking cellist, composer and improvisor Mariel Roberts – explores themes of seafaring, environmental destruction, belonging, borderlessness and Omar’s family history in South-East Asia. It combines storytelling, poetry, hip hop, cello and original music using field recordings taken from forests and oceans in Malaysian Borneo.

A chance to experience two unique voices taking a deeply personal voyage into sound and story in a visually stunning and intimate setting.

PROGRAM
OMAR MUSA The Offering

ARTISTS
Omar Musa vocals, words, visuals
Mariel Roberts cello