We could have danced all night when we heard the news that one of the most beloved musicals of all time is heading back to Melbourne. That's right, a new production of My Fair Lady opens at the Arts Centre Melbourne’s Ian Potter State Theatre this November, celebrating 70 years since its Broadway debut.
Staged by Opera Australia and John Frost for Crossroads Live, the revival marks 70 years since Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Lowe first brought their adaptation of Pygmalion to the stage, a show that has since become shorthand for musical theatre's golden age.
Should you be in need of a refresher, My Fair Lady follows Cockney flower seller Eliza Doolittle, who is plucked from the mean streets of Covent Garden and transformed into a 'lady' by the exacting (and often exasperating) Professor Henry Higgins. It's a time-tested story of class identity and transformation, carried by some of the most recognisable tunes in musical theatre, such as 'Wouldn't it be Loverly?', 'I Could Have Danced All Night' and 'Get Me to the Church on Time'.
Running from November 14 to December 13, the upcoming production is based on the lavish 2016 revival, directed by the one and only Julie Andrews, who famously took on the role of Eliza Doolittle at just 20. It will arrive in Melbourne hot on the heels of a run at Sydney Opera House, and will be the first major musical to grace the Ian Potter State Theatre following its huge refurbishment.
The casting for My Fair Lady will see both theatre...
If 2015 was the Australian Ballet’s ‘year of beauty’, then 2016 delves into darker (yet no less ambitious) territory, with classic and contemporary works depicting turbulent romances, supernatural forces and a tortured genius. “Ballet has the ability to transform,” says McAllister. “This is a richly dynamic and diverse season which I am proud to present.”
An anticipated highlight of the season will be the Australian premiere of Nijinsky (Sep 7-17) an emotional tribute to the Ballets Russes prodigy, lauded as one of the greatest dancers and choreographers of the 20th century. Created by master choreographer John Neumeier and first performed by the Hamburg Ballet in 2000, Nijinsky tells the story of the dancer’s meteoric rise to fame, the controversy around his sensual choreography, and his battle with mental illness that eventually saw him pass away in a mental institution in 1950.
Following the huge success and critical acclaim of 2015’s 20:21, contemporary ballet will again come to the fore with Vitesse (Mar 11-21), which will featuring new works by three world-famous choreographers: Christopher Wheeldon, Jiří Kylián and William Forsythe.
On the other end of the spectrum are lavish productions of ballet classics. Stephen Baynes’ traditional staging of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake (Jun 7-18), created by the resident choreographer for the Australian Ballet’s 50th anniversary in 2012, will return for an encore run, complete with Edwardian set design by the masterful Hugh Coleman.
The talented Stanton Welch, who is both a resident choreographer with the Australian Ballet and artistic director of Houston Ballet, will bring his much-loved production of Romeo and Juliet (Jun 30-Jul 9) exclusively to Melbourne. Rounding out the season will be the family favourite fairytale Coppélia (Sep 23-Oct 1).
