Rodgers and Hammerstein Symposium
Monday 13 August

Oscar Andy Hammerstein III will headline a major Music Theatre Symposium at the VCA on 13 August. As the grandson of Oscar Hammerstein, he is Adjunct Professor at New York's Columbia University. The day-long symposium will examine the phenomenon of Rodgers and Hammerstein and include performances by VCA Music Theatre students and graduates. It’s the first event organised by the new Australian Centre for Music Theatre Research and Development.

Register for the symposium »

Sculptural Matter Public Lectures
Thursday 9 & Tuesday 14 August

Prominent contemporary sculptors Nairy Baghramian, Shahryar Nashat and Tatiana Trouvé will give a series of public talks in Federation Hall as part of the VCA Master Teacher Program. All three artists, exhibiting in Sculptural Matter at ACCA, use sculpture, film, video and photography to explore a sculptural way of thinking from both a historical and contemporary perspective.

Public lecture details »

The University of Melbourne Orchestra
Wednesday 22 August

The University of Melbourne Orchestra celebrates the repertoire of the symphonic dance at the Melbourne Town Hall this month, under the baton of Fabian Russell. The program begins with a dance suite from Bernstein’s popular West Side Story, takes a journey to the fabled Greek homeland of Odysseus in the premiere of Ithaka by PhD candidate Andrew Batterham, before finishing with an energetic performance of Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances.

Concert details »

'Dream Team' wins Sellers

School of Art lecturer and alumnus Jon Campbell has won the prestigious $100,000 Basil Sellers Art Prize for his work “Dream team”. The work consists of 22 enamel paintings on board depicting the nicknames of famous AFL players, past and present, such as “Captain Blood”, “Cowboy”, "Dipper", “Daisy” and “Buddy Love”. Director of the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Dr Chris McAuliffe said hard core fans will recognise the players’ nicknames, but all will recognise the Australian habit of casting heroes as the bloke next door. 

The Age reports »

VCA Dance troop in Singapore

Six third year Dance students travelled to Singapore in June to perform at the prestigious youth festival YFest. They performed More Than Matter by Ben Hancock (BDance, 2008) to thousands of people in Singapore’s iconic Esplanade arts precinct, ran a 'Vox Pop’ hang out, where Singaporean youths recorded their views on arts in the Asian region, and also created and performed a site-specific choreography in the grounds of the Singapore Art Museum responding to Singapore’s urban environment.

See the dancers at Singapore Art Museum on YouTube »

2012 Mietta Song Competition

Established by the late Melbourne restaurateur and arts patron Mietta O'Donnell, the Mietta Song Competition is dedicated to excellence in the partnership of voice and piano. First prize of $5,000 was awarded to soprano Siobhan Stagg, who is studying towards her Master of Music at the MCM. Stagg’s accompanist Amir Farid (BMus(Hons), 2004) was awarded  the Hugh D.T. Williamson Prize of $5,000. Third year BMus student mezzo-soprano, Charlotte Betts-Dean was awarded second place.

Mietta Song Competition »

Android-Human Theatre

Performed by an actual life-like robot alongside human actors, Sayonara: Android-Human Theatre is a fantastically unique piece of award-winning independent theatre from Japan. After the show, stay around for an insightful Q&A and robot demonstration with the robot designer Professor Ishiguro and Director Oriza Hirata.

For your chance to win 1 of 3 double passes for Friday 24 Aug at 6.30pm, email vcamcm-enews@unimelb.edu.au

24-25 Aug, tickets $20 - $25
Arts Centre Melbourne »

Fight the Landlord

Named after a highly popular card game, Fight the Landlord  humorously taps into the spirit of Gen Y in the face of shifting social forces in contemporary China. Heralded as a shining example of Chinese Absurdism, the play’s protagonists discuss everything from celebrity gossip, rising property prices, love affairs and 3D films.  

For your chance to win 1 of 3 double passes for the Thursday 30 Aug at 7.30pm, email vcamcm-enews@unimelb.edu.au

30 Aug - 1 Sept, tickets $20 - $25
Arts Centre Melbourne »

Victorian Opera

Victorian Opera presents the Australian premiere of both Manuel de Falla’s one-act puppet opera, Master Peter’s Puppet Show, and Elliott Carter’s What Next? Featuring MCM Opera students students Carlos Bárcenas and Timothy Reynolds, these two 20th century works unfold against a world draped in sheets and a towering backdrop of scaffolding.

For your chance to win 1 of 10 double passes to the double bill on Thursday 16 August, email competitions@
victorianopera.com.au with the subject line “Double Bill”.

15 - 22 Aug
Victorian Opera »