The Adelaide Festival has unveiled a compelling lineup for its 2025 edition, marking its 40th year with a program rich in diversity and innovation. Set to take place from February 28th to March 16th, 2025, the festival will feature a total of 65 events, including 11 world premieres and 9 Australian premieres.
Among the highlights is the opening opera, “Innocence,” which will have its exclusive Australian debut in Adelaide fresh from acclaimed performances at the Royal Opera Covent Garden and ahead of its New York debut at the Metropolitan Opera. Directed by Australia’s Simon Stone, the opera engages a Finnish duo, composer Kaija Saariaho and novelist Sofi Oksanen, with performances by operatic talents such as Teddy Tahu Rhodes and Claire de Sevigne, accompanied by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.
The festival’s new hub, The Courtyard, set on the Festival Plaza, will become a vibrant communal area hosting food, drinks, and entertainment from Wednesday through Sunday evenings during the event.
Artistic Director Brett Sheehy AO commented on the festival’s longstanding impact, saying, “I’m thrilled to be back at the helm of our nation’s major cultural drawcard for the past 65 years, rightly deserving its moniker of ‘Australia’s International Festival’.”
The program also features a rich tapestry of theatrical performances, dance, music, and visual arts with notable pieces exploring deep emotional and social themes. The theatre landscape will be represented by productions like “Krapp’s Last Tape” featuring Irish actor Stephen Rea, and “Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going To Happen” starring Samuel Barnett.
Bespoke dance performances will be staged including “Club Amour” by the legendary Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch and “MASS MOVEMENT,” a large-scale public dance event by Stephanie Lake Company, co-commissioned with The Australian Ballet.
The Minister for Arts, Andrea Michaels MP, commented on the government’s support for the festival saying, “The Malinauskas Government has invested an additional $2.3 million to bring major international events to South Australia as part of Adelaide Festival.”
In addition to the performances, the festival continues to foster literary arts with the return of the Adelaide Writers’ Week from March 1-6, featuring prominent authors such as Geraldine Brooks and Robert Dessaix.
The comprehensive music program features artists from across the globe including Polish pianist Hania Rani and Vietnamese composer Van-Anh Vo, with special concerts dedicated to the works of Franz Schubert by Daniil Trifonov and Matthias Goerne.
This blend of local talents and global stars ensures a festival that not only celebrates arts and culture but also significantly contributes to South Australia’s tourism and economy.
Tickets for the 2025 Adelaide Festival will be available from November 4th, 2024 at http://adelaidefestival.com.au/
More News
