Objectives and Outcomes
Melbourne’s Festival
In 2010 the Festival’s prime objective was to encourage as many people as possible to enjoy ‘their Festival’; establishing it
as an event for everyone, not just a few. Enthusiastic crowds from Melbourne, regional Victoria, Australia and beyond took
great pleasure in Brett Sheehy’s second Festival program.
Throughout the Festival, thousands upon thousands of festival goers attended performances and exhibitions around
the city, enjoying world-class venues such as the Arts Centre, Malthouse Theatre and the Melbourne Recital Centre.
Crowds converged on Alexandra
Gardens to marvel at the dazzling
aerial spectacular K@osmos at
“ ... an unforgettable evening.”
the FOXTEL Festival Opening and
The Australian on Seven Songs To Leave Behind
capacity audiences were regularly
seen waiting to enter the Forum to
enjoy sell out performances at the
“ ... true definition of spectacle”.
Beck’s Festival Bar.
Faster Louder on Seven Songs To Leave Behind
The Festival culminated with the
centrepiece event of 2010, the epic
production Seven Songs to Leave
Behind. A monumental musical
undertaking featuring Australian and
international performers played to an
audience of nearly 9000. In a Festival
first, this performance was filmed
and screened as a world premiere
television event on STVDIO.
“The concert wasn”t just packed with people... it was packed
with high points.” Faster Louder on Seven Songs To Leave Behind
Engage with
regional audiences
The Festival has a long tradition of
regional engagement. In 2010 its
reach was extended: in March the
Festival co-presented the Yea Autumn
Festival in the middle of the firezone region, for all those affected by
Back Saturday; the Festival’s coproduction with CCP An American
Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar
toured extensively; and the Festival
presented Samuel Beckett’s First Love
by the internationally acclaimed Gare
St Lazare Players of Ireland at The
Capital – Bendigo’s Performing Arts
Centre, Warrnambool Entertainment
Centre and West Gippsland
Arts Centre.
Seven Songs to Leave Behind
photo: Andrew Hobbs
Melbourne Festival – Annual Report 2010
Page 11