The Helpmann Award for Best Direction of an Opera is an award presented by Live Performance Australia (LPA), an employers' organisation which serves as the peak body in the live entertainment and performing arts industries in Australia. The accolade is handed out at the annual Helpmann Awards, which celebrates achievements in musical theatre, contemporary music, comedy, opera, classical music, theatre, dance and physical theatre.
The award is given to the "director who has made a material contribution to the Australian aspect of the production." The nominees are determined by the Opera and Classical Music branch of the Helpmann Awards Nominating Panel; winners are chosen by all branches of the Nominating Panel, and other eligible voters.
Winners and nominees
Source:
Year Director Production 2001(1st) Neil Armfield The Eighth Wonder 2001(1st) Lindy Hume Orlando 2001(1st) Barrie Kosky Wozzeck 2001(1st) Moffatt Oxenbould Simon Boccanegra 2002(2nd) Lindy Hume Batavia 2002(2nd) Stephen Medcalf Going Into Shadows 2002(2nd) Elke Neidhardt Parsifal 2002(2nd) Simon Phillips L'elisir d'amore 2003(3rd) Neil Armfield The Marriage of Figaro 2003(3rd) Elke Neidhardt Il Trovatore 2003(3rd) Patrick Nolan Love in the Age of Therapy 2003(3rd) Francesca Zambello Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District 2004(4th) Joe Mantello, Brad Dalton Dead Man Walking 2004(4th) Nigel Jamieson Brundibár 2004(4th) Harry Kupfer Otello 2004(4th) Simon Phillips Lulu 2005(5th) Elke Neidhardt Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring Cycle) 2005(5th) Stuart Maunder Manon 2005(5th) Patrick Nolan Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda 2005(5th) Francesca Zambello The Love for Three Oranges 2006(6th) John Cox The Rake's Progress 2006(6th) Simon Phillips La Bohème 2006(6th) Rachel McDonald La voix humaine 2006(6th) David Freeman Nabucco 2007(7th) Douglas Horton The Hive 2007(7th) Olivia Fuchs Rusalka 2007(7th) Lindy Hume The Love of the Nightingale 2007(7th) Leigh Warren Satyagraha 2008(8th) John Cox Arabella 2008(8th) Bruce Beresford A Streetcar Named Desire 2008(8th) Adam Cook Little Women 2008(8th) Nigel Jamieson Dead Man Walking 2009(9th) Neil Armfield Billy Budd 2009(9th) Kate Cherry L'incoronazione di Poppea (The Coronation of Poppaea) 2009(9th) Chris Kohn The Children's Bach 2009(9th) Graeme Murphy Aida 2010(10th) Neil Armfield Peter Grimes 2010(10th) Neil Armfield Bliss 2010(10th) Chris Drummond The Flying Dutchman 2010(10th) Alex Olle and Valentina Carrasco Le Grand Macabre 2011(11th) Nigel Jamieson La Fanciulla del West 2011(11th) Christopher Alden Partenope 2011(11th) Michael Kantor Threepenny Opera 2011(11th) Leigh Warren Maria De Buenos Aires 2012(12th) Leonard Foglia Moby-Dick 2012(12th) Bruce Beresford Of Mice and Men 2012(12th) Matthew Lutton Elektra 2012(12th) Francesca Zambello La Traviata 2013(13th) Àlex Ollé Un ballo in maschera 2013(13th) Rodula Gaitanou L'isola disabitata 2013(13th) Gale Edwards Salome 2013(13th) Ludger Engels Semele Walk 2014(14th) Neil Armfield Melbourne Ring Cycle2014 (14th)Chas Rader-ShieberOrlando2014 (14th)Simon PhillipsThe Turk in Italy2014 (14th)Roger HodgmanNixon in China2015(15th)Paul CurranFaramondo2015(15th)David McVicarDon Giovanni2015(15th)David McVicarFaust2015(15th)Leigh WarrenThe Philip Glass Trilogy2016(16th)David McVicarThe Marriage of Figaro2016(16th)Michael GowVoyages to the Moon2016(16th)Cameron MenziesThe Grumpiest Boy in the World2016(16th)Laurence DaleAgrippina2017(17th)Barrie KoskySaul2017(17th)David McVicarCosi fan tutte2017(17th)Damiano MichielettoCavalleria Rusticana & I Pagliacci2017(17th)Gale EdwardsCloudstreet2018(18th)Neil ArmfieldHamlet2018(18th)Barrie KoskyThe Nose2018(18th)Stuart MaunderThe Cunning Little Vixen2018(18th)Matthew LuttonBlack Rider: The Casting of the Magic Bullets2019(19th)Barrie Kosky and Suzanne AndradeThe Magic Flute2019(19th)William KentridgeWozzeck2019(19th)Lindy HumeDon Giovanni2019(19th)Sarah GilesLorelei
Notes
A: The win for Dead Man Walking was for Joe Mantello, credited for "production", and Brad Dalton who oversaw the rehearsal and direction of the opera in Australia.
See also Helpmann Awards
References
External links The official Helpmann Awards website