Award Winning Companies
Helpmann Awards 2011
Sydney Theatre Company: Gross und Klein Photo: Troyt CoburnArtists representing Belvoir, Opera Australia, Sydney Theatre Company, Bell Shakespeare, State Opera of South Australia, Sydney Symphony and Bangarra Dance Theatre took home sixteen of the prestigious ‘Bobbies’ at the Sydney Opera House on 1 August 2011.
Sydney Symphony was well awarded for its collaboration with solo artists. Pianist Garrick Ohlsson’s recital, programmed as part of the SSO International Pianists in Recital Series, was named Best Chamber&/or Instrumental Ensemble Concert while Tim Minchin vs Sydney Symphony was awarded the hotly contested Best New Australian Work.
Bangarra Dance Theatre was awarded Best Regional Touring Production for their stunning production of Mathinna which toured extensively last year.
Elizabeth Campbell took out the prize for Best Female Performer in a Supporting Role in an Opera for her turn in State Opera of South Australia’s Aida. The rest of the opera prizes were handed out to Opera Australia artists. Nigel Jamieson (Best Director) and John Wegner (Best Male Performer) took home prizes for La Fanciulla del West, as well as Emma Matthews (Best Female Performer) and Kanen Breen (Best Male Supporting) winning for Partenope, which was also named Best Opera. Matthews’ win was a record sixth Helpmann Award for the singer.
Cate Blanchett’s award for Best Female Actor was accepted by her husband and co-artistic director of Sydney Theatre Company, Andrew Upton, who amusingly thanked himself for a great adaptation of Uncle Vanya. The actress is in Washington DC where the co-production between STC and Bell Shakespeare will soon open.
The Belvoir team celebrated long into the night with their plethora of awards including Best Play for The Wild Duck. In addition, Geoffrey Rush won Best Male Actor for The Diary of a Madman with Neil Armfield winning Best Director and Alan John taking out Best Original Score for the show. Anthony Phelan and Anita Hegh won the Best Supporting Actor Bobbies for The Wild Duck.
Australian Dance Awards 2011
The 2011 Australian Dance Awards were announced on Sunday 24 June in Brisbane, with judges choosing from over 450 nominations received for the 10 award categories for works presented in 2010. AMPAG Members Sydney Dance Company and The Australian Ballet took out three of the prestigious awards.
Artistic Director of Sydney Dance Company (SDC), Rafael Bonachela, deservedly attained the award for Outstanding Achievement in Choreography. SDC member Amy Hollingsworth was congratulated for her performance in Bonachela’s Irony of Fate, taking home the award for Most Outstanding Performance by a Female Dancer.
David Gaudiello of The Australian Ballet pirouetted home with Most Outstanding Performance by a Male Dancer for his role in Coppelia.
The Australian Dance Awards are decided by a panel of dance professionals: Robina Beard, Lee Christofis, Julie Dyson, Marilyn Miller, Ruth Osborne, Margrete Helgeby, Rita Clarke, Jill Sykes, Kim Walker, Chris Boyd, Dr Jordan Beth Vincent, Cheryl Stock, Vanessa Mafe-Keane, Peter Burdon, Dr Maggie Tonkin, Lesley Graham and Joanna Noonan.