Enjoy arts and culture at the Melbourne Festival
One of the biggest international arts festivals in all of Australia, the Melbourne Festival is sure to take your breath away when it returns from October 11-27 this year.
With a variety of performances spanning the genres of music, dance, film, theatre, visual arts and more, there are plenty of must-watch events to jot down on your calendar.
There are plenty of Mantra hotels in Melbourne to choose from, so whether you decide on Mantra 100 Exhibition or Mantra on Jolimont, you'll be able to get right up close to all of the action.
About the festival
The Melbourne Festival combines dance, theatre, music, visual arts, multimedia and more to create a veritable smorgasbord of creative experiences that everyone can enjoy.
"With a variety of performances spanning the genres of music, dance, film, theatre, visual arts and more, there are plenty of must-watch events to jot down on your calendar. "
It brings together the best and brightest from Australia and around the world, so it's a great opportunity to catch the work of those international artists you might never have seen otherwise!
The very first Melbourne Festival launched in 1986, directed by composer Gian Carlo Menotti. Right from the beginning it had its roots firmly in the international scene, as it was the third festival in the Spoleto series (following festivals in Italy and the US).
From this year onwards, the festival is being directed by Josephine Ridge, and there's sure to be plenty of exciting events ahead as the festival continues to grow and evolve.
Program highlights for 2013
There's so much to look forward to this year including some highlights that are likely to draw some big crowds.
Theatre fans will want to get their tickets booked for Brief Encounter, a new adaption of the Noel Coward West End and Broadway hit.
If you're on the lookout for a powerful dance performance, don't miss The Rite of Spring/Petrushka, from Ireland's Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre. There's also The Cinematic Orchestra, Olafur Arnalds, The Polyphonic Spree and some great films to look out for.