Heather
Fairbairn
Heather Fairbairn is an award-winning director of theatre, opera, and live-cinema.
In Australia, Heather has directed for major companies, including Victorian Opera, Queensland Theatre Company, Bell Shakespeare, La Boite Theatre Company, and Opera Australia.
Internationally, Heather has worked with Europe’s leading theatre companies and opera houses, including the Royal Court Theatre, Royal Ballet and Opera (Covent Garden), Schaubühne Berlin, Arcola Theatre, Finnish National Opera, Théâtre des Champs Elysées, Royal Danish Opera, and Festival d’Aix-en-Provence.
Heather’s recent work includes: a multi-award-winning production of Janáček’s KATYA KABANOVA (Victorian Opera); a “world-class production” of Suzie Miller’s PRIMA FACIE (NORPA - Northern Rivers Performing Arts); EUGENE ONEGIN and THE BARBER OF SEVILLE (revival, Opera Australia); BIOGRAPHICA, nominated for five Green Room Awards (Lyric Opera of Melbourne, Theatre Works); TWELFTH NIGHT, with new music by Sarah Blasko (Bell Shakespeare, national tour & Sydney Opera House); TIRRA LIRRA BY THE RIVER (Byron Theatre); and, Patricia Cornelius’ DO NOT GO GENTLE (Queensland Theatre Company).
Previous directing credits include: live-cinema work THE MUTANT MAN by Christopher Bryant in a “stylish production” [The Stage] with “glimpses of visual genius in its staging” (The Space Arts Centre, London); THE WOLVES (Queensland University of Technology); THE ALCHEMIST and WOMEN BEWARE WOMEN (rehearsed readings, Bell Shakespeare); REVOLT. SHE SAID. REVOLT AGAIN. by Alice Birch (National Institute of Dramatic Art); Jada Alberts & Anne-Louise Sarks’ ELEKTRA/ORESTES (The Hive Collective / Metro Arts, Brisbane); Ibsen’s AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE (Queensland Theatre Company); SILK MOTH by Bushra El-Turk (Arcola Theatre, London); THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR and ARIADNE AUF NAXOS conducted by Simone Young (Queensland Conservatorium); SNAPPY OPERAS (Mahogany Opera Group, London); SUNNYTOWN (La Boite Theatre Company); and, a cine-opera adaptation of Schubert’s WINTERREISE (National Institute of Dramatic Art).
Heather’s popular adaptation of Mozart’s THE MAGIC FLUTE has been revived in theatres and concert halls across Europe including Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel (Belgium), Grande Théâtre de la Ville (Luxembourg), Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (Lisbon), and Escuela de Música Reina Sofía (Madrid).
Other directing credits include rehearsed readings and creative developments for Teatro Nacional de São Carlos (Lisbon), Bayerische Theaterakademie (Munich), National Institute of Dramatic Art, and Actors Centre Australia.
