Adelaide Festival Centre Rolls Out The Red Carpet For 2019

Adelaide Festival Centre is proud to present Season 2019, a year of blockbusters and ground-breakers.

Celebrating Adelaide's status as Australia's only UNESCO Creative City of Music, live music will be centre-stage, with Adelaide Festival Centre's annual International Jazz Day in April featuring the very best jazz talent from South Australia and beyond.

In an Adelaide premiere, Icelandic pianist-composer-producer Ólafur Arnalds will play his haunting compositions at Dunstan Playhouse on December 4.

As 2018 draws to a close, Adelaide Festival Centre will be the place to be for Christmas festivities. A live performance by Peter Combe of his adored Christmas Album will set the seasonal mood and the much-loved Christmas Proms will delight audiences young and old with favourite songs and music, in collaboration with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and with acclaimed performer Lucy Durack as one of the special guest performers.

New Year will see Alfred Hitchcock's classic, North by Northwest brought to life in a stunning theatrical adaptation. This unmissable spectacular has returned to Australia following hugely successful seasons in Melbourne, the UK, and Canada.

Two of the world's biggest and most successful musicals will Raise the Roof in 2019. Disney's spectacular Aladdin brings the classic film to life on stage with all our favourite songs. The Book of Mormon was described by The New York Times as "The best musical this century". Outrageous and hilarious, the nine-time Tony Award winning Best Musical has become an international sensation.

Dance lovers are in for a spectacular year with Sydney Dance Theatre's 50th Anniversary Celebration Triple-bill, the world premiere of Australian Dance Theatre's North South, a 30th anniversary season of work by the extraordinary Bangarra Dance Theatre and a heavenly production of The Nutcracker, presented by Adelaide Festival Centre and The Australian Ballet.

School holidays will be packed with great family entertainment starting in Summer with Sarah & Duck, Deadly 60 Down Under and the hugely popular performing arts program for 8 to 16-year olds, On Stage. Throughout the year, Something On Saturday will present a carefully curated program of music, arts and crafts for young children.

Adelaide Festival Centre will also present its own stunning festivals in 2019, starting with Adelaide French Festival from 11-13 January. Now in its second year, the festival will shine a light on the beautiful region of Brittany.

May will see the return of DreamBIG Children's Festival, packed with creative and inspiring performances, workshops and experiences for schools and families. The award-winning picture book The Gruffalo will be brought to life on stage and Australian premiere performances include the enchanting journey of puppetry and animation of New Owner and the interactive immersion into the world of a 12 year-old in Katie's Birthday Party.

Adelaide Cabaret Festival will bring warmth and light to winter with new Artistic Director Julia Zemiro's choice of some of the brightest, edgiest and shiniest acts on the Australian and international scene. One of many highlights will be the Australian exclusive of End Of The Rainbow, presented in association with State Theatre Company South Australia, examining the reality of the life and death of Judy Garland.

Adelaide Guitar Festival will present the popular Resonance, Guitars in Bars and Winter School while OzAsia Festival will be back with another feast of contemporary Asian culture and another treasured Moon Lantern Parade along the River Torrens.

In November, State Opera South Australia presents two contrasting works with the power and tragedy of Madama Butterfly and the colour and comedy of The Mikado.

In what is becoming a landmark celebration at Festival Theatre, a special Chinese New Year Concert from the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and star guest soloists will celebrate the good fortune and big personalities which are promised to come with the Year of the Pig.

Adelaide Festival Centre CEO & Artistic Director Douglas Gautier AM:

"Adelaide Festival Centre is the home of arts and entertainment year round. In 2019, there will be much to see and do here for all our diverse audiences. We are delighted to have secured Disney Theatrical's first presentation in Adelaide with Aladdin, this marks the start of a new era for musical theatre in South Australia. Along with The Book of Mormon these blockbusters will attract tens of thousands of patrons to our venues, some for the first time, starting what we hope will be a lifetime love of live performance.

"We are extremely pleased to welcome QBE as Adelaide Festival Centre's new principal partner. This partnership is a strong mutual fit for Adelaide Festival Centre and QBE. We both believe in excellence and great customer experience and I look forward to all we will accomplish together.

"2019 promises to be a magical year and we are looking forward to welcoming audiences into our theatres. We are already looking forward to Season 2020, when we will be back in the rebuilt Her Majesty's Theatre, which will be bigger, better and more accessible for all South Australians."