The much-anticipated annual Perth Festival has revealed five exciting additions to next year’s line-up under new Festival Artistic Director Iain Grandage.

The festival will open with a celebration of Yolŋu culture and the music of Gurrumul with Buŋgul, an exploration of the culture that inspired Gurrumul’s final album, and Djarimirri (Child of the Rainbow), in a live performance by Yolŋu dancers, songmen and the West Australian Symphony Orchestra.

Perth Festival 2020 will also bring two great pieces of Australian theatre back to the west coast; Bran Nue Dae and Tim Winton’s Cloudstreet.

“Bran Nue Dae, Australia’s first Indigenous musical by Jimmy Chi and Kuckles, is back in a sparkling new production presented by West Australian Opera at the Regal Theatre to mark 30 years since its 1990 Festival world premiere,” the festival announcement reads.

“…and Black Swan State Theatre Company of WA and Malthouse Theatre will fill His Majesty’s Theatre with the magic and wonder of an exciting homecoming production of Cloudstreet, which broke box-office records when it premiered in Melbourne earlier this year.”

The circus is also coming to town, but this one is unlike anything you’ve seen before. Brisbane artists Circa will be bringing the world premiere of Leviathan (pictured) to Perth Festival, in collaboration with local artists, performers and young folks.

In music, the festival will be celebrating 250 years since the birth of the great Ludwig Van Beethoven with Fidelio, the composers only opera.

This stunning work of love and sacrifice triumphing over tyranny unites the forces of WASO and WA Opera with a new spoken text from Alison Croggon, narrated by actor Eryn Jean Norvill and with the heroic lead performed by acclaimed German soprano Christiane Libor.

“I am thrilled to be able to share just a taste of my first Perth Festival program for 2020,” Perth Festival Artistic Director Iain Grandage says.

“These five brilliant productions are some of the finest circus, music and theatre you will see anywhere in the world, and they are all grounded here in the West by Perth Festival.

“Buŋgul and Leviathan are both new Festival commissions made for you. In collaboration with WASO, Beethoven’s Fidelio is reframed for our times, and we joyfully reclaim the great Western Australian works Bran Nue Dae with WA Opera and Cloudstreet with Black Swan State Theatre Company of WA as defining stories of us in this place.”

“I can’t wait to share the full 2020 Perth Festival program with you soon – one that celebrates our time, our place and our home here on Noongar Boodjah.”

Perth Festival takes over our city from 7th February – 1st March 2020. Bookings and more information available from perthfestival.com.au

OIP Staff