Heather Fairbairn is an award-winning director of theatre, opera, and live-cinema.

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.

In Australia, Heather has directed for major companies, including Victorian Opera, Queensland Theatre Company, Bell Shakespeare, La Boite Theatre Company, and Opera Australia.

CURRENT & FUTURE WORKS

Heather is currently directing Patricia Cornelius’ DO NOT GO GENTLE (Queensland Theatre Company).

PAST WORKS

Heather’s recent work includes a “world-class production” of Suzie Miller’s PRIMA FACIE (NORPA - Northern Rivers Performing Arts); TIRRA LIRRA BY THE RIVER (Byron Theatre); multi-award-winning production of Janáček’s KATYA KABANOVA (Victorian Opera); 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); and, Ibsen’s AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE (Queensland Theatre).

Previous directing credits include: 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); SILK MOTH by Bushra El-Turk (Arcola Theatre, London); THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR and ARIADNE AUF NAXOS conducted by Simone Young (Queensland Conservatorium); 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); 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.

COLLABORATIONS

Since 2015, Heather has regularly collaborated with director Katie Mitchell, working on acclaimed international productions including ARIADNE AUF NAXOS and ALCINA (Festival d’Aix), LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR (Royal Ballet and Opera - Covent Garden), OPHELIAS ZIMMER by Alice Birch (Royal Court Theatre & Schaubühne Berlin) and ZAUBERLAND (Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord, Paris).

Heather has directed revivals of Katie Mitchell’s productions with new casts at Théâtre des Champs Elysées, Finnish National Opera, and the Royal Danish Opera.

Other associate directing and assistant directing credits include: IDOMENEO (dir. Lindy Hume, Opera Australia); LORD OF THE FLIES directed by Kip Williams and ACCIDENTAL DEATH OF AN ANARCHIST directed by Sarah Giles (Sydney Theatre Company); LE NOZZE DI FIGARO directed by Patrick Nolan and ORPHEUS & EURYDICE directed by Yaron Lifschitz (Opera Queensland, Opera Australia); CINDERELLA schools tour (Opera Australia); IL TROVATORE (Royal Ballet and Opera - Covent Garden); AS YOU LIKE IT (dir. David Berthold, La Boite Theatre Company); and, 1984 (dir. Michael Futcher, shake & stir, Queensland Performing Arts Centre).

ARTISTIC LEADERSHIP

In 2024 and 2025, Heather was Artistic Associate at NORPA (Northern Rivers Performing Arts) where she led the development of new work in regional contexts.

For CIRCA, Heather served as the Associate Director - New Work, collaborating on the creation of a suite of new internationally-touring productions.

Previous positions also include Project Officer in the programming department for Queensland Performing Arts Centre, and Program Coordinator for national arts charity The Song Room.

Heather is a sessional lecturer in directing at the National Institute of Dramatic Art. She has also taught acting, directing, dramaturgy, devising, and Shakespeare at Griffith University, Queensland University of Technology, and the University of Queensland.

TRAINING

Heather trained through the Young Artist Program of the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence and holds a Master of Fine Arts (Directing) from the National Institute of Dramatic Art, a Bachelor of Creative Arts (Drama & Creative Writing) from the University of Queensland, and a BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts (Musical Theatre Performance) from the BRIT School for Performing Arts, London.

Heather Fairbairn is represented by Aurora Artists’ Management.
Agent: Justine Goss
+61 414 864 418
justine@auroraartists.com
www.auroraartists.com