Heather Fairbairn is an Australian-based theatre and opera director, with a practice spanning classical texts, new writing, opera, and interdisciplinary performance.

In Australia, Heather has directed for major companies including Queensland Theatre, Bell Shakespeare, La Boite, and Opera Australia. Internationally, she has worked with leading institutions including the Royal Opera House (Covent Garden), Royal Court Theatre, Arcola Theatre, Finnish National Opera, Royal Danish Opera, Festival d’Aix-en-Provence and Schaubühne Berlin.

Heather is Artistic Associate at NORPA (Northern Rivers Performing Arts), where she leads the development of new work in regional contexts. She was previously Associate Director: New Work with CIRCA, and Co-Artistic Director of experimental theatre company The Hive Collective.

CURRENT & FUTURE WORKS

In 2025, Heather directs a new live-cinema production of KATYA KABANOVA for Victorian Opera, and revival directs THE BARBER OF SEVILLE for Opera Australia.

PAST WORKS

Heather’s recent productions include BIOGRAPHICA (Lyric Opera of Melbourne / Theatre Works); TWELFTH NIGHT with music by Sarah Blasko (Bell Shakespeare, national tour & Sydney Opera House); AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE (Queensland Theatre); and THE WOLVES (QUT, Brisbane).

Previous directing credits include 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); SILK MOTH by Bushra El-Turk (Arcola Theatre, London); THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR and ARIADNE AUF NAXOS conducted by Simone Young (Queensland Conservatorium); multimedia theatre 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); and, 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 Opera House - Covent Garden), OPHELIAS ZIMMER by Alice Birch (Royal Court Theatre & Schaubühne Berlin) and ZAUBERLAND (Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord). Heather has directed revivals of Katie Mitchell’s work at Théâtre des Champs Elysées (Paris), Finnish National Opera (Helsinki), and the Royal Danish Opera (Copenhagen).

Other associate 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 and ORPHEUS & EURYDICE (Opera Queensland / Opera Australia); CINDERELLA schools tour (Opera Australia); IL TROVATORE (Royal Opera House - Covent Garden); AS YOU LIKE IT (dir. David Berthold, La Boite); and, 1984 (dir. Michael Futcher, Queensland Performing Arts Centre).

ARTISTIC LEADERSHIP

During her tenure as Co-Artistic Director of The Hive Collective, Heather programmed and produced a season of works at Metro Arts including ELEKTRA/ORESTES, Zoey Dawson’s CONVICTION (dir. Kate Wild), and Van Badham’s THE BULL, THE MOON, AND THE CORONET OF STARS (dir. Heidi Gledhill).

As Associate Director: New Work with CIRCA, she developed a suite of new works for the company including SHAUN THE SHEEP’S CIRCUS SHOW, HUMANS 2.0, SACRE, and CUBE STUDIES: SANTIAGO.

Heather is a sessional lecturer in directing at NIDA. She has taught acting, directing, dramaturgy, devising, and Shakespeare at Griffith University, Queensland University of Technology, and the University of Queensland, and regularly mentors emerging directors, actors, and creatives from across Australia.

TRAINING

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