Stage scene with five actors, some in period costumes, performing against a dark background. The set includes a table with lit candles, books, and decorative objects on the left; on the right, four actors are on a platform, with one standing and three kneeling or seated around a woman in a long dress. The scene appears dramatic and theatrical.

BIOGRAPHICA

by Mary Finsterer and Tom Wright

Lyric Opera, Theatre Works, Melbourne, 2023

Director Heather Fairbairn
Conductor Patrick Burns
Set and Costume Designer Savanna Wegman
Lighting Designer Niklas Pajanti
Video Designer Aron Murray
Stage Manager Brittany Coombs
Assistant Designer Maya Anderson
Associate Artist Nathan Burmeister

with Dion Mills, Belinda Dalton, Rachael Joyce, Juel Riggall, Douglas Kelly, Bailey Montgomerie

Photos: Jodie Hutchinson

Man with gray hair and beard in dark ornate jacket, looking to the side, over a table with lit candles, skull, and decorative objects, dark background. From director Heather Fairbairn's staging of contemporary Australian opera BIOGRAPHICA.
Three actors on a stage, one lying down with eyes closed, another leaning over her, and a third sitting nearby, separated by a curtain of hanging threads. From director Heather Fairbairn's staging of contemporary Australian opera BIOGRAPHICA.
A theatrical stage with a man in a long coat speaking, a group of six people sitting behind him, and large hanging structures with handwritten script in the background. From director Heather Fairbairn's staging of contemporary Australian opera BIOGRA
A theatrical performance with performers dressed in vintage-style costumes holding props, illuminated by dramatic stage lighting, with musicians visible in the background. From director Heather Fairbairn's staging of contemporary opera BIOGRAPHICA.
A man with curly hair and a beard, wearing a dark patterned jacket, sitting at a table set with candles, a skull, and various scientific objects, looks upward with a distressed expression. From director Heather Fairbairn's staging of BIOGRAPHICA.
Theatrical scene with five actors on stage, one lying on a bed, others standing around, with dark background and metallic sculpture arches. From director Heather Fairbairn's staging of contemporary Australian opera BIOGRAPHICA.
A theatrical scene with a spotlighted man gesturing with his arms, a dark backdrop featuring a large projection of the words "THE KNOWABLE MACHINE," and a desk with candles and objects to the left. Directed by Heather Fairbairn.

Reviews

★★★★ “Handsomely sung and staged under the direction of Heather Fairbairn, it is also a significant achievement” […] “Biographica is a fascinating, refreshingly different contemporary opera presented with intelligence and talent" - Limelight

★★★★ “Biographica is high art that successfully reflects on the past while offering a glimpse of opera's future.” - The Age

★★★★ “Director Heather Fairbairn has led the Biographica team to create a magnificent visual diorama” - What Did She Think

“In what was a superbly integrated team effort, Heather Fairbairn (Director), Nathan Burmeister (Designer), Niklas Pajanti (Lighting Designer) and Savanna Wegmann (Set and Costume Design) drew on all of these elements to create an arresting and complex visual experience. “ […] “Biographica is an extraordinary achievement, and Lyric Opera’s production has brought it to life in a strikingly memorable way. Not surprisingly, many people have seen it more than once.” - Classic Melbourne

“Directed by Heather Fairbairn, with an overlay of ritualistic movement and attention to both the gestural and emotive, from this initial stage picture, Biographica morphs through an 85-minute, 12-part tableaux adding up to a musically intoxicating, visually compelling and powerfully fused performance piece.” - Australian Arts Review

“Director Heather Fairbairn’s primary influences in the creation of her images are the paintings of Caravaggio and Gentileschi. Here, these images are achieved by the faultless collaboration of Fairbairn’s mise en scene, Savanna Wegman’s design and particularly Niklas Pajanti’s sculptural lighting.” - Stage Whispers

“A production that hits all the right notes.” - Travels with JB

Awards

2024 Green Room Awards:

Best Production - Biographica presented by Lyric Opera of Melbourne, nominee
Best Direction - Heather Fairbairn, nominee
Outstanding Design in Opera - Niklas Pajanti (Lighting Designer) and Savanna Wegmann (Set), nominee
Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role - Bailey Montgomery, nominee
Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role - Juel Riggal, nominee

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